Sunday, July 8, 2012

SA get Barred from World Spearfishing Champs

As the CMAS World Spearfishing gets under way the South African Spearfishing team is having to sit out. The SA team was barred due to some unpaid subs from last year.... funny they let the team go all the way to Spain to give them the middle finger!

This is the message from Iain Ewing from SAUFF who is over there with the boys and tried to sort the issue out.

Hi all.
We are out of the compo. No diving for the SA boys at all.
Despite all the issues of subs and payments being sorted out the decision was taken by CMAS not to allow us to dive. it's been a hectic few days trying to resolve what we thought was a fairly simple issue. We are very disappointed! Both with regards to not being allowed to compete and the way we have been treated. We have always understood that regulating authorities are there to help with the development and facilitation of sport not the dictation and preclusion of small federations.
This is truly a very sad day for the SA side who had giving up work and huge amounts of their own cash to be there. I know Jaco was in fine form and was hungry to show the world what he could do. Maybe the Europeans are just scared??

On a personal note I think it is high time that the rest of the world break from CMAS and the Europeans
control of the sport. Thing change and spearfishing needs a change. Just like in surfing they moved the contests away from the traditional beaches with 2ft slop to the best spots in the world creating the 'Dream Tour'
Just think about that for a moment! Spearfishing competitions in the best spots with real fish not eels and palm sized Black Tail. How practical I don't know? But it will be a hell of a lot more interesting.

A big thumbs down for CMAS

Coatesman

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris,

The main problem is that CMAS is the only federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee, hence the only federation recognised by SASCOC. Should a breakaway tour be created, since it would not be sanctioned by CMAS, it would not be sanctioned by SASCOC, so we would not be allowed to participate.

Action may be followed to complain about treatment, but unless it goes through SASCOC to the IOF, we effectively carry no weight.

They know that they have us by the squishy bits...

Anonymous said...

Why couldn't SAUFF simply pay up what was due and get on with it? Many clubs and insitutions state that you must be in 'good standing' in order to participate in competitive events. This means fees up to date. Clearly this was not the case and perhaps why they refused remedy after the fact. The question is was there a dispute on fees or was it simply negligent oversight on the part of SAUFF? The implications with respect to lost opportunites, personal financial hardship and future status with respect to our own Government/funders are going to be a bitter pill to swallow

Anonymous said...

from one of the articals I read on the mater it was stated that some of the fees were 4 years overdue can you really blame them for making an example out of the team make sure your house is in order before traveling half way around the world we cant get by on we are a poor underprivileged nation please give us stuff forever.