ICF plays Political Gamble despite GAISF decision

On April 27th, 2007 the GA of the General Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF)  voted in favor of GAISF-Membership for the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) as the governing International Federation for Dragon Boat Sport.

The objections from the International Canoe Federation (ICF) against the IDBF-Membership were dismissed by the votes of the GAISF GA, in favour of the IDBF.

Just after the IDBF became a member of GAISF, the ICF published on its web site as quoted:

“On explicit request by the delegates, Mr Hein Verbruggen, GAISF President, stated that by taking this decision, two International Federations exist representing dragon boating namely the International Dragonboat Federation AND the International Canoe Federation.”

Dragon Boat Net (DBN) was as independent press representative at the GAISF-Meeting in Beijing and witnessed what was said and cannot confirm the above quoted ICF statement.

During a discussion before the vote, one delegate raised the question, whether in the case that the IDBF becomes a member of GAISF, would the ICF then have to abandon its Dragon Boat activities?

The GAISF-President answered that this would need to be discussed between the two Federations as the fact was that the vote was about the membership of the IDBF as the Federation for the Dragon Boat Sport.  This only allows for an understanding that  it would be up to the IDBF whether or not to allow the ICF to be active in Dragon Boating.

Clearly, neither was there an explicit request by the delegates, on the issue of the ICF being a Dragon Boat Federation - which actually would have needed some kind of a vote to confirm this question, - there was none -, nor it was said by the GAISF President that there are now two Federations representing the Dragon Boat Sport.

In DBN’s opinion it should have been expected that  after the IDBF becoming a GAISF Member, the ICF would approach the IDBF in good favor to ask how the ICF might possibly help to grow the sport further.  In return the IDBF would then be expected to consider the help offered as long as rules, mutual respect and true, honest, sportsmen like cooperation was provided.

Even the ICF did congratulate the IDBF immediately after the vote and agreed that the two Federations should sit down and talk, - with its later statements this friendly atmosphere appears now to be totally destroyed for no recognisable reason except may be for somebody’s personal pride.

The last thing paddlers want is two Federation wasting time, efforts and money on such politics. Please put these into the sport instead.

Henning Wiekhorst
Dragon Boat Net