A week ago, I wrote Australian Masters Athletics Inc. about reports that it had been frozen out of involvement with the 2009 World Masters Games in Sydney — even though the WMG track meet was sanctioned by World Masters Athletics. My questions (reproduced below) were simple: Why is AMA not listing the WMG on its website?  Is it true that throwers and horizontal jumpers will get only four attempts? What about records set under such conditions? So what was AMA’s response? Politely, they’ve taken a pass. Yesterday I received a note from Lynne Schickert, president of AMA Inc., who wrote: “As the AMA Board considers it is
not in the best interests of all concerned for these matters to be
aired in the public domain, the Board therefore declines your
invitation to provide a full response to your questions.”  Ah so. And oh so interesting.

Why is AMA going the silent route?

Here is my theory:  AMA  doesn’t want to to booger chances of Aussie Stan Perkins being elected president of World Masters Athletics. It so happens that Wilma Perkins, Stan’s wife, is on the AMA board, and Stan helped secure a WMA sanction for Sydney WMG.

Of course, it just wouldn’t do for AMA internal fighting to go embarrassingly public. 

And how do I know AMA is divided?  Read between the lines. If AMA supported the WMG, that major meet would be listed on its website events calendar.

But Stan is not shy about defending his involvement with masters games.  In my June 2005 interview with Stan, when he was running for prez against eventual winner Cesare Beccalli, I pointed out that under WMA by-laws, a punishable offense is “promoting, organising, conducting or advertising any international masters competition which has not been sanctioned by WMA” — and the fact that he had done just that  — an apparent conflict of interest — with various regional masters games he was employed by.

Stan’s answer?

He told me:

It would be interesting to know why this rule was introduced and what the intent of the rule really is. However, in regard to your comment that I may have run afoul of this rule I would like to know the facts on which you have based your judgment as I totally disagree with you. . . . With respect to other masters games that I have been involved in, I have always sought the support of the Australian Masters Athletics body (emphasis mine) and the Queensland Masters Athletics Association. Both Australian Masters Athletics and in particular Queensland Masters Athletics have benefited financially and from a membership aspect from their involvement. I therefore respectfully suggest to you that I have never acted outside the rules of our sport and have always made every effort to ensure that our sport has been given the opportunity of choice in regard to participation in masters games.

Keep in mind that being elected WMA president carries some lucrative perks.  WMA doesn’t have much mad money, but the International Masters Games Association does. And in the 1990s WMA President Torsten Carlius of Sweden picked up some nice checks by being a board member of the IMGA, which runs the quadrennial World Masters Games. This was an egregious conflict of interest, and I said so in 2005.

So nobody would be surprised to see Stan elected to the IMGA Board of Governors if he held the title of WMA president.

So what’s the real poop? Without a whistleblower on the inside, it’s hard to know. But it’s kind of funny how politics and personalities can muck up masters track, which was supposed to be about healthy fun and games.

Here’s my complete exchange with Lynn. Note my original query following her reply:

Ken Stone
 
Thank you for your expression of concern about the tragic fires in Victoria.  All Australians are shocked beyond measure at the loss of life and property.
 
The AMA Board notes you write for a blog site and are seeking information about operational matters relating to the forthcoming WMG event in Sydney to share with readers.   
 
As an affiliate of WMA, Australian Masters Athletics only actively promotes WMA and Oceania Masters athletics championships.  It is a personal choice for individual members to compete at this or any other commercially oriented Games event where the standard of competition may not be as rigorous as at WMA events.
 
Much of the information provided by your source is not accurate and has been subject to confidential commercial negotiations. As the AMA Board considers it is not in the best interests of all concerned for these matters to be aired in the public domain, the Board therefore declines your invitation to provide a full response to your questions.
 
A copy of this email will be provided for the AMA Board officers and to the Acting WMA President and Secretary for noting.
 
Lynne Schickert
President
Australian Masters Athletics Inc

    —– Original Message —–
From: trackceo@aol.com
To: president@australianmastersathletics.org.au ; president@actvac.com
Cc: vicepresident@australianmastersathletics.org.au ; secretary@australianmastersathletics.org.au ; treasurer@australianmastersathletics.org.au ; graeme.rose@australianmastersathletics.org.au ; judy.cooper@australianmastersathletics.org.au ; clyderiddoch@msn.com ; wilma.perkins@australianmastersathletics.org.au
   
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 6:07 PM
Subject: Sydney 2009 World Masters Games

Greetings, all

I’ve been reading with horror accounts of the Victoria fires, and my heart goes out to any of your members affected by this tragedy. Two similar disasters hit my area (San Diego) in 2003 and 2007, so I know the pain and loss these engender.

Today I’m writing about a matter trivial by comparison — but still of deep interest to readers of my masterstrack.com blog.

In 2006, according to my source, WMA President Cesare Beccalli and your Stan Perkins won WMA sanctioning of the 2009 World Masters Games in Sydney (despite WMA’s longstanding opposition to recognizing such competing events). My source also suggests that Sydney, with a dearth of athletics officials, is thinking about limiting athletes to four throws or four jumps only and to run only timed finals, even in the 100-meter dash.

My source also wrote me: “The Australian organizers have practically refused to allow Australian masters to participate in the planning as they were asking for compensation for their services such as furnishing masters officials.”

These are serious allegations that deserve a response.

So I have some questions for anyone knowledgeable about these matters:

1. How did Sydney WMG come to receive a WMA sanction for its athletics component?

2. Is it true that AMA Inc. was refused a role in the planning of Sydney WMG?

3. I notice that your events calendar doesn’t list Sydney WMG.  Why not?
    http://www.australianmastersathletics.org.au/events.html

4. Is it true that athletics at Sydney WMG will not follow the WMA Rules of Competition (stipulating six jumps and six throws, for example, and heats leading to sprint finals)?

5. What is the official stance of AMA Inc. toward the Sydney WMG?

6. According to WMA’s rules on sanctioning:
    http://www.world-masters-athletics.org/laws_rules/sanctioning.pdf

 “. . . .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 bo dies. . . .”

Has AMA Inc. not sanctioned the Sydney WMG?  If not, why not?  And if not, what is your reaction to WMA overriding your wishes? Do you have any recourse?

I presume that any age-group records set at Sydney WMG may come under a cloud — especially if WMA Rules of Competition are not strictlly adhered to.

Thanks for your attention and indulgence.

I look forward to your response.

Ken Stone
La Mesa,
California