Drie leden Executive Council van de IAU leggen hun functie neer

Andy Milroy (GBR), Dan Brannen (USA) en Geoff Hook (AUS) hebben hun functie binnen de IAU neergelegd. Ton Smeets (NL) reageert.

Het betreft

o Andy Milroy (GBR), technisch directeur van de IAU
o Dan Brannen (USA), algemeen secretaris
o Geoff Hook (AUS)

Aanleiding was de uitbreiding van de Executive Council met twee nieuwe leden, waarbij niet de democratische weg werd bewandeld. Het is nog moeilijk te overzien wat dit voor een gevolgen heeft.

Ik ben er van overtuigd dat deze drie leden hun besluit hebben genomen na zorgvuldig overwegen, waarbij de toekomst van de ultramarathon voorop staat. Het is te hopen dat alle betrokken partijen alsnog tot elkaar kunnen komen, zodat deze trouwe krachten van de IAU teruggewonnen kunnen worden.

Overigens ben ik er van overtuigd, dat ze ook buiten de IAU nog veel inspanningen zullen verrichten ten behoeve van de internationale ultramarathon beweging.

Ton Smeets ( technisch gedelegeerde van de IAU General Council )

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De drie hebben de volgende verklaring uitgegeven:

Resignations from the IAU Executive Council – For Immediate Release –

It is with deep regret that we announce our resignation from the Executive Council of the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) and from our positions as General-Secretary and Technical Director of the IAU. The IAU is the exclusive international administrative body for the sport of Ultrarunning. The IAU is authorized “Under the Patronage of” the IAAF. As original, founding members of the IAU we have spent sixteen years developing the credibility, legitimacy, and authority of the IAU. These efforts have involved a considerable commitment on our part. We are proud of what the IAU, through the work of its Executive Council and General Council, has achieved for the ultrarunners of the world. Therefore, it is only after serious consideration, and with great reluctance, that we have decided that we can no longer serve as members of the IAU Executive Council. We have resigned because of irreconcilable differences over the future administrative structure of the IAU and the unconstitutional, unilateral, and arbitrary manner in which recent decisions about this issue have been made. We have been joined in this action by Geoff Hook, another member of the IAU Executive Council, and the President of the Australian Ultra Running Association. Thus three of the formerly seven person IAU Executive Council have resigned over these issues. We had wished to see the IAU develop into an organisation which is accountable to duly authorized representatives from the appropriate sporting bodies around the world. With such development should come the overdue democratic elections for all IAU officers and Executive Council members. Regrettably, it seems this is unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future under the current IAU leadership.

With much regret,
Dan Brannen, USA [Formerly General Secretary of the IAU] Executive Director – American Ultrarunning Association EMAIL: djbrunr@idt.net
Andy Milroy, GBR [Formerly Technical Director of the IAU] Vice President and Hon. Statistician of the Road Runners Club EMAIL: a.milroy@virgin.net
Geoff Hook, AUS [Formerly Executive Council Member of the IAU] President of the Australian Ultra Running Association

Info bij:
Ton Smeets
Peeldijk 11
6024 BX Budel Dorplein

tel & fax 0495 – 496 796
e-mail ton.smeets@ouh.nl