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World Armsport Federation
XXII WAF Congress Meeting
Minutes
1.
Welcome & Attendance
Attendance: Mr. Fred Roy - President Mr. Willy Deneumostier - General Secretary Mr. David Shead - Referee in Chief Mr. Dave Devoto - Vice - President Mr. Rick Blanchard - Canada Mrs. Denise Wattles - USA Mr. Neil Bell - Australia Mr. Neil Pickup - England Ms. Kathy Defeche - Belgium Ms. Petra Spatz - Germany Mr. Sylvio Bourque - Observer Mr. Terry Palaschak - Observer Mr. Leonard Harkless - USA Mr. Shailender Kadian - India Mr. Valeri Babuk - Belarus Mr. Igor Shishkov - Uzbekistan Mr. Alexander Filimonov - Russia Mr. Andrei Petrov - Russia Mr. Igor Mazurenko - Poland Mrs. Vvokko Naskali - Finland Ms. Camilla Kattstrom - Sweden Mr. Andy Barker - England Mr. J.F. Andre - Belgium Mr. David Eilersten - Norway Mr. Joaquin Garrido Laso - Spain Ms. Kim Shoesmith - England Mr. Fikar Kerimov - Uzbekistan Mr. Sergei Mihailov - Kasakstan Mr. Olivier Heuse - Belgium Mr. Assen Hadjitodorov - Bulgaria Mrs. Lise Blanchard Mr. Milan Svoboda Czech
Start of meeting 4:30 pm
Mr. Fred Roy welcomed everyone and congratulated Mr.
Igor Mazurenko for organizing such a great event. The numbers for this years Championships promise to surpass
any other WAF Championships. Everyone
applauded Mr. Mazurenko
Mr. Roy explained that in order to keep the meeting
to two hours he would be staying as close as possible to the agenda.
Everyone was asked to introduce himself or herself.
China - Mr. Guo
Qing Hong -
sent a letter - saying that they had problems with the
processing of their passports therefore would not be able to attend.
Austria
sent
their proxy to Mr. Willy Deneumostier.
France
& Switzerland although would be attending the Championships would not
make the meeting and have given Mr. Deneumostier their proxy.
Mali - has arrived in Poland
but would not be attending the meeting.
Everyone was asked to sign the attendance sheet.
2. Review of last years minutes in Rovaniemi, Poland
Mr. Roy opened for questions.
Motion
to approve as presented: Proposed:
Rick Blanchard - Canada
Seconded: Neil Pickup - England
CARRIED
3.
Affiliation of new members
Representative
for Australia - Neil Bell - Mr. Bell explains that Australia will be working hard in the next
couple of years to build the sport of Armwrestling in their country in hopes of
someday hosting a World Championship. He
thanks Mr. Roy for his support and supplying them with a table, rules &
regulations as well as hosting a Referee Seminar in order to help Mr. Bell with
qualifying Referee's in Australia.
Motion to accept Neil Bell as the
Official representative of Australia
Proposed:
Denise Wattles - USA
Seconded:
Kathy Defeche - Belgium
ALL
IN
FAVOR:
20 CARRIED
Representative
for Morraco Mohamed Elmamoun -
Mr.
Elmamoun would like to express his gratitude in being allowed the opportunity to
participate with this Armwrestling Family and ask that the WAF allow Morocco to
participate at the 2001 World Championships and to be affiliated into the WAF
Family.
Motion to accept Mr. Elmamoun as
the Official representative of
Morocco
Proposed:
Assen
Hadjitodorov - Bulgaria
Seconded:
Kathy Defeche - Belgium
ALL
IN
FAVOR:
20
CARRIED
Representative
from India - Shailender Kadian -
There have been quite a few allegations on the Internet about two
organizations in India. We did not
want to take part in these allegations and asked both parties to come to Poland
and make a presentation to Congress. Mr.
Kadian has come with papers from every government body in India stating
that his
Federation is the recognized entity.
In Finland 2000 the Executive had voted Mr. Kumar the representative
for Asia and gave him a mandate to unify and promote the sport of armwrestling
in his country. Mr. Kadian has
papers to prove that this has not happened.
The Executive therefore recommend that we appoint Mr. Kadian for the
period of one year the official representative for Asia and India and give him
the same mandate given to Mr. Kumar. Let
us give Mr. Kadian the same opportunity and hope for unification in India.
Motion
to accept Mr. Shailender Kadian as the Official representative for India for the
period of one year.
Proposed by: Rick
Blanchard - Canada
Seconded by: Kathy
Defeche - Belgium
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
Representative of Mali will be attending the
Championships and have asked to become members of WAF.
Motion to
accept Mali as a member of WAF
Proposed by: Kathy
Defeche - Belgium
Seconded by: Rick
Blanchard - Canada
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
4.
