Senior Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee, President of the Singapore sailing Federation, Chairman of the Singapore Olympic Committee (and other and other and other) ng Ser MIAN spoke at a private FB page with a pretty stiff letter to the WS, which, as some believe, instigated by the President of the IOC Thomas Bach.
Anyway, the position of Sir MIAN is so logical and consistent that we could not allow the text of his message (which in this case can be considered an Open letter to the IOC to address WS) with small reductions.
“During the annual meeting in may of this year, the world Council of sailing has received more than 60 performances of the Olympic disciplines the Olympics in 2024, 13 of which were discussed during the long process, and after seven rounds of voting, the decision was made.
Now, only five months, WS decided that one of the proposed disciplines are not healthy, and offers to change it. What is this? Complete lack of leadership? Or manipulation of commercial interests?
Combined double offshore yacht race which will continue for 48 hours? Reasons recommended this discipline are quite strange. But let’s look at another.
1) If the combined discipline for single Dinghy suddenly is unhealthy, why it was launched at the Annual meeting and approved after due process of discussion and voting?
2) Keel of a yacht really has a long history in the Olympic program, but they have never participated in offshore races!
3) stated that 50% of sailors in the world compete in offshore racing keel yachts?! Fake data! Forty-nine countries are landlocked, many countries, even with access to the sea, is not carried out offshore racing. Huge costs and expensive logistic of the offshore regattas are not comparable with the coastal races. Intensive navigation in many parts of the world does not make light offshore race.
4) the Claimed “reasonable cost” of the equipment supplied looks pretty humorous. Whether the manufacturer is ready to free all its keel boats (to supply free keelboats) for the education and training of yachtsmen, the national federations???
5) My understanding of the position of the TV broadcasters is that this event will be difficult and costly.
In a note dated October 15, Andy hunt, CEO of World Sailing, has warned of costly legal proceedings that would follow if someone tries to change the November decision on Olympic equipment. I find it very strange how with the same owner, the Council is trying to change their decision back in may?!
In addition, even if the Council will be able to change the may decision right now, how and when the Council decides on what kind of offshore keel boat to be selected at the annual meeting? (Of course, if someone behind the Council secretly already decided what kind of a keel yacht will be elected and appointed to this role.)
But, if not, then this proposed yacht, like all the Olympic equipment needs to be well tested, checked and accepted by the public, and the decision about her participation should be postponed.
Because these approaches do not apply to other untested equipment? The Olympics are not the venue for experimentation. The complexity of our sport can not serve as justification for the move to change its own principles and refuse to defend the unity of our sport and, most importantly, of our sailors.
In most Olympic sports Federation is a National exercise senior leadership of sports activities. Sailing does in this sense not different sailing classes and equipment manufacturers are our important partners, but they are not national federations. It’s time for the National sailing federations to take responsibility”.
courseirritationsailingworld
What do you think?