Date: 21 March 2015, 15:00-17:00 CET

 

Meeting: Conference Call (Skype)

 

Attending: Kimmo Lahtinen (3/3)

Jean-Pol Francois (2/3)

Carla Sue Hanson (3/3)

Robert King (3/3)

Vedran Milat (2/3)

Absent: Ute Gessmann (2/3)

Antero Joki (2/3)

Petar Bojovic (1/3)

Per Westin (0/3)

 

Financial Matters. The Board reviewed AIDA’s financial status, as presented by Vedran.

 

Competition Rules Update Process. Kimmo and Antero reported on the new Rules update process for 2015. Kimmo is working with a number of National representatives on the new Rules update procedure, and will send the Assembly a note this week on how this process will work for 2015. If you have suggestions for changes to the Rules, you will be able to use this procedure to have the TC and Assembly consider them.

 

The Board also reviewed two requests for Rules clarifications. The first request came from AIDA Japan, to clarify whether a late start penalty (for DYN, DNF, CWT, CNF and FIM) would apply to an athlete who submerges his/her airways by the required time (e.g. 10 seconds after OT for DYN), but does not leave the wall (or surface, for CWT, CNF, FIM) until after that time. The Board confirmed that no late start penalty would apply in such case. A note will be sent out to the judges email list noting this clarification, and the TC will discuss clarifying the rule to avoid confusion in the future. Thank you to AIDA Japan for raising this question.

 

The second request was to clarify whether the new grab rule for DYN and DNF (Rules 6.1.11, 11.6) permits an athlete to grab and pull in connection with the surfacing motion, or only grab. The Board confirmed that the intent of the rule is to allow both grab and pull in connection with the surfacing motion (to increase athlete safety); the Board noted that it would not be possible in many cases for judges to distinguish between grabbing and pulling, and that pulling while surfacing would be upward, rather than in the direction of the performance. A note will be sent out to the judges email list noting this clarification, and the TC will discuss clarifying the rule to avoid confusion in the future.

 

We thank the persons that raised these questions: AIDA’s goal is to have the Competition Rules be as clear as possible, and interpreted uniformly.

 

2015 AIDA Individual World Championships. The Board reviewed the Assembly vote for judges for the 2015 AIDA Pool World Championships (Belgrade, Serbia), and 2015 AIDA Depth World Championships (Limassol, Cyprus). The Board noted that two senior judges (Level B or higher) applied for Belgrade (one is currently Level C, but has met the requirements for promotion and is expected to be promoted to Level B in May). Seven senior judges have applied for Cyprus. In Belgrade, Judge Instructor JP François will be teaching an AIDA Judge Course, and oversee measurement of the pool(s). Judge Responsible Petar Bojovic (Jury President in Belgrade 2013 and Cagliari 2014) will be Board liaison to the Belgrade jury, available to consult on all matters, and to ensure that any issues are resolved appropriately.

 

The judge vote will conclude 4 April, which will allow the organizers to purchase plane tickets in April (at lower prices than in May—especially for Cyprus, whose busy season extends through September). The Board noted the importance of controlling transportation costs, which are paid by athletes (through competition fees).

 

Robert noted that after the Assembly vote for judges, the Judge Responsible will request assistant judge candidates. As previously noted, AIDA plans to subsidize travel costs for four assistant judges traveling to the 2015 AIDA World Championships from outside of Europe. Robert also noted that there will be judge Continuing Education (“CE”) courses in both Belgrade and Cyprus (like the one held last year in Cagliari). Preliminary agenda for those courses will be sent to the Assembly shortly; please feel free to request additional items. As previously noted, AIDA will be offering AIDA Judge courses in both Belgrade and Cyprus, at a reasonable fee (approximately EUR 70): AIDA International is committed to ending predatory pricing of judge courses at AIDA World Championships: judge students paying for airfare to and hotel at a WC should not have to pay nearly EUR 400 for a 16 hour judge course.

 

The Board discussed medals for the 2015 AIDA Individual World Championships, and approved up to EUR 2,000 to produce medals for Belgrade and Cyprus (18 for each competition).

 

2016 AIDA World Championships. Kimmo noted that proposals for the 2016 AIDA Pool World Championship are due not later than 30 April, and that proposals for the 2016 AIDA Team World Championship are due not later than 30 September. Please ask interested organizers contact AIDA International for further information (board@aidainternational.org).

 

Education Officer. JP provided information on Benoît Canell, an instructor in France that AIDA France recommended for Instructor Trainer. The Board voted to approve Mr. Canell as AIDA Instructor Trainer, subject to the standard 6-month review period. Mr. Canell has been working extensively with AIDA France, providing AIDA courses and training.

 

Membership. Carla reported on an application for Observer membership from a group in China. After reviewing the application, the Board voted to ask the Assembly to vote on admission for this group, and to recommend approval (the vote to be scheduled with other applicants, in the next few months).

 

The Board reviewed a dispute between a group of athletes and instructors in Brazil, and the AIDA National in that country. AIDA International has recommended that the group and the National meet to mediate their differences, and both sides have agreed to do that. We would like to thank AIDA co-founder and Assembly member Claude Chapuis for offering to mediate these issues, and to find a sportsmanlike resolution.

 

Sport Office. Kimmo and Carla reported on the sanctioning of competitions in countries without Nationals (AIDA Competition Rules, Section 2.3.11). Ute and

 

Carla have prepared guidelines to organizers in countries without Nationals, with instructions on what information is needed to request sanctioning a competition.

 

The Board continued to discuss transfers of funds by Sebastian Nagel (who was convicted of stealing AIDA funds), to a Netherlands account (over EUR 10,000 in years 2007-2010). One of the persons with access to that account—Pim Vermeulen—has applied for promotion to judge instructor (AI), but has failed to provide information to show these funds were used for AIDA purposes. The Board has determined that it should not review Mr. Vermeulen’s application for judge instructor unless and until he accounts for AIDA funds transferred to the Netherlands account.

 

Judge Certification, Training and Promotion: Proposal to Fix Judge IOP. The Board continued to discuss the problems with the 2009 Judge IOP (which prevents judges from being promoted to senior levels) and how to reach AIDA’s goal: to have a senior judge in each AIDA country, and a Judge Instructor in or near each AIDA country. Rob noted that a proposal to address the problems with the 2009 has been sent to the Assembly for review and comment. That proposal recommends the following changes:

1) Simplify point system, so one point reflects roughly one performance judged

2) Simplify levels (from 23 to 5)

3) Eliminate "D" point requirement, that's difficult for many judges to meet

4) Eliminate Level C requirement (get elected to judge at 2 WCs), that's impossible for nearly all judges to meet; replace with effective and achievable training requirements

5) Eliminate Level B/A/AI requirement (judging 6 or more world records), that's impossible for nearly all judges to meet; replace with effective and achievable training requirements

6) Provide a fair and effective system for judge training, emphasizing assistant judging, continuing education, and judge courses

The Board requests comments from the Assembly by 30 April, and plans to request an Assembly vote on this subject in May.

 

Information Technology. The Board reviewed a Google email group tool, with information provided by Milorad Vlyaic. The Board will examine this tool to determine if it may be an acceptable replacement for Yahoo Groups; if so, it will be piloted along side the Yahoo Groups tool to ensure reliability and usability.

 

Further Information. If you would like further information on these or other topics, please do not hesitate to contact Kimmo, Robert, or any other Board member.