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FIRS Executive Board in Freiburg took important decisions

Editorial
Editorial

Dear friends of rollersports.org, as you know, together with the Figure Roller Skating World Championships on the 20th and 21st November the meeting of the FIRS Executive Board took place in Freiburg . I do not hesitate to say that this was an historical Executive Board both for the discussed topics and for the importance of the decisions.



First of all, I wish to underline that it was repeated in a firm and shared way the role of FIRS: the International Federation is one and only one, with one government providing the necessary support to all disciplines. Too often in the past, FIRS has been interpreted as a multi speed motor, but this last meeting of the Executive Board reaffirmed the role of the International Federation: an example, in this regard, was the decision to make every headquarter of the Continental Confederations as FIRS HQ, to reinforce the representative role of the Confederations at continental level.


Another important discussed topic was the quality of the image of our sport, beginning from the Organisation of the World Championships. It was fundamental, in this way, the decision to reaffirm the need for FIRS Departments to have maximum control over the communication, protocol and organization of the Worlds. For this reason an assigning book of the World Championships and an organisation book will be realized in addition to the communication handbook already presented at the meeting of the Executive Board held in Gold Coast in 2007.


Dear friends, it is important to recognize that our most important events are our image on the world and we cannot afford that they are not on the same level of the athletic qualities of our disciplines. We cannot allow it, if we really want to build a future for the roller skating.


Another discussed topic concerns FIRS statute: we need a more streamlined statute that keeps up with the times. To study the necessary changes it has been created a proper commission formed by the 1st Vice President Valerie Leftwich and by the Vice Presidents Fernando Claro and Carlos Orlando Ferreira.


We have also presented the “Regulations endorsement of materials and systems for the ratification of sports facilities” and we are sure that it will allow FIRS to take a fundamental step forward in the ratification of facilities and systems, assuring certainty on the planning and on the quality of the facilities and increase for FIRS economic resources.


I am happy and proud to tell you that Mrs Wendy Gila new President –elect of the African Confederation has attended the meeting. Her presence has been fundamental to underline once more the importance for us , of the developing of roller sports in the African Continent and to outline the help and support conditions for Africa.


We have of course discussed, at the end, about the Olympic Project and the decision of the IOC to include golf and rugby 7 in the Olympic Programm, excluding so the Roller Sports.


This decision has of course embittered us: but it was a competition and we must accept the result. This does not mean to give up the goal. We are sure that roller skating is worth entering the Olympic Program and we will continue to work hard to get the place we deserve. All the work done in these last years has led us to obtain an account with the media and the world of sport, that we had not before. To belong to the short list has opened to us and will continue to open doors that would otherwise have remained closed.


As you can understand, dear friends, we have months of hard work ahead and we are happy to continue along a road, that will surely give excellent results with the commitment of us all


An affectionate hug to all


Sabatino Aracu
FIRS President