Aussie poised to succeed Swede as WMA prez
Australia’s Stan Perkins, whose day job involves putting on masters sports events, is officially a candidate for the presidency of World Masters Athletics, the world governing body of masters track. He would succeed Sweden’s Torsten Carlius, who is out due to term limits. (But not out of power, since he’s likely to win election as secretary — a post that has Executive Council perks).
According to the WMA News, anyone wanting to run for a WMA office has to declare by June 1, 2005. WMA Secretary Monty Hacker (of South Africa) says these folks are now in the running:
Besides Perkins for president, Hacker and Ron Bell are candidates for executive vice president to succeed American Tom Jordan of Oregon.
Rex Harvey of Ohio is running for re-election to vice president-stadia.
Carlius is running for “secretary general” — although the WMA Constitution doesn’t have such an animal, just a secretary job. Probably a Hackerism.
And incumbent women’s rep Marina Hoernecke-Gil of Spain is running for another term.
So basically it’s the same-old, same-old.
Of course, if rules were followed Perkins would get the boot. His election would be a gross, in-your-face violation of WMA policy regarding conflicts of interest. I’ve already shot my wad on the subject.
But given that half the WMA Council already is on the take — financially leveraging their WMA roles and hyping competing masters games — it’s not likely you’ll hear a stink from the rank-and-file. Europeans love their strongmen, especially those who thumb their nose at trivial niceties like by-laws.
Unless some pang of conscience strikes at the last minute, we’re likely to see World Masters Athletics continue in the hands of folks who stand to profit off their positions in masters track. Doncha love it?
