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Scuttlebutt News: US SAILING and the USOC (November 3, 2009) On February 20, 2009, a Hearing Panel appointed by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) issued a decision that stated the provisions of the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) Racing Rules of Sailing governing the conduct of protests and requests for redress did not comply with the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Bylaws. USOC provided US SAILING with a timeline to correct its non-compliance, and when US SAILING submitted its plan, USOC was not fully satisfied. In their August 28, 2009 decision, the USOC Hearing Panel thanked US SAILING’s efforts to resolve this matter, and while they believe that significant progress had been made in that regard, there were still certain issues that remain. The notice of non-compliance first surfaced following a redress hearing at the 2007 U.S. Olympic Trials in the RS:X event involving Farrah Hall. To help resolve the remaining issues of non-compliance, Hall and her attorney Doug Smith and advisor John Bertrand met with representatives from the USOC and US SAILING this past Monday in an all day session. Commenting on the meeting, new US SAILING President Gary Jobson said, “We went through all the issues. It was not contentious at all, and my goal now is to try and get US SAILING’s part resolved in the next two weeks.” Smith will be working with US SAILING Appeals Committee chair Dave Perry on the recommendations, which Jobson will present to the US SAILING Board of Director’s meeting on November 16th. Said Jobson, “Hopefully the Board will be happy with it, and given the approval of Farrah, we will jointly submit our plan at the USOC Board of Director’s meeting in San Francisco on December 14th, and work with Farrah on what positive things can come out of it for our sport so these kinds of situations never happen again.” The crux of the remaining issues has to do with how far the USOC guidelines extend into the sport in the U.S. Said Jobson, “The USOC Hearing Panel has quite a lengthy list of requirements, and some of them are fine, and others are complicated as it relates to sailing, and then we have to work with ISAF rules too. So during our group session, that was what we were working our way through, line by line. What was great was how everyone involved understands the sport, and was seeking solutions that would really benefit the sport.” USOC decision (Aug. 28, 2009): www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/1103/8-28-09_Panel_Order.pdf US SAILING response (Sept. 1, 2009): www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/1103/USOC_HP_Letter-amended_1Sep2009.pdf Background Information USOC decision (Feb. 20): www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0222 Scuttlebutt story (Feb. 22): www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived Cory E. Friedman commentary (Feb. 23): www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0223b Jim Capron interview (July 5): www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0705 back to top |
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