Reports of the President,
Vice-President, General Secretary, Referee in Chief and Sub-Committee Members.
Fred Roy & Willy Deneumostier read their reports.
A copy is inserted in the Congress book, which was distributed to all present.
Report from Dave Devoto - North
American Vice President
We are very fortunate to have such an organized
country to our North such as Canada who seem to lead us through are trials and
tribulations. We have accomplished
allot of success in the past few years. We
have about 23 organizations which all belong under our umbrella.
The AAA is the only organization that has not yet joined.
Mr. Harkless has sent them a letter and some negotiations are happening.
There is not much going on in Mexico, we have some
contacts and will continue to work with them.
I encourage you to use our web site at armwrestling.com as much as you
would like, to advertise. We get as
many as 225,000 hits per month. Please
let us know what is going on in your area and I will add to the web site.
4. Reports
(continued)
Report from
Umesh Kumar Asian Vice-President
We do not have a report from Asia since Mr. Kumar has not been working
with us.
Report
from Assen Hadjitodorov - European President
I would like to share some really good news.
Next year the EAF will have only one unified Armwrestling Championships
in the Czech Republic. Our Executive Committee was in Italy and we met with the
other organization, it was agreed that for the next year on we will work in
favor of reunification of the EAF, and when we unify the EAF, the next step will
be to unify the WAF, I am optimistic that this will happen.
I would like to ask that you think of our organization as being
one. The Europeans have done a
great job this year! It is my hope
that WAF is united by 2003 Worlds.
We have some really good contacts and relations.
We have our regular competition for juniors and senior and we have our
International Championship in Europe. Europe
will be the first step in the reunification of our Sport.
Fred, we hope that this will put the pressure on all
countries to unite and with this we will have a unified WAF.
Report from Neil Bell our
Australian Vice-President
I have been trying to organize the Australian
Federation and we have good contacts in New Zealand and in Fiji.
Step by step we will get organized and would like to host a World
Championship in Australia.
Mr. Bell was asked if he has met Mr. Ajami.
He explained that he has tried many times to contact him and that
although he has heard many different voices claiming to be him he has not met
him. Mr. Ajami has circulated
flyers advertising different competitions and when Mr. Bell has contacted the
places where these events were to be held they had never heard of Mr. Ajami.
Report from David Shead - Referee
in Chief
We are very pleased with the results of the
refereeing in Finland, we will be continuing as we have done in the past.
We will be hosting a seminar here in Poland.
We need more training in around the World.
If you are interested in hosting a seminar in different countries please
contact me. We will have some
proposals with incentives for becoming a referee.
I would like to thank for Italy for having us in
Italy and for trying to work with us. We
tried to speak of unification but we where not given the chance to speak.
The referees will have their work cut out for them
with so many countries in attendance, but I am confident that the team will do a
great job.
Motion to
approve all reports as presented
Proposed by:
Neil Bell - Australia
Seconded by:
Kathy Defeche - Belgium
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
5.
Filling of vacancies
Oceania Representative - Neil
Bell
Asian Representative - Shailender
Kadian
African Representative Mohamed Elmamoun
Willy explains that he has a lot of confidence in Mr.
Elmamoun. Mohamed has the passion
for the sport we all have. Their
sportsman are strong athletes they just do not have the financial backing in
order to travel. Willy strongly
recommends him as the African representative.
Willy has a lot of respect and would like to recommend him as a
candidate.
Motion to
approve Mr. Mohamed Elmamoun as the African Representative
Proposed by:
Willy Deneumostier - Belgium
Seconded by:
Denise Wattles - USA
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
6.
Selection
of location for the 2004 WAF World Championships and other sanctioned
Championships and Seminars.
Update on the 2002 WAF World Championships to be held in St-Louis,
Missouri, USA.
Mr. Tony Picchioldi host of the Worlds in the USA
assures congress that the plans for the championships are well under way with 5
television networks interested in filming the event. He has made arrangements with American Airlines for rebates
for everyone and has also secured a rebate for tickets to the RAM games.
Mr. Picchioldi explains that he did not have time to get packages
together but will be sending them to each country as soon as they are available.
Russia asks where the Championships are in 2003.
Luke Laporte from Canada will be the host to the
2003 World Championships in North Bay, Ontario, The 2nd week in
November. Packages will be made
available to everyone at the Championships in the USA.
On behalf of Big Luke Laporte, Rick would like to extend an invitation to
all countries to attend the Championships.
Mr. Roy asked if we had any bids for the 2004
Championships. Mr. Andre from
Belgium feels that with reunification happening by 2003 we should refrain from
appointing the
6. Selection of
location (continued)
2004 Championship.
Mr. Roy feels that the best strategy would be to plan ahead and ask the
country bidding for the 2004 event to be aware of the possibility of some
changes being made.
