The FEI Executive Board has asked the entire FEI Dressage Committee to resign immediately. (Getty Images)FEI Executive Director of Sport David Holmes tells Around the Rings the executive board is encouraged by the response that it has received to its call for the entire dressage committee to step down.
“We feel like this is best course of action to move us in a positive direction,” Holmes said. “We have had a lot of positive support for this decision.”
Holmes says several issues were involved, but a poor working relationship between the Dressage Committee and the FEI was the underlying factor.
“The committee has shown a lack of flexibility in certain key areas,” Holmes says. “They have worked too much in isolation and have not operated in the best interests of the dressage community as a whole.”
“There is nothing Machiavellian about it,” Holmes continued. “There is no one thing that led to this decision.”
One example that Holmes gave was the committee’s performance at this summer’s equestrian competition in Hong Kong.
“Coming out of Hong Kong, there were some pressing issues relating to the makeup of the Grand Jury and the selection of judges leading up to Hong Kong,” Holmes said. “That was one of the key things, but not the main issue.”
Monday the FEI executive board called on the entire six-person committee to step down. They include committee chair Mariette Withages of Belgium, deputy chair Dr. Vincenzo Truppa of Italy, and members Dolores Fernandez De Bobadilla of Spain, Minako Furuoka of Japan and Dieter Schuele and Monica Theodorescu of Germany.
Holmes says FEI will begin immediately to put together an interim dressage committee once the current members resign.
However, if committee members refuse to resign, the matter will be handled at the FEI General Assembly meeting in Buenos Aires Nov. 17 to 22.
FISU Cuts Six Sports From 2009 University Games
The International University Sports Federation (FISU) announced that it has cut six sports from the 2009 University Games. The event is set for Belgrade, Serbia, July 1 to 12, 2009.
FISU cites the current financial crisis as the reason for cutting rowing, canoeing, karate, shooting, wrestling and handball from the program.
The decision came during a meeting of the FISA Executive Committee and the Belgrade Organizing Committee. With the Organizing Committee making the proposal that was accepted by the FISA Executive Committee.
“I fully realize the disappointment this will cause to those student-athletes involved in the above sports, therefore, our members’ support of this tough FISU Executive Committee decision will be very much appreciated in order to help our Serbian friends in these troubled times to continue with the preparations for a slimmer Universiade.”
Dr. Nasser named new AVC President
The Executive Committee of the Asian Volleyball Confederation has unanimously nominated first executive VP Dr. Saleh Bin Nasser to replace AVC president Jizhong Wei.
Nasser replaces Wei, who relinquishes the AVC presidency following The Asian Volleyball Confederation’s Executive Committee has nominated AVC First Executive Vice President Dr. Saleh Bin Nasser as new AVC President to replace Jizhong Wei (pictured).(JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/Getty Images)his selection as FIVB president.
“AVC, under the leadership of Mr.Wei, has been making rapid progress and as a result, volleyball in Asia has developed greatly,” Nasser said.
“AVC is an organization with solidarity within the Volleyball family. The AVC can be sure that I will follow Mr. Wei’s plans and his model of work and respect all the areas he created. I will continue the march Mr. Wei initiated and try my best to make AVC stronger and make the sport of Volleyball more progressive and developed.”
ITU Announces Candidates for Upcoming Election
The International Triathlon Union announced candidates for president, secretary general, vice presidents, treasurer, executive board and ITU Council for elections at the 21st Congress in Madrid on Nov. 29.
Members of more than 120 national federations will cast ballots at the Congress. Pres. Les McDonald, who is widely credited with bringing ITU onto the Olympic program, retires early next year.
Marisol Casado of Spain is nominated president. Loreen Bennett of Canada is nominated for secretary general; Tom Carrassco of the Philippines is nominated for treasurer; Antonio Alvarez of Mexico, Sarah Springman of Great Britain, Bill Walker of Australia and Kyung Sun-Yu of South Korea are nominated for the four VP positions.
Nearly a dozen candidates are running for seven spots on the ITU Executive Board. There also will be elections for the seven committees that make up the ITU Council.
Briefs…
Elections for International Sailing Federation officers are set for Nov. 15 in Madrid. Positions include president and seven vice presidents. Officers are elected for a four-year term running through November, 2012.
The International Handball Federation has partnered with bet-at-home.com for the 2009 Men’s World Handball Championship in Croatia in February. Bet-at-home.com will become an “official premium sponsor” of the Men’s World Championships. The agreement ends with 2009 World Championship.
The International Canoe Federation says it will launch the Canoe Slalom World Ranking Competitions in 2009. Athletes can register in the ICF World Championships, World Cups, Continental Championships and other major international competitions endorsed by the ICF that will allow them to earn World Ranking points. Calculations for world ranking points will be done throughout the season from selected competition results. The World Ranking will identify the performances of athletes throughout the year, highlighting the most consistent and successful canoeists.
The future of youth rowing was the topic at the FISA Youth Coaches Conference in Singapore last week. Coaches from 19 nations attended the conference. Speakers from the organizing committee of the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Singapore, discussed the rowing competition at the 2010 Youth Olympics.
Written by Greg Oshust.