Perhaps I’m just being optimistic, but do I detect that new ISAF chief executive Jerome Pels wants to do something about the mess in Estoril?
In an interview on the ISAF website, he comments: “Ongoing is the challenge of being part of the Olympic family. The demands and development of the Olympic Games mean we need to make our sport more attractive to the media and the youth of today.”
Hmmm… I like the sound of that.
Then he is asked: “What do you think ISAF can learn from other areas of the sport, and from other sports federations?”
His answer: From other sports I think ISAF can learn about selling the sport. By that, I don’t just mean selling the sport in the sense of creating income. It’s also about promoting the sport, making it appealing for people to come into the sport; and making sailing more accessible to people around the world.
“Sailing is such a diverse sport, so we need to work on what really matters, to identify a clear path for sailors to rise from grass roots through to professional level. What is the path for a young sailor who wants to emulate their heroes?
“Then there’s also selling the sport in the commercial sense, to expand ISAF’s income stream, which in turn will enable us to develop the sport even further.” I don’t know about you, but I like the way CEO Pels is talking.
Interesting piece of trivia for you, by the way. Jerome Pels is also brother in law of Ben Ainslie, married to Ben’s sister Fleur.
What do you think of Jerome Pels’ comments. Let us know. To read the rest of his interview, click here…
“I think a big goal of ISAF is to continue to improve its communication to all of these groups: to provide clearer information on why things are done and how decisions are made.
The reality is that ISAF is a completely democratic organization and within the ISAF structure there is the opportunity for everybody to have their voice heard. I think the lively debate we see both within and outside of ISAF is a sign of a healthy federation and the commitment and passion of the people involved in it. However, it’s key that people know how they can have their say within ISAF.”
Keywords, “communicate to”, democratic, make your voice heard.. Means nothing will change as there is nothing wrong within the organization. Pels is just more of the same. Brought up within ISAF and blind to ISAFs faults. He will have to do something pretty major to break that impression. Besides, is the guy a sailor or did he use to sail? Interview skimps pretty easily over that part.
By: o on 16 January 2008
at 5:55 pm
I’m rather depressed that the CEO of our entire sport can look at an activity which ranges from the guys doing loops on boards in Hawaii, to 8 year olds in Optis, to 67 year olds in Dragons, to thousands of families in old cruiser/racers, to officials of clubs struggling for numbers, to those who volunteer to run training courses, to bowmen on top IRC races…..and then say that “what really matters” among all that is worrying about a few hundred of all those millions of sailors.
This blatant concentration on a tiny elite is surely one of the biggest problems for the sport. Okay, they are the best sailors in their classes in the world – but that does not mean you can run the entire worldwide sport about their wishes and needs, any more than you can run an entire national or state class about the wishes and needs of the national-level front runners.
By: Chris 249 on 18 January 2008
at 3:52 am
I know this is not about olympic sailing, but… Francis Joyon made it!!! 57 days around the world, solo!!!
And he does it without a hint of arrogance or even competitiveness (at least in the negative sense)…
That is a man ISAF should build a statue to! an example for the young generations!
C.
By: Clovis on 20 January 2008
at 3:24 am
Jerome Pels is the biggest idiot I have ever had the misfortune of meeting. God help sailing.
By: etsu on 2 April 2008
at 7:47 pm