Mr. Neil Pickup from England says that London does
have a venue worthy of hosting such an event and would like to opportunity to do
so.
Motion to
approve England as the Host to the 2004 World Championships.
This is a tentative bid dependant of the unification.
Proposed by:
Neil Pickup - England
Seconded by:
Rick Blanchard - Canada
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
7.
Modification
of statutes, bylaws and rules
a)
Article 16 Sub section 1
Will
be changed to: Payments are to be
made in cash US dollars only.
Motion to make
changes to the rule as presented:
Proposed by:
Kathy Defeche - Belgium
Seconded by:
Denise Wattles - USA
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
b)
Referee
Panel recommended changes
i)
Mobile phones that are switched on during competition or in Congress
meetings will be charged a $10.00 fine.
The Host of the event will be given an exception.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Petra Spatz - Germany
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
ii)
Air horns or any such loud instruments will not be allowed in the
audience.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
no seconder
DENIED
7.
Modification of statutes, bylaws and rules (continued)
iii)
Make a small change in the Referee Uniform. The referee will not be allowed to wear a country flag on
his/her shirt.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Petra Spatz - Germany
ALL IN FAVOR: 19
CARRIED
iv)
No
competitor may compete out of uniform; no competitor may receive his or her
award out of uniform. If a
competitor comes on stage to compete out of uniform they will forfeit that bout.
A country without uniform may request in writing before the start of the
competition to the Executive Committee for a solution or leniency.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Richard Blanchard - Canada
ALL IN FAVOR: 14
OPPOSED: 5
CARRIED
v)
Any
unauthorized competitor or official who come on stage during the event will be
charged a $50 fine.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Richard Blanchard - Canada
ALL IN FAVOR: 14
OPPOSED: 5
CARRIED
vi)
The
referee panel proposes that each of the competitors know the following words.
Ready
go knuckles
elbows down wrist
shoulders stop
warning winner
Dangerous
position referees grip
take a grip back
thumb down dont
move
Center
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Denis Wattles - USA
ALL IN FAVOR: 19
CARRIED
vii)
The
word shoulder will be used do describe a dangerous position
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Neil Bell
ALL IN FAVOR: 19
CARRIED
viii)
A
fee of $50 will be charged to hear a protest, if your protest is up held the $50
is returned to the country, if the protest is denied the country looses the $50.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
David Eilersten
ALL IN FAVOR: 11
OPPOSED: 8
CARRIED
7.
Modifications (continued)
vix)
A
specified area will be secured for the pullers whose class is being run. The officials will send these pullers to this specified area.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Denise Wattles
ALL IN FAVOR: 19
CARRIED
x)
Leonard
Harkless explained this proposal on behalf of the Referee Panel.
It is quite difficult to have the top-level referees attend the World
Championships when they need to pay for all transportation costs.
By charging the competitors for each arm they compete in the extra money
received will be going into a fund held to offset the cost of the qualified
referees that we have across the world. The
decision on which referees would be chosen would be made by the Referee Panel
and Fred Roy.
Motion: That the competitors
pay for each arm they enter for competition.
If they enter one right & one left arm the cost would be $30 each =
$60 Total.
Discussion:
Russia feels that if we start paying for referees that they must have a
disciplinary recourse set-up as well.
Proposed by:
Referee Panel
Seconded by:
Rick Blanchard - Canada
ALL IN FAVOR: 19
CARRIED
8.
New
Business
a) Table
changes:
Canada
proposes that we prepare for next year. We
need to be prepared to make proper presentations of the table changes which will
be brought forward at next years congress meeting.
b)
Laser point light: Igor Mazurenko explains that he has a piece of equipment which will
help the referees with calls made. This
equipment is a Laser point light, which will leave no discrepancy and will allow
for only one referee. He has spoken
to many armwrestlers and they all feel the light helps them set up.
David Shead
points out that he has seen this device and it works very well but he is not
happy with the stand for the device and feels it gets in the way of the of the
referees and pullers. He suggests
that we wait until we have properly modified the stand.
Neil Pickup
has also seen this device and feels there are good and bad points.
He feels we will ruin armwrestling if we try to bring in to much
technology and do not leave some discretion to the referees.
It was the consensus of the Congress that the World
Championships are not the place to test a new piece of equipment.
Fred Roy would prefer that we train our referees
instead of trying to bring in technology that could or could not work.
Motion:
That we try the laser light during the Master and the Youth Tournament.
This would allow the masters who are also competitors to be on booth side
of the table.
