I have heard rumours that ISAF is reviewing some aspects of the criteria for qualifying as a race official (RO, judge, umpire or measurer). One suggestion appears to be  that race officials should be linked to the Natioanl Authority by their nationality, rather than by residence or club membership. The criteria would be similar to the procedures used to define for which country an Olympic athlete can compete. This would mean that once a RYA official, always an RYA official, even if you emigrate!

Does any one have further details of this proposal?  I have many objections, that I will set out if the rumour is confirmed.

Gordon DAVIES

I agree that the texts you refer to are the current situation. However according to an International judge who has apparently been asked by ISAF to reflect on this question there are moves afoot to modify the pricipal residence qualification.

It would seem that there is a problem when qualified IJs from countires like Britain move to set up more or less permanent residence abroad. I know, for instance, that the French have some difficulty integrating foreign trained and qualified race officials into their own (very efficient) system.

One proposition has been made that Race Officials should qualify in the MNA that they would be qualified to compete for in the Olympics. Would this apply to regioanl and national race officials.

I should declare an interest here... I would have to qualify through the RYA, even though I have not live in the UK for 26 years! I contributed, in a small way, to getting the French race official programme changed to admit non-French nationals.

I would suggest the ISAF, through such structures as EUROSAF, set up a scheme to ensure mutual recognition of each countries regional and national officials. International officials should be just that, not representing a country at all. Surely at any event the IRO and IJ represent ISAF!

Gordon