ISAF Executive Committee navigates full agenda

The ISAF Executive Committee met in Agadir, Morocco on February 13-15, which marks the first time a meeting has been held in Africa. There was a full agenda which also included plans for the forthcoming Annual Conference in Sanya, China on November 7-14.

The Executive Committee has conducted a thorough review of the announcement by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) that sailing will not be included in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The review paid particular attention to the comment of IPC that: “The IPC Governing Board is willing to reward robust athlete participation and good sport governance. Herein lies an opportunity for sailing to regroup, reform, rejuvenate and return with an improved proposition when we [IPC] launch the next review cycle in 2018.”

The Executive Committee has therefore decided it will lead and take full responsibility for future discussions with the IPC.

Following the December 2014 decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the Dirk de Ridder case, the Executive Committee has reviewed the full decision. The Executive Committee has agreed that a review of the ISAF disciplinary process should be undertaken to further strengthen them and will engage external sports law experts to advise on this matter.

In respect of the 34th America’s Cup, ISAF has received a number of complaints under Regulation 35 (Misconduct and Discipline). As required by the Regulations, the Acting CEO and two ISAF Vice-Presidents will review each of the allegations. This group will determine if these complaints should be referred to the ISAF Disciplinary Commission.

The formation and Terms of Reference of the Working Party to advise the Executive on the role, responsibilities and governance model of Continental Associations within ISAF was agreed.

The updated Mid-Term reports from the Committee Chairmen were received and noted. As a result of these reports a number of key initiatives have been identified by the Executive Committee for the remaining 1 ½ years of its current term. The Committee Chairmen aligned to those initiatives will be invited to attend the Mid-Year Meeting in Amsterdam to work through them. The Chairmen will be invited directly.

An enhanced ISAF Youth Worlds Emerging Nations Programme was outlined and this programme will create opportunities and better prepare young sailors as they build up to the 2015 ISAF Youth Worlds in Langkawi, Malaysia at the end of the year. ISAF will host regional performance clinics in five continents to provide class specific coaching expertise. Furthermore, training tips, rules sessions and more will be delivered to enable young sailors become better all-round competitors. The Executive is also considering the possibility of using either the World Youth Sailing Trust or setting up a new Foundation to channel any future sponsorship funding.

Now that the new Sailing World Cup had been implemented, the Olympic Commission recommendation from 2013 was that the Events Committee should be invited to further develop the structure of events to support Olympic Sailing. ISAF’s Olympic Events Strategy should be clearly stated and communicated to all. A draft paper was presented to the Executive Committee for discussion and a final version will be presented as a supporting paper to the Events Committee meeting in May 2015.

Source: ISAF, February 24, 2015