Proposed by:
Igor Mazurenko - Poland
Seconded by:
Alexander Filimonov - Russia
ALL IN FAVOR:
18 ABSTAINED: 1
CARRIED
David
Shead would once again like to remind Congress, that items such as the laser
should have been brought to the Referee panel prior to the start of the
tournament so that they could have brought their opinions to the Congress
Meeting.
c)
Fred Roy reminds Congress of the importance of sending the General
Secretary the Minutes of you Annual Meeting, National Results, list of Elected
Country Representative as well as a copy of the country letterhead.
The Constitution does state that this must be done prior to the World
Championship every year.
These documents will only serve to support all
countries as to whom they have as their official representative.
David Shead explains that the Countries who do not
comply with the Constitution should not be allowed to vote at the Congress
Meeting.
d)
Willy explains that last year we voted to have professional specs brought
to this Congress meeting. The
Congress would then vote on some of the proposals; we would then have 4 tables
purchased for the WAF. These tables
would be transported to all World Championships.
Leonard Harkless proposes that we wait and see the tables that he has
which are portable and then make a decision if these are the ones we would like
for the WAF. He explains that in
order to have tables, which break down for transportation, they would not be as
stable. His cost would be approx.
$800 us dollars.
Fred Roy
explains that in Canada all our tables come apart for easy transportation in
form of suitcase, these table are just as strong and stable as any other table.
Neil bell confers since he has been given a table, which was transported
in this fashion.
Denise
Wattles proposes that Canada make and bring their tables (in WAF specs) to the
Worlds in USA, we could then decide if these would be the tables to be
transported.
Rick
Blanchard suggest that 2 tables be transported in North America and 2 in Europe
this will bring down the cost of transportation.
8. New Business
(continued)
Motion:
That Canada builds the tables (WAF specs) that will be used at the Worlds
in the USA.
Proposed by:
Denise Wattles - USA
Seconded by:
Rick Blanchard - Canada
ALL IN FAVOR: 19
CARRIED
e)
Motion: That a qualified referee may be allowed to referee on a day that
they are not pulling.
Proposed by:
Denise Wattles - USA
Seconded by:
Neil Bell - Australia
ALL IN FAVOR: 20
CARRIED
David Shead would once again like to remind everyone
that something like this should have been brought to the referee panel prior to
congress meeting.
f)
Leonard
Harkless would like the chance to introduce a new draw sheet.
Russia seconded USA and the draw sheets were introduced.
Leonard
explains that formal draw sheets have never been approved by Congress and he
would like to introduce the sheets that he has designed for the USA, they work
very well and would like these to be used for the Worlds in 2002.
He feels the sheets used now are a blank sheet of paper with no design. His have been tested, and are fair for all competitors.
Willy
explains that the sheets used by the WAF Team at present work very well and he
does not see the necessity of changing the system.
Since Lise Blanchard is in charge of the draw sheets he feels that she
should be allowed to speak.
Lise
Blanchard explains that she had no idea this was being brought to the table
since Leonard had not approached her for her comments or suggestions.
She has been doing these sheets for over 15 years in Canada and for the
past 4 years at the World level. They work very well and adapt to any size class
as well as being fair to all competitors. As Director of draw sheets she has not
been given the opportunity to prepare and present the sheets used at present.
She does not feel that we should be voting on something this important
without both methods being properly introduced.
Further discussion was heard by other countries before being brought to a
vote.
Motion:
That the draw sheets used by the USA be adopted and used as the official
WAF draw sheets.
Proposed by:
Leonard Harkless - USA
Seconded by:
Alexander Filimonov - Russia
ALL IN FAVOR = 4
OPPOSED = 16
DENIED
8. New business
(continued)
g)
Should the media be allowed to take pictures on
stage. The discussion was that as
long as the media does not interfere with the referees and the match they would
be allowed on stage.
Proposed by:
Seconded by:
ALL IN FAVOR: 14
OPPOSED: 6
CARRIED
h)
It was brought to Congress attention that we are not
offering classes for the Left Disabled.
Igor Mazurenko explains that her has enough awards and these classes will
be offered.
9. Review
of audited accounts:
The accounts are shown in the book received by all at
Congress Meeting.
Proposed by:
Assen
Hadjitodorov - Bulgaria
Seconded by:
Rick Blanchard - Canada
ALL IN FAVOR = 19
CARRIED
10. Appointment
of Auditors for 2002
Assen
Hadjitodorov Bulgaria and Dave Devoto USA
11. Open discussion No discussion
was held
12. Meeting
adjournment
Meeting
was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Proposed by:
Richard Blanchard - Canada
Seconded by:
Denise Wattles - USA
ALL IN FAVOR: 19
CARRIED
Everyone was asked to stay for the group pictures.
Fred Roy
Willy Deneumostier WAF President WAF General Secretary |
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