The answer lies in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) code. If you want to make yourself dizzy, try reading through it here. (Oh, the difficulty in not using a joke about ADD or ADHD when mentioning how hard it is to read through a 136-page document of medical and legal jargon).

First, the FIM has given James a provisional suspension. According to the WADA code, Provisional Suspensions make an athlete ineligible to compete only in Signatory events, which means events directly sanctioned by the organization using the WADA code. That would be FIM events, in our sport. The Nationals, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, are non-Signatory events. Here’s the actual text, from section 7.5 of the WADA code (on page 45):

7.5 Principles Applicable to Provisional Suspension

7.5.1

Mandatory Provisional Suspension after A Sample Adverse Analytical Finding Signatories shall adopt rules, applicable to any Event for which the Signatory is the ruling body or for any team selection process for which the Signatory is responsible or where the Signatory is the applicable International Federation or has results management authority over the alleged anti-doping rule violation, providing that when an A Sample Adverse Analytical Finding is received for a Prohibited Substance, other than a Specified Substance, a Provisional Suspension shall be imposed promptly after the review and notification described in Articles 7.1 and 7.2.

The Provisional Suspension did indeed happen. But the AMA Pro Racing sanctioned Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is not a Signatory event. It’s non-Signatory as defined in the WADA code. Provisional Suspensions do not apply and, most important, can’t be applied. There is nothing in the Nationals rulebook that would make it possible for MX Sports to suspend Stewart from competition this weekend. If they tried to suspend him, it would be very easy for Stewart’s side to explain that the rules don’t allow it.

Further, there’s a note for this 7.5 code that says

Comment to Article 7.5: Before a Provisional Suspension can be unilaterally imposed by an Anti-Doping Organization, the internal review specified in the Code must first be completed. In addition, a Signatory imposing a Provisional Suspension is required to give the Athlete an opportunity for a Provisional Hearing either before or promptly after the imposition of the Provisional Suspension, or an expedited final hearing under Article 8 promptly after imposition of the Provisional Suspension.

This basically says even for Signatory events, the Provisional Suspension can’t be imposed until the athlete gets an opportunity for a Provisional Hearing. Stewart hasn’t had one yet, so as of today, at least, Stewart wouldn’t be suspended from anything. Not even a GP with a direct FIM sanction.

You’ll note the use of “as of today” and “as of now” quite a bit in this story. Provisional Suspensions don’t last forever, and James will eventually have his case heard. We don’t know how that will turn out. If he’s found innocent, than he can obviously continue racing as if none of this ever happened (reputation be damned). If he’s found guilty, though, his status moves from Provisionally Suspended to Ineligible, and that’s much worse. Ineligible status applies to not only Signatory events, but also to non-Signatory events. On page 74, in a note for Article 10.10.1, it says:

Further, an ineligible Athlete may not compete in a non-Signatory professional league (e.g., the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association, etc.), Events organized by a non-Signatory International Event organization or a non-Signatory national-level event organization without triggering the consequences set forth in Article 10.10.2. Sanctions in one sport will also be recognized by other sports (see Article 15.4 Mutual Recognition).

To sum up: Provisionally Suspended means you can compete in a non-Signatory event. Ineligible means you can’t. That’s all the difference right now. It’s true that in cycling, for example, or baseball, athletes that were found guilty ended up banned from everything, in every country. But those athletes were declared Ineligible. Stewart has only been Provisionally Suspended.