Max Bishop <>
writes:

First, let me correct one misconception that seems to be creating
confusion. FAI has no jurisdiction over local, regional or national
competitions. These are entirely matters for national and local governing bodies
(although these bodies frequently choose to follow international rules). FAI is
the representative governing body for INTERNATIONAL air sports events. Its
status as the sole body empowered to sanction official World Championships and
other similar events in air sports is recognised by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) and the General Association of International Sports Federations
(GAISF), as well as by the numerous national governments that make subsidies to
competitors and associations dependent on membership of recognised international
federations (I know that this does not apply to the USA, but it's a very
important consideration in many countries).


In response to uncomplimentary comments made by some of your readers in the Oz
Report forum, FAI is answerable to its national member organizations, and
operates according to widely accepted principles of democratic accountability,
good governance and transparency. Our Annual Reports are available on-line (<http://www.fai.org/general_conference/2005>
for 2005 - the 2006 report is currently in preparation).


Why is it important that only one body should have the power to sanction "World
Championships?" First, a World Championship exists, amongst other things, to
produce a World Champion. If there are several people claiming that title, on
the basis of various different contests carrying that name, the currency is
devalued. Nobody knows who is really "the best". We want to make sure that THE
World Champion receives the universal recognition he or she deserves. Second, it
is not desirable for top-level athletes to have to make judgments about which
World Championship is the "real" World Championship. For their sake, the
international contest structure should be clear and unitary. Third, the public
(including sponsors and TV) has no patience with sorting out rival claims to
legitimacy. They want to know which is the official contest. Some other sports
have learnt, to their cost, the grave damage caused by having multiple
international governing bodies (some the creatures of single powerful
individuals).


Please remember the unique power of the word "Championship". It is a competition
that generates a "Champion". A Champion must be a Champion of somewhere (World
Continent, Country, State, City, School etc). That implies a duly appointed
structure representing that entity or geographical unit. Different
considerations apply to words such as "Challenge", "Trophy", "Shield" "Cup" etc
etc.


You wrote:


"Flip Koetsier directed me to you regarding questions about the FAI Code of
Ethics (quite a document). The basic question is does a section of the FAI Code
of Ethics apply to me, as I will be the 2007 Class 1 Worlds meet director next
August."


I think it is really for you to decide this - remember that the Code is only a
set of guidelines. Surely the question is rather: Is there any reason why the
Director of the official Class 1 World Championship should not observe the
elementary ethical principles set out in the Code?


You wrote:


"In referring to an article I wrote recently
http://ozreport.com/10.252#2 .Flip wrote to me:


"I read your recent report about the so called "Flytec World Championship" with
surprise. Perhaps you (or the organiser) did not know that NACs which are
members of the FAI are party to an agreement that only championships sanctioned
by the FAI may be described as World or Continental Championships.


"As a member of the organisational team for the 2007 World Hang Gliding
Championship and therefore a representative of your NAC I hope you will
understand that it is inappropriate for you to publicise an event in such a
way."


"When I questioned Flip about this he responded:


"I know that you now wear two hats, but you must appreciate that by taking on an
official role World Championship director, you are exposing yourself to a
possible conflict of interest, to which the FAI Code of Ethics applies (see :
http://www.fai.org/documents/otherdocs/code_ethics) . If your duty as a
journalist conflicts with your duty as World Championship director, you should
refrain from controversial journalism. You can't play poacher and gamekeeper
simultaneously.


"I responded that:


"Here is what I believe to be the relevant section in the FAI Code of Ethics (http://www.fai.org/documents/otherdocs/code_ethics
): All members of FAI staff and elected or appointed FAI officials with
decision-making power shall observe the following principles regarding conflicts
of interest :


"Here is what the FAI Sporting Code General Section says:


"4. 3.4 OPERATIONAL OFFICIALS. The NAC organising a First Category International
Sporting Event shall appoint an Event Director, Deputy Director, Stewards,
Public Relations Officer (PRO), and other functionaries as required.


"I take this to mean that I am not an "FAI official" or not an "appointed FAI
official" as per the FAI Code of Ethic, and the section in the Code of Ethics
that follows the above quote therefore does not apply to me. True?"


With respect, I think that literal interpretation of this small-print will not
move us forward if you reject the basic premise that, by accepting a major job
in a FAI-sanctioned World Championship, you are implicitly agreeing to act in a
way that is not detrimental to the aims, objectives and ethical standards of
FAI.


Flytec is a commercial company. It has no democratic right to set itself up as a
body authorized to designate a World Champion. As you or somebody on your site
rightly pointed out, this is a matter between FAI and Flytec. All that Flip
Koetsier was doing, as far as I can see, is pointing out to you that you have
responsibilities towards FAI as Director of the Class 1 Worlds.


Let me ask you (Davis Straub the contest director designate, not the OZ-Report
Editor) a simple question: Do you accept that it is in the interests of the
entire world hang gliding and paragliding community that there should be only
ONE World Championship in each Class/Category, and that this Championship should
be the one that is duly sanctioned by FAI/CIVL?


If you cannot accept that statement, then I feel that we have a real problem,
not just a potential conflict of interests.


You wrote:


I also assume that FAI/CIVL isn't interested in applying prior restraint to
the free press. True?


Of course we are not interested in constraining the free press. We always
welcome comment, although we naturally prefer it to be well-informed and polite.