Rossi doubtful for FIM Awards.

The spa town of Saint Vincent, set in the Italian mountain resort of Valle d'Aosta, will this Saturday host the FIM World Champions Award Ceremony, which will honour the title winners in MotoGP and all other two-wheeled disciplines homologated by the FIM.

The ceremony will get underway at 1930hrs on Saturday and will conclude two hours later, to be followed by gala dinner.

A total of 22 riders and four teams will be venerated for their achievements throughout the 2002 season. Nineteen constructors' titles will also be awarded.

The star attraction should be MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi, but the Italian's presence will not be confirmed until the last minute due to recent threats made against him.

Rossi has been the centre of unwanted international attention this week after demands, contained in a letter bomb to Spanish Iberian Airlines, were made for him to split from team sponsor Repsol by an anarchic terrorist group 'or face the consequences'.

Although the risk of harm to Rossi appears slim, the Italian is being naturally cautious about his security arrangements - which are being handled by the Italian military police - with his planned movements a closely guarded secret.

It would indeed be a shame if the popular Honda hero, who has nothing to do with his team's title sponsor selection, were now to miss the presentation of his well-deserved second premier class crown because of the unjustified threats made against him.

The FIM World Champions for 2002:

MotoGP:Valentino RossiHonda*
250cc Grand Prix:Marco MelandriAprilia*
125cc Grand Prix:Arnaud VincentAprilia*
Sidecar:Steve Abbott/James BiggsYamaha*Supersport:Fabien ForetHonda*
Superbike:Colin EdwardsHonda*
Teams Endurance: Zongshen - Nowland/Jerman/Mertens/Bonhuil Suzuki*
Sidecar Cross Motocross:Kristers Sergis / Artis RasmanisBSU*125cc Motocross:Mickael MaschioKTM*
250cc Motocross:Mickael PichonSuzuki*
500cc Motocross:Stefan EvertsKTM*
Supermoto:Thierry Van den BoschKTM*Trial:Doug LampkinMontesa*Indoor Trial: Albert Cabestany
Women's Trial's Cup:Laia Sanz125cc two-stroke Enduro:Petteri SilvanHusqvarna*
250cc two-stroke Enduro:Samuli AroHusqvarna*
250cc four-stroke Enduro:Peter BergvallYamaha*400cc four-stroke Enduro:Juha SalminenKTM*
500cc four-stroke Enduro: Anders ErikssonHusqvarna*
Enduro Overall:Juha SalminenHusqvarna*
Speedway:Tony Rickardsson
Long Track:Robert Barth
Ice Speedway:Per-Olov Serenius
Junior Speedway:Lukas Dryml

* Manufacturers' champions.