Major shake-up in store for WMA and when it holds championships
Every two years, while most athletes become tourists, delegates at WMA worlds meet to screw with the rules and elect the wrong people. You ain’t seen nothing yet. On July 14 at Sacramento, a rest day, WMA is poised to move the world stadia meet (the outdoor champs) from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years. (This is to avoid conflicts with the World Masters Games, the Big Dog apparently.) Delegates also may rewrite the WMA Constitution while moving its headquarters from Sweden to Monaco. (Who knew?) I’m awaiting the arrival of the nitty gritty agenda, with all the rules proposals, but a summary sheet sent to affiliates gives some key clues to the mischief before us. See it here.
On the German masters website run by Annette and Robert Koop, we learn: “Looks like important changes will be discussed in Sacramento. The Executive Committee most likely will decide to move from odd to even years to avoid conflict with the World Masters Games. World Masters Games are on a four year cycle and will clash with the WMA World Championships 2013 in Porto Alegre. This means the WMACS 2015 (Bydgoszcz, Lyon or Perth) will move to 2016. This will also mean changes for the indoor and regional championships.â€
If anyone has a complete General Assembly book, please ship it to me for posting. The sweaty masses should see it, too.
10 Responses
Certainly it is going to be “interesting” in 2013 when the WMG and WMA meets overlap and are held on different continents. Who can afford to go to Brazil and then jet to Italy?
It makes sense for WMA to change its 2 year cycle to avoid such conflict as it has no leverage against the WMG. Given a choice – I would choose WMA as opposed to WSG simply because I do not think the WSG takes “athletics” very seriously.
I went to Sydney to the WMG, I had a good time – but …the x-c race was like an “all-comers” event – initially scheduled to have all the men and women running together along a fairly narrow trail. It was then split into male/female race and rescheduled at the same time – but in distant locations – from one of the longer track races. I skipped the x-c race and stuck to the track races. The road race was much of the same sort of thing. They really were “all comers” races meant to attract the locals who would not be interested in running on the track.
There is no “national team” competition – it is all as individuals – find your buddies – make up a relay team. It this is what you like – great -if you want to try to set a national or WR in a relay – forgetaboutit. And you will not have to buy a special USA singlet to compete – as they keep telling you – it is not country vs country competition – it is all about good health.
WSG is a giant sport circus – one has to hope the hosting LOC is up to that – they were in Sydney – will they be in Italy? It makes the task of putting on a WMA look like a Sunday afternoon Ice Cream social at your local church. It will be an interesting decision to make in 2013 – off to Brazil (and good luck getting a visa US citizens – very expensive, time consuming, and inconvenient – just like the stuff the US State Department does to Brazilian citizens – good old tit for tat). or off to Italy – no visa required for US citizens – probably less expensive and shorter flights. It is either participate in a serious “athletics” event or a very entertaining sports circus with 25 plus different sports that includes track/field/ and all-comers x-c, road races etc. It is sort of a senior games type of meet.
Mary & others-
So given the choice, is WMA or the WMGs generally a better choice all else being equal?
Sounds like WMAs for you, Mary, although it does sound like getting to Porto Alegre could be a bit of a challenge.
Planning on one or the other myself since, as you pointed out Mary, making both ain’t in the cards (or the budget).
When they move to even-numbered years they conflict with area championships, or at least wth the European championships.
I would assume, but stupidity here can not be ruled out, they would shift the area meets commensurately.
If they are going to have three years between World Championship meets, I would suggest they take advantage of the fact that Porto Alegre is in the Southern Hemisphere. Delay the meet by a few months and hold it in the summer, also reducing the long delay between meets while they reset the clock.
July in Porto Alegre (it’s in the 50’s this week) sounds much better than their summer (upper 80’s and 90’s). As a distance runner, having a championship meet where I can PR for once sounds wonderful.
Not to mention attendance will be significantly higher in the Northern Hemisphere summer since that’s where the bulk of the population comes from for these meets.
If the changes go, it will be 2013 in Brazil, then 2016 TBD, then 2018 and so one. I guess the indoors will become an odd year event starting in 2017 perhaps. It will be interesting to see how things go. By the way, if Poland wins the 15′ or 16′ bid, you need a VISA! For those anti-visa people, then hope for France or Australia.
The British Masters Site is reporting that, contrary to the report here, the proposed changes would be POST 2015, and there then would be a 2016 WMA Championships. They also report that Area Championships will be move to odd years to prevent a clash with WMA.
http://www.bvaf.org.uk/news.asp
The Worlds in Brazil in 2013 would count in favour of South African athletes. I did a current pricing comparison (if you don’t have voyager miles)of flights from South Africa. Johannesburg to Sacramento priced cheapest tickets from R15000, while Johannesburg to Sao Paulo priced at R7500 ! There doesn’t seem to be direct flights to Port Alegra, but would probably have to be negotiated either with domestic flights or by bus.
Up till the Games in 2009, there seemed to be doubts as to recognizing world track records set up in Sydney, does anyone know if this has been approved by WMA ?
If I remember correctly the Games always used to be held in even years and then was changed to odd years. Its a pity if WMA has to tow the line now, considering previous WMA leadership was apparently party to the change at the time !
If they keep 2015 and start 2016 for outdoors, how will the attendance fare. No way people will go to Worlds in consecutive years if unless you’re loaded. They will most likely vote on the years change, then pick 2015. So when 2015 is picked, will the runners-up be picked for 2016 in a separate vote or will bidding reopen. I’d imagine 1st vote getter hosts in 2015, then 2nd vote getter would get 2016, if they go this way. I’d figure cycle it out to where 2017 is skipped and just move to start in 18′. It will be interesing how everything will shake out, depending on the transition then who will be picked to host 2015. You know Valencia, ESP will win 2014 indoors bid.
Attendance could be lacking for sure in ’16, Barry. Looks like the plan in ’15, ’16, then even years for outdoor; ’14 then ’17 for indoor and same for regional outdoor meets.
I’ve liked that Worlds matches up with IAAF Worlds…keeps it simple.
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