State of the Union: Disabled Sailing

by Bernard Destrubé, Member, ISAF Disabled Sailing Committee
The middle of a storm is certainly not the appropriate moment to publicize the state of a ship. Each gust of wind, each breaking wave can transform the situation in an unexpected manner. Losing the captain does not make things easy for those left on board.

The storm has subsided, and this bulletin, amongst other things, should help clarify the situation as it is at present, and hopefully put an end to the rumours and misinformation that have been circulating recently. The perceived silence of both ISAF and IFDS (ISAF Disabled Sailing Committee) can only witness the amount of work that has been carried out over the last weeks behind the scenes, in an effort to present International Paralympic Committee (IPC) with compelling information aimed at highlighting the value of our sport.

John Twomey, in his short term as President, has carried IFDS through three major challenges.

Firstly, following the 2012 Games, IFDS stood behind the ISAF Race Officials that had been named to the event, and defended them before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Secondly, convinced that the future of Paralympic sailing would be better secured through a merger between IFDS and ISAF, and despite some initial opposition, he forwarded this project with the success that led to the unanimous approval of the merger by both ISAF and IFDS General Assembly. And more recently, he guided extensive research, documentation, requested assistance from ISAF and all IFDS MNAs and RNAs in order to present a coherent and substantial submission to IPC to secure Paralympic Sailing in the future. You can be assured that the exclusion of sailing as announced by IPC in January came as the worst and greatest surprise that anyone could imagine.

As probably the longest standing Paralympic athlete, John Twomey has participated in every Paralympic Games since 1976, earning medals in athletics, before turning to sailing and participating in all the Paralympic sailing events since the beginning. As an athlete, he feels as devastated as each and every other disabled sailor. As President of IFDS, the news was unexpected and shattering. John Twomey chose to resign, and I would like to publicly thank him here for all his time and efforts devoted to promote Paralympic sailing over the many years he has served.

I have accepted to temporarily take the helm of the Disabled Sailing Committee (IFDS), fully conscious of the monumental challenges lying ahead. The merger with ISAF will create new dynamics, transfers of responsibilities, modified communication, and hopefully a number of changes that will promote what is certainly one of the greatest sports for persons with a disability!

Editor’s note: The group administering the Facebook page Reinstate Paralympic Sailing into 2020 Games, following this statement by Bernard Destrubé, released information (click here) on the bid to re-establish sailing in the 2020 Paralympic Games. The document notes the failings to demonstrate sufficient worldwide participation of Paralympic sailing, including the submission of improper data to improve this picture.