ISAF President reports to criticism

by ISAF President Paul Henderson on 29 Oct 2002 Excerpts from Paul Henderson's letter in sailing.org in response to a barrage of emails and postings about submissions to the November Conference:

The naive sailors who say the classes know what is best and should be autonomous have not lived in the world of top International Racing where $$$ govern and the win at all cost mentality prevails as seen in the Olympic Classes and the Opti to say nothing of the America's Cup.

It has become normal procedure for wealthy national classes or MNA's to pay for phoney memberships so as to buy entries into World Championships which the poorer nations cannot afford. Entries in Worlds should be on merit and realistic numbers of sailors in the region.

Also classes give their Worlds to local organizers with little or no ability to govern the structure and chaos has ensued in many events this year. ISAF must demand at least a minimum amount of expertise and control before these events can be designated World Championships.

No other sport allows local sovereignty over their major events. ISAF is being threatened this year, as the court of last resort, by sailors in the Star Class and the Finn because of Class related decisions which are in dispute.

The high profile elite classes use the corinthian classes as the common denominator they hide behind to keep their autonomy. They then point the finger at ISAF to bail them out when disaster strikes. I would prefer acting rather than reacting.

The recommendation on the issues of Worlds was entered so as to make ISAF address where this has got out of hand and the pressures caused by coaches and MNA's and parents to win at all cost is the order of the day. I do not think it is acceptable that coaches are teaching young Opti sailors to cheat or give them cigarettes to calm a 14 year olds nerves before a race.

There cannot be one rule for all aspects of the broad spectrum of sailing and if I have done nothing else I have got you all to focus on the problems and what hopefully will be constructive solutions which will come out of the ISAF AGM in Cyprus.

Full text at www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=3318