WMA officials are not monolithic
Officials of World Masters Athletics are not all ethics-challenged. Many quietly execute their duties with sensitivity to the sport and its athletes. One is world champion and world record holder Ralph Romain of Trinidad and Tobago, one of the greatest masters quarter-milers of all time. I alerted him to my WMA conflict post, and he kindly responded.
Ralph, a member of the WMA Discipline Committee, writes:
Many thanks for drawing this to my attention. It does raise interesting issues. I tend to agree that the notion of WMA officials organising (competing) meets would appear to be at least unethical in some senses but I would not go so far as to judge it illegal or to feel that individuals should not make some money out of such initiatives. After all, they may very well lose money!
The matter that bothers me most is the idea of having the Law and Legislation Committee assume the functions of the Discipline Committee. The legislature and the judiciary clearly should not be merged and indeed one wonders why anyone would want to interfere with the existing arrangement. Has it troubled anyone?
I await responses from the couple dozen other WMA officers I’ve contacted.
