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Will FIRS President Isidro Oliveras Resign This Week?
More About the Controversy at the FIRS Congress in Fresno
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I have heard rumors that Isidro Oliveras, the president of the International
Roller Sports Federation, will resign if the FIRS Executive Committee does not
accept the Catalonian Federation as a full member
at the November 2004 FIRS congress in Fresno, California. I have not been
able to confirm that rumor with President Oliveras, but because it has been
widely reported, roller sports federations around the
world are waiting anxiously to find out what will happen this week
at the FIRS Congress in Fresno.
FIRS President Isidro Oliveras (left) with FIRS General Secretary Roberto Marotta (right)
Copyright ©
Kathie Fry of SkateLog.com
2004 NOVEMBER 24 - FRESNO, CALIFORNIA:
The Annual Congress of the International Roller Sports
Federation will take place November 24-26, 2004 in
Fresno, California where the 2004 Artistic Roller Skating
World Championships are also taking place.
Among the issues to be voted on at that meeting are whether
or not the
13 Roller Sports Federations who were granted provisional
affiliation with FIRS in March of 2004 will have their
affiliations finalized and confirmed.
A
large controversy has developed around the provisional
recognition of the Catalonian Federation because Catalonia
is a region within Spain, and because Isidro Oliveras, the
president of FIRS, is from Catalonia. There have even
been reports that President Oliveras will resign this week
if Catalonia's provisional recognition is not ratified,
and also reports that the Olympic Committee of Spain may
file a disciplinary action against the FIRS president because of
comments he made in favor of Catalonia becoming a member of
FIRS.
When the Catalonian Federation was granted provisional FIRS
membership last March, the Spanish Federation filed a formal protest. On
Thursday, November 25, both the Spanish and Catalonian
Federations will be given an opportunity to make their case
before the FIRS Executive Committee. At that meeting it will
be determined if the March 2004 provisional recognition of
Catalonia will be overturned or allowed to remain in place.
On Friday, November 26, if Catalonia is still a provisional
member of FIRS, there will be a vote to determine
whether or not Catalonia and 12 other Roller Sports Federations
will be become full members of FIRS.
The members of the FIRS Executive Committee who will rule on
the Spanish Federation's appeal are:
-
Isidro Oliveras of Spain (President of FIRS)
-
Ernesto Gonzalez Molina of Argentina (1st Vice President)
-
Roberto Marotta of Italy (General Secretary + Speed)
-
James Pollard of the USA (Artistic)
-
George Pickard of the USA (Inline Hockey)
-
Harro Strucksberg of Germany (Quad Hockey)
-
Sabatino Aracu of Italy (Europe)
-
Carlos Orlando Ferreira of Colombia (America)
-
Valerie Leftwitch of Australia (Oceania)
-
Nabih el Alkamy of Egypt (Africa)
All of the above members were present at
the March 2003 meeting giving Catalonia provision recognition except
Mr. Sabatino Aracu of Italy and Dr. Alkamy of Egypt. Several news reports
have said Mr. Aracu is not in favor of admitting the Catalonian
Federation. Mr. Yoshiro Noguchi, who
represents Asia, will not be present at the November 2004 Fresno
meeting because of illness.
President Oliveras will have a vote
if there is a tie after the other FIRS Executive Committee members have voted.
No one is certain what will happen this week and what decisions
FIRS will make about the protest filed by the Spanish Federation
and making Catalonia's provisional affiliation final. I have
friends on both sides of this tense situation and few of them are
comfortable making a prediction. Anything could happen this week.
Will FIRS rule for or against the Spanish Federation's protest
on November 25? Will Catalonian become a full member of FIRS
on November 26? If Catalonia is rejected will FIRS President
Oliveras resign as has been reported by some members of the press?
I will be waiting anxiously on November 25 and 26 to find out
how the situation plays out.
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