Supercross: FIM Punishes James Stewart
Kit Palmer | December 16, 2014
It appears that James Stewart will not compete in either the 2015 AMA Supercross or outdoor National MX Series. In a release issued by his Yoshimura Suzuki Team, Stewart was notified that he will be punished regarding his anti-doping violation, but did not reveal any specifics of the penalty but said that the FIM’s decision “severely effects the entire 2015 season.” We can only assume at this point, that Stewart has been prohibited from racing all next year by the FIM, which has ties with AMA Supercross and motocross. But, according to our sources, Stewart, will not be racing in 2015.
Here is the official release from Yoshimura Suzuki:
Yoshimura Suzuki Racing is reporting that James Stewart has received notification from the FIM with a penalty regarding his anti-doping violation. The news came eight months to the day from the test at this years’ Seattle Supercross event where he tested positive for amphetamines from his prescribed Adderall. The ruling lays out a punishment that severely affects the entire 2015 season for James and the Yoshimura Suzuki team. Suzuki Motor of America and Yoshimura Racing will continue their unwavering support for Stewart during this difficult period and like all the fans hope to see him line up at the gate as soon as his ineligibility is lifted.
“I’m extremely disappointed to say the least,” said Stewart. “We plan to appeal as I personally feel that the punishment far outweighs the situation; especially since I received both WADA and USADA approvals that prove I’m not cheating. I’m bummed for everyone involved: my family, my team, my sponsors, the promoters and most of all the fans. Unfortunately, I’ve had to be very quiet in regards to this situation but I’ll be telling the full story in the next couple weeks so everyone can understand what we’ve been going through. Thank you all for your continued support.”
Yoshimura Suzuki Racing’s James Stewart has announced plans to be at the season-opening round of the 2015 AMA Supercross Championships on Saturday, January 3 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim to support his team, teammate, sponsors and fans.
So, again, at this point, it looks as though Stewart will not be suiting up for Supercross and motocross in 2015.
Kit Palmer | Off-Road Editor
Kit Palmer started his career at Cycle News in 1984 and he’s been testing dirt and streetbikes ever since – plus covering any event that uses some form of a knobby tire. He’s also our resident motorcycle mileage man with a commute of 120 miles a day.
