THE world’s worst-kept speedway secret was confirmed on Tuesday when Swindon were finally able to confirm that Darcy Ward is set to join the Robins on loan – as soon as his visa issues are resolved back home in Australia.

Ward, who has just finished a worldwide ban for failing an alcohol test at the 2014 Latvian Grand Prix, hopes to be available for the must-win league fixture at Leicester on Saturday. Then he is scheduled to make his home debut against his parent side Poole on Monday in front of the Sky TV cameras.

Accommodating Ward within the points limit of the Swindon side has meant a further reshuffle down the pecking order – with British U21 champion Kyle Howarth, rather than Greg Zengota, being the unlucky man to be sacrificed.

Unlike Howarth, Zengota is a Swindon asset which may have had a bearing on the decision. Howarth, meanwhile, is sure to prove a good catch for another Elite League club in the near future – perhaps Wolverhampton or Coventry. Little-known Czech Republic rider Eduard Krcmar, who has a lower points average than Howarth, comes in to complete the seven-strong team.

With Adrian Miedzinski unwilling to return to the UK after his shambolic performance at Leicester recently, Swindon's management team had to make some crucial decisions – and swiftly – to keep any hope of a play-off place alive.

Ward is one of the most talented riders on the planet but his latest scrape with authority is by no means his first – and Swindon boss Alun Rossiter may be required to employ some canny man-management skills.

Ward will, of course, team up with fellow Aussies Troy Batchelor and Nick Morris, which should smooth his passage into the team line-up.

Nineteen-year-old Krcmar has been riding in his homeland for AK Slany and in the Polish third division for table-topping Wybrzeże Gdańsk with a 1.719 per race average for a meeting equivalent of 6.87.

He scored 17 points in two Speedway World Cup meetings for the Czech Republic last year.

Krcmar is a bit of a gamble but has time on his side and if he does as well as fellow Czech rider Vaclav Milik is doing at King’s Lynn, then it could be a good signing.

Rossiter said: “We’re obviously delighted to welcome Darcy, it’s a fresh start for him and we are looking forward to working with him.

“Everyone knows the talent he has on a speedway bike and we are confident he can carry that forward from here."

Rossiter added that axing Howarth was 'the impossible choice'.

“It was Kyle or Grzegorz Zengota who had to go,” he said. “I must emphasise this is a Swindon speedway decision – we have made this move as a club.

“It was impossible for me because I had to take off my Team GB hat. I still have great faith in Kyle and want to continue working with him and giving him opportunities on a national basis.

“But we made this decision as a Swindon management team, it was the impossible choice. Zengy got the nod as a club asset and because he’s in such good form.”

Once again the sport's slavish average system has prompted the unwanted merry-go-round we suffer every season. Time for a change.