2009 Sydney World Masters Games facing serious questions
The October 2009 World Masters Games in Sydney — competing with Lahti worlds for masters tracksters — face some serious issues. Despite receiving an unusual meet sanction from World Masters Athletics (a possible first in WMA history), Sydney organizers are planning to tweak track rules for their convenience, according to a knowledgeable source. For example, throwers would get four attempts instead of the usual six, and horizontal jumpers would get four tries instead of six. And 100-meter dashes would be contested as timed finals instead of heats leading to finals, I’m told. I wrote to WMG and officials of Australia Masters Athletics Inc., the nation’s governing body of masters track. So far, only their statman has replied.
Because I’m not on the AMA Board, I’m in the dark regarding most of your questions. However, as AMA records officer, I will accept any record claim if official officials have signed it, all the normal rules applying to records have been adhered to, and the claimant is a financial member of a Masters club. Unless of course AMA direct me otherwise! I’m not surprised by anything that occurs in Sydney relating to Masters. NSW Masters have provided me with a lot of record-related problems over the years.
Despite all the hype and pride surrounding the WMG in Sydney, the host WMA affiliate is studiously ignoring it. AMA’s events calendar doesn’t even list Sydney WMG! (Neither does the South Australian Masters organization. No mention of WMG on its site either.Nor New South Wales masters, the host province.)
A complete freeze-out!
International Masters Athletics Competitions may not be staged in the Affiliate’s country unless the competition, whether as a stand-alone event or as a component of a multi-sport event, has been sanctioned by the Affiliate and referred to and sanctioned by WMA. . . . WMA will not sanction an event if it is not supported by the Affiliate or its controlling sports bodies.
The International Masters Games Association (IMGA) world masters games were awarded a WMA sanction by the WMA Council at its annual meeting held at Riccione, Italy in March of 2006. The motion was presented and spoken for by President Cesare Beccalli and Oceania Regional Delegate Stan Perkins. It passed on the word of these gentlemen that Sydney organizers had promised to strictly follow WMA rules and procedures and the further promise that there would be a sizeable budget for WMA Technical Delegate(s) to advise the organizers and observe the preparations and conduct of the games.It was also represented that the organizers would include Australian Masters closely in their planning. To date, none of this has happened and apparently, Sydney plans to conduct the games using their own rules and procedures.Should that ultimately prove true, of course any records set there could not be accepted unless full documentation of the venue, officials, and procedures were submitted to the WMA Records Committee and accepted by them. It should also be pointed out that no other IMGA games or IMGA regional games have been sanctioned by WMA at this time.This would include the European Masters Games held in Malmo, Sweden 29Aug-7Sep2008 and the upcoming European Masters Games planned for Lignano, Italy 10-20Sep2011.The Riccione General Assembly did pass a motion to continue communication with IMGA, but we also need to remember that the WMA General Assembly in Riccione voted, nearly unanimously, against WMA combining their World Championships with the IMGA.
4 Responses
It is a shame that the some organizations who sponsor athletic events can’t adhere to simple rules. The scheme of advancing to finals through heats (etc.) adds only a little to the time needed to conduct a meet. Even if fully half the heat advances, it cannot double the time required. Allowing 4 jumps or throws instead of 6 only saves 33% in time. If the orgaqnizers aren’t willing to devote the time to do it right, then perhaps they shouldn’t organize the meet in the first place. On the other hand, it is not in the interest of the athletes to discourage attendance. There are already far too few opportunities for masters to compete. I remember that in 1985 US athletes were discouraged from competing in the WMG held in Toronto. I went and and discovered that few Americans were there. So far I have never competed in any meet that was better organized and run. It was a shame that so few Americans showed up, because the medals were the most precious I’ve ever won. Also, I met a lot of great athletes. I rode a bus to Indianappolis afterwards to compete in the US Masters Championship the next weekend. It was very well attended, so the best I could manage there was 4th in the 400 (behind a record performance by James Burnett).
“What a mess” should carry an exclamation mark. Nothing makes much sense here. For example, the EVAA, the European Veterans Athletic Association plans to actively promote the European Masters Games with the clear goal to attract more athletes to our beloved sport. At the same time, they will have to go to performance standards for their major championships (European Masters Championships). Otherwise, they will get overwhelmed by the sheer number of participating athletes. The 2009 European Indoor Championships in Ancona (Italy) could become an organizational nightmare with 2,800 athletes. EVAA is extending the championships to five days and might even have to go to seven in future if nothing changes. The 1170 athletes from Italy would be reduced to a reasonable number (of competitive athletes) if performance standards would be in place. With World Indoor Championships in Europe we see us also reaching maximum capacity,at least at the organizational level. Promotion and sanctioning of all Masters Games AND limiting participation at EVAA/WMA through performance standards seems to be unavoidable, at least in Europe.
“Each participant has to be in sound health, and physically fit for the competition.” (Well, yes, that too. Let’s use this qualification for participation for our controlling sports bodies as well.)
I competed in the last three World Masters Games (Eugene, Melbourne, Calgary) and had a lot of fun. As I recall, each had experienced officials. The turf wars between rival groups are not good for masters sports. I don’t understand why this group can’t follow the established rules of track and field. I was planning to compete in Australia but probably won’t if I only get four throws and the marks don’t count for records.
The National Masters Games at Stanford this summer is typical of the masters turf wars. They require participation a state games to be eligible. I went to the California State Games about 5 years ago and it was a joke. I paid for airfare, hotel, and car rental only to find out that the discus was cancelled because they couldn’t find the key to the cage. They refuse to let me throw in the meet this summer because I didn’t throw in their rinky-dink meet in Pasadena. They are more concerned about defending their turf and making things easier for the administrators than looking out for the athletes.
Bravo, fantasy))))
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