Waiting for results of WMA election; candidate forum worthless
WMA elections for president and others were today in Porto Alegre, and Iām still waiting on results. In the meantime, see how WMA handled its candidates forum. The following is from Masters Mole 2355c: āMonday eveningās WMA Candidate Forum began at 18:00 pm in a building with lots of background noise that made it extremely hard to hear the candidates even with a loudspeaker. Each WMA candidate was given five minutes to talk and then there were two minutes for questions from the audience. There seemed to be about 70-80 in attendance, but not many athletes. Winston Thomas, the current WMA secretary was asked if he thought the election voting in Lahti, Finland in 2009 was fair and by the rules. His response was that it was not a proper question and that the minutes of the 2009 meeting had been adopted in 2011. He did not answer the question. Brian Keaveney, Vice-President of Non-Stadia, and the timekeeper, then stood up and said that he would not allow any ĆÆnappropriateā questions of the candidates.ā
U.S. delegation at Lahti worlds in 2009 included (from left) Carroll DeWeese, Gary Snyder and Jerry Donley.
My mole continued:
As a result, after President Stan Perkinsā āspeech,ā no one asked him about elections, WMA finances or anything else. Perkins did say that WMA should have more control over the Championships and not rely so heavily on Local Organizing Committees. It seemed apparent that WMA was not interested in having questions about how WMA elections are conducted or how the finances are being handled.
One Response
What’s new? Winston Thomas implemented a similar gagging order on discussion of my suspension. Let’s face it. We are in an authoritarian environment. These WMA officers really believe we masters athletes have no right to pose such questions. They take a perverse glee in demonstrating how ‘tough’ they are and putting people down. They are truely pathetic.
The WMA Candidates Forum may well have been the wrong forum. But what is the right forum? WMA has a moral obligation to answer the questions concerning the 2009 WMA presidential elections – and soon.
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