This coming weekend in Indianapolis, USA Track & Field meets to do its annual business — mull rule changes, elect officers, honor the stars of 2006. One lesser-known function is picking U.S. candidates to various bodies of IAAF — the Big Kahuna of track and field. One of the hopefuls is our own Rex Harvey, a veep in WMA. Rex, an Ohio resident who still holds the M45 decathlon world record, wants to join the IAAF Masters Committee. It’s a prestigious gig.

Since World Masters Athletics takes many of its cues from IAAF, it’s always good to have our camel sticking its nose under the Big Kahuna’s tent.
Rex has no opposition for the U.S. nomination, according to the latest list of candidates to the various IAAF committees and councils.
So what’s the drill to get elected to the IAAF Masters Committee?
I asked Rex (who earlier had asked me to be a seconder of his nomination), and he replied:
“The (Indy) vote is the important thing as it … determines who will be presented as a candidate to the IAAF Congress in Japan, and their vote determines who is on the IAAF Masters Committee. The top 10 vote-getters from among all the candidates in the world (become the IAAF Masters Committee).
“Each country can submit one, so there are a lot of potential candidates. The vote is the last in a long, long series and just before lunch so there is not much attention paid to it so incumbents have a huge advantage.
“Some Regions of the world (like South America) do not submit any candidates so that they then can appoint a person to the committee. But North America can’t do that because Danny Daniels of Canada has been on the Committee and I assume will run again. ”
And what does the IAAF Masters Committee do?
Rex sez: “Right now, the IAAF Masters Committee is basically a group meeting once a year (usually in conjunction with a WMA function — like in Linz in March) overseeing WMA’s actions and maybe slightly advising occasionally.
“Cesar Mareno Bravo, its chair, keeps it that way. But things could change quickly if we should loose Cesar to health, or not being re-elected as he worried some in Paris (in 2003). But his election by the IAAF Congress should be safe in Osaka next year because he is one of the technical delegates to the China Olympics.
“If someone else was given the chairmanship of the IAAF Masters Committee, then they could decide they should run World Masters Athletics, not WMA. So I want to be on the committee for at least the next four years to make sure that any changes that happen are in the interests of the athletes and not vice versa. The perks are nil for a WMA officer and a trip somewhere once a year for those who are not. They will give you passes to IAAF functions, but you must travel, house and feed yourself.”
Anyway, here’s what Rex says about himself in the nomination PDF:
Position: IAAF Committee Member – Masters
Nominator: Bill Roe, Suzy Hess, Dr. Evie Dennis
Seconders: George Kleeman, Dave Clingan, Jack Hazen, Jerry Wojcik, Ken Stone, Linda Melzer, Kip Janvrin, David Katz, Jim Flanik, Nancy Seifert, Jeff Gerson, Ed Wilson, Larry Seifert, and Brian Jones.
(Rex writes:)
Let me first thank Bill Roe, Evie Dennis, Suzy Hess and the others that nominated me including all those that seconded my nomination for having confidence in my ability to fill this position. One of the most important lessons that I have learned as I have worked as an administrator in international Masters track and field for the last twenty years is that we must stay deeply involved in all aspects of International Track and Field, and particularly in the IAAF which governs our sport worldwide.
While it is a great achievement to field the best Track and Field team in the World, that alone is not enough. We must also be deeply involved in the sport off the competition field as well. The United States needs to have representatives in as many IAAF committees as possible, and they need to be knowledgeable, hardworking, and trusted
individuals that will represent the US, and its interests, in a dignified and positive manner.
It’s to this end that I am seeking to be the USATF candidate to the IAAF Masters Committee.
To enhance my chances of election by the IAAF Congress in Osaka, Japan in 2007, I have attended, at my own initiative and expense, as many IAAF functions as practicable over the past four years. Paris World Outdoor Championships, Budapest World Indoor Championships, Helsinki Outdoor Championships, and the Moscow World Indoor Championships. At each of these events, I made a special effort to meet as many officials and representatives, from as many countries as possible, to not only “talk track” with them, but also so they got to know me and recognize my face.
It is much easier for people to vote for someone they recognize than it is for a stranger, as I was to most of them in 2003. I have met many times with most of the IAAF elected officials in both formal and informal s events. And, I regularly meet with, and conduct business with, the IAAF Staff in my role as technical head of World Masters T&F.
As you can see from below, I have prepared extensively for this Masters Committee position. Not the least of which is the fact that I was recently re-elected to the Vice-President of Stadia position in the World Masters Athletics organization which runs the worldwide sport of Masters Track & Field in cooperation with, the IAAF. I would be grateful for your support and I pledge to work hard for you, USATF, IAAF, and the sport that we love.
Everything I do is from the perspective of my 45 years of serious Track & Field competition. I know athlete’s needs and desires and I try always to keep that in mind as I administer.
Past & Present Vice President-Stadia, World Masters Athletics (WMA), 2001-present
Related Positions: President, No.,Cen. Amer&Caribbean Regional Assoc.of WMA, 92-98
Member, WMA Executive Council, 2001 to present
Member, WAVA Executive Council, Regional Delegate, 1992-1998
Member, WAVA Stadia Committee, 1987 to 2001
Recording Secretary, WAVA Stadia Committee, 1995 to 2001
US Delegate, WAVA Gen. Assy, 91Turku, 99 Gateshead, 01 Brisbane
Me again:
Rex is a solid guy — a straight-shooter and world-class expert in track meet administration and politics. He also is an active athlete (in the throws, mainly), so he knows what the athletes are thinking and griping about. I hope he wins a big show of support in Indy and makes the top 10 in Osaka.
We (meaning the world’s masters athletes, not just America) need him as a watchdog on the IAAF Masters Committee.