I was reading the Sao Paulo Declaration at
http://www.wamo.info
and the FINA response also linked to on that site.
What exactly is the justification for FINA GR 4, which prohibits participation by individuals and/or organizations in non-FINA-affliated organizations or events? The rule seems unreasonably broad in not limiting in any way what organizations one can not be affiliated with!
On the idealistic side, I find it somewhat offensive to have my rights of association so limited by a body like FINA. On the pragmatic side, FINA seems to have stacked the cards so much in its favor that it is hard to imagine fighting it.
David,
As the president of LATyCAR and one of the founders of WAMO, I understand your passion for your organizations. Just as I, as a 20+ year member and the current president of USMS, am extremely passionate about USMS and swimming.
And while I doubt I can sway the opinions of many of the forum posters from outside of the United States and those who aren’t members of USMS. At least let me try to shed some illumination as to how swimming works in our country.
Swimming in the United States is very much a partnership between a wide array of aquatics organizations; including USMS, USA-Swimming, United States Aquatics Sports, YMCA, YMHA, colleges, high schools, and community and private aquatics organizations.
This partnership occurs at the grass roots level; my club’s coach is also a local USA-Swimming coach, when I run a meet I rely on my local USA-Swimming club to help provide officials and meet personnel, and when the USA-S club or high school runs meets I volunteer. And this partnership occurs at our national championships; where we have run national championships at some of the greatest college pools in the country, and we rely on timers and officials from the ranks of our USA-Swimming partners. As well as at the national operational level, where USMS is a full member of United States Aquatic Sports along side USA Swimming, USA Diving, USA Water Polo and United States Synchronized Swimming.
In my 2+ decades of active involvement in USMS, partnering with the aquatic community is the way USMS has worked. This is a leading factor in the tremendous success and growth of USMS. And while I am extremely biased, I would hazard a guess that USMS is one of the most successful adult athletic national governing bodies in the world today. We are where we are today because of the phenomenal leaders that came before me, their passion and vision for Masters Swimming, our amazing volunteers and staff, and our bond with our partners in the aquatic and adult fitness community.
David,
As the president of LATyCAR and one of the founders of WAMO, I understand your passion for your organizations. Just as I, as a 20+ year member and the current president of USMS, am extremely passionate about USMS and swimming.
And while I doubt I can sway the opinions of many of the forum posters from outside of the United States and those who aren’t members of USMS. At least let me try to shed some illumination as to how swimming works in our country.
Swimming in the United States is very much a partnership between a wide array of aquatics organizations; including USMS, USA-Swimming, United States Aquatics Sports, YMCA, YMHA, colleges, high schools, and community and private aquatics organizations.
This partnership occurs at the grass roots level; my club’s coach is also a local USA-Swimming coach, when I run a meet I rely on my local USA-Swimming club to help provide officials and meet personnel, and when the USA-S club or high school runs meets I volunteer. And this partnership occurs at our national championships; where we have run national championships at some of the greatest college pools in the country, and we rely on timers and officials from the ranks of our USA-Swimming partners. As well as at the national operational level, where USMS is a full member of United States Aquatic Sports along side USA Swimming, USA Diving, USA Water Polo and United States Synchronized Swimming.
In my 2+ decades of active involvement in USMS, partnering with the aquatic community is the way USMS has worked. This is a leading factor in the tremendous success and growth of USMS. And while I am extremely biased, I would hazard a guess that USMS is one of the most successful adult athletic national governing bodies in the world today. We are where we are today because of the phenomenal leaders that came before me, their passion and vision for Masters Swimming, our amazing volunteers and staff, and our bond with our partners in the aquatic and adult fitness community.
