In een open brief heeft Jeff Alessi zich openbaar verontschuldigd en zijn schuld toegegeven in het ‘lasergate’ schandaal van vorige week. In de brief, die u hieronder kan lezen richt Jeff zich tot zijn broer, het team, Davy Coombs, Steve Mathes, de betrokken rijders en hun team en tenslotte ook tot zijn vader.
Hij bekend vervolgens volledige schuld en schaamt zich ervoor dat hij met een speelgoedje van 15 dollar zichzelf en de naam van zijn familie heeft ten schande gebracht. Hij hoopt wel op vergiffenis en de kans om iedereen te tonen hoe Jeff Alessi echt is. De volledige brief kan je hieronder lezen.
In een communiqué volgend op deze brief van Mike Genova, team eigenaar van het MotoConcepts team, betreurt Genova het voorval maar benadrukt hij dat Jeff geen deel uit maakt van het team en op eigen houtje handelde. Voorts heeft hij wel vader Tony Alessi geschorst voor de rest van het outdoorseizoen wegens zijn ongepaste uitspraken en gedrag. Volgens Genova is Tony Alessi en co een goeie man die de foute beslissingen heeft genomen in dit voorval.
Hey guys,
I’m here to inform all of you that I am responsible for the incident that happened this weekend at Washougal national. As many of you know a green laser went across Ryan Villopoto and Malcolm Stewart before the start of the first moto. I was the person who did that and I would like to say to those two riders that I am very sorry for causing any distraction to them before the start of the race. I had no intent to harm either rider or affect their results.
I would also like to extend my sincere apologies to Steve Matthes who had to hear the wrath of my father who was defending me with the thought that I was innocent because I told him a story to make him think I wasn’t guilty, and also for saying what I said to him during the confrontation.
To my brother, my father, and Mike Genova, words cannot describe the pain and shame I have to live with right now knowing the problems I caused for all of you and the rest of the team. I know how hard you work Mike800, and how you’ve made your one goal to stay out of drama and just race and try to show the masses that you are a great rider that loves racing.
When I sit here and think about what I did and what it caused I feel like I ruined EVERYTHING you spent the last 5 years building on, and I am so sorry brother because you don’t deserve any of this.
To my dad, thanks for standing up for me and showing me you would take that bullet for me. I shouldn’t have told you a story when you looked at me and asked what I did. I should’ve just told you the truth but I couldn’t because I was terrified and scared and what came out instead was little and low and you still believed me because that’s what you do when your kids say something. I was so dumb.
Mike Genova, what can I say other than you tried getting me back on track here and wanted me to make a difference and I didn’t make any difference except cost you a lot of people’s respect they had started having for you. You’re like my second father, and just like my dad I lied to you too, and you defended me against it all and I’m here to finally give up my story and come clean and tell you I was standing in the grass with a $12 dollar laser acting like a five-year-old, doing childish pranks and it all came down on your team and my brother. I’m really sorry, Mike. I thought I had changed and I made an effort prior to that mistake to do nothing wrong all week and try to help but I stopped thinking and I’m truly sorry.
My last apology I will end with is to the man who did his job and found me when I was doing something wrong, Davey Coombs. I am so sorry I had to put you in that situation that you had to spend important time looking for who was causing the big problem. I know how disappointed you were when you found out I was the one with the device and you had to do what you did, but I also want you to know I never thought you were rough with me, you were just doing your job.
To everyone else, the Monster Energy Kawasaki team, JGR, the Stewart family; MotoConcept team members Vince Freise, James, Dave Dye, Daniel Castloo, Shauna Genova and Sandy Genova; I’m sorry for the outcome of this, it was never my intentions and I will work hard to learn from all of this and return to a professional human that uses his brain before making actions.
To the motorcycle community, I hope this does not reflect who I am because I’m not the person it looks like I am right now and I will try and prove that in the future.
Jeff Alessi