The ILS Board met in Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) from 18 to 22 February and this article summarises the main decisions taken.
REPORTS RECEIVED
– The Activity Report of the ILS President and of the ILS Secretary General
– The Activity Reports from Africa, America, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
– The Activity Reports of Commissions and Working Groups.
GENERAL APPROVALS
The Board of Directors approved:
– The submitted Agenda.
– The Minutes of the previous Board Meeting.
RESCUE AND EDUCATION COMMISSION
The Board of Directors approved:
The ILS Board met in Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) from 18 to 22 February and this article summarises the main decisions taken.
REPORTS RECEIVED
– The Activity Report of the ILS President and of the ILS Secretary General
– The Activity Reports from Africa, America, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
– The Activity Reports of Commissions and Working Groups.
GENERAL APPROVALS
The Board of Directors approved:
– The submitted Agenda.
– The Minutes of the previous Board Meeting.
RESCUE AND EDUCATION COMMISSION
The Board of Directors approved:
– The ILS International Standards for Beach Safety Information Flags ” without the green flag.
– The Position Statement ” Lifesaver Lifeguard Colour Scheme.
– The assistance in the form of guidance and technical advice to develop a life guarding training system in Alexandria.
– The following Certificates from Brazil: International Pool Lifeguard, International Inland Open Water Lifeguard, International Surf Lifeguard, International Lifesaver/Lifeguard Instructor.
– The International Surf Lifeguard Certificate from Denmark.
– The ILS International Automatic External Defibrillation Certificate.
– The ILS International Rescue Water Craft Certificate.
– The Position Statement ” Use of International Certificate for Employment Purposes.
– The proposal for an organisation of a World Water Safety Conference each four years.
– The Position Statement Use of Lifesaving Terms on Retails items.
SPORTS COMMISSION
The Board of directors approved:
– The 2nd Edition of the ILS Competition Manual and approved it will be used at Rescue 2004.
– That the “Australia Trophy which is given for the overall National Teams point score be renamed the “Alan B. Whelpton AM Perpetual Trophy to honour Alan´s great contribution to International Lifesaving Sport and to Lifesaving generally.
– That the title of the ILS Competition Operation Manual be changed to ILS Competition Management Manual.
– The slightly revised programme of events for Rescue 2004.
– The programme of events for Rescue 2006.
– The creation of a Sub-Group of the Sport Commission to begin developing a Youth Development Project Brief.
WORKING GROUPS
The Board of Directors approved:
– The revised Strategic Planning Draft for 2004-2008.
– The list of people to do the appropriate follow-up in trying to include lifesaving sport in Multi-Sports Games.
– The revised ILS Anti-doping rules.
– The WADA list of banned substances to be used for ILS.
– The creation of an ILS Anti-Doping Commission,
– The appointment of Karin Obus as the ILS Anti-Doping Administrator.
– That the Anti-doping rules be promulgated to the membership and that an educational programme be undertaken.
– That the recommendations of the Cultural Diversity Working Group be a major goal to be achieved.
– That the ILS Women in Sport Working Party monitor ILS’s compliance to ensure that the intent of the Manila Declaration and Helsinki spirit document is abided by at all times, and report to Board on same.
– That ILS encourages member organisations to assess their equity status and implement the strategies offered in the Montreal Tool Kit where required.
– That the ILS gender equity status report be expanded to include gender statistics for competitors, officials, managers, coaches/trainers at the World Championships and other competitions directly organised by ILS.
2008 LIFESAVING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – RESCUE 2008
The Board of Directors approved:
– The new bidding procedures presented for the 2008 World Championships.
– The following new timeframes:
– Before 15th March 2004 further specifications on the bidding documents will be mailed to all Board members by the Working Group.
– 1 June 2004: Call for Bids
– 31 August 2004: Deadline for Intention to Bid
– September 2004: Pre-Bid Conference at Rescue 2004
– 15 October 2004: Deadline for Bid Lodgement
– November/Dec 2004: Bid Evaluation includes site visits and presentations
– Jan/February 2005: Evaluation Commission reports at Board meeting
– Day after the Board of Director’s Decision – Announcement of successful Bid
– That an “Intention to bid fee will be 500 Euro.
– That a “Bid Application Fee will be 10.000 Euro which will also cover costs of five Bid Evaluation Committee members for accommodation, meals, local transportation and all reasonable administration support costs of the site visit.
– That bidders must also commit to cost-share business class airfares for Bid Evaluation Committee travel.
– That the Evaluation Committee be composed as follows: One independent Chair, One Member of the ILS Board of Directors, One Lifesaving Sport Expert, One Finance-Marketing Expert and one Media-Broadcast Expert.
CHANCELLERY
The Board of Directors approved:
– To award the Grand Knight in the Order of Lifesaving to:
– Dr. Harald Vervaecke PhD (ILS Secretary General ” Belgium).
– Dr. Anthony Handley MD (United Kingdom ” Royal).
– To award the Knight in the Order of Lifesaving to:
– Jelle Meintsma (South Africa).
– John Martin (Great Britain ” Surf).
– Greg Allum (Australia ” Surf).
– Norman Farmer (Australia ” Royal).
– John Long (United Kingdom ” Royal).
– That ILS issues only two awards in the Order of Lifesaving (Grand Knight ” Grand Dame and Knight ” Dame) and cancels the award of Life Membership.
– The creation of a “Medal of Rescue with two levels: the International Lifesaving Rescue Medal of Valour and the International Lifesaving Rescue Medal.
– The installing of a “President’s Award to be granted to any persons having significantly contributed to the ILS or globally to the aims and objectives of ILS.
– The creation of four levels of awards for awarding persons or companies contributing financially to ILS.
FINANCES
The Board approved:
– The 2003 profit and loss statement.
– The 2003 balance sheet.
– The 2003 auditors report.
– The amended 2004 budget.
– That ILS provides free ILS certificates for Developing Nations but would provide only the Certificate ” not the presentation folder, badge, card “package (this option would cost ILS approx 500 Euro per year to fulfill).
– That ILS provides access to the full package of certificate, badge etc for 10 Euro.
– That where a Federation purchases the rights to use the ILS logo on certificates (e.g.: an organization buys 10 year rights for 7,500 Euro) 30% of the fee is also returned to the responsible Region as now occurs in usual Certificate sales.
REPORTS AND PROPOSALS FROM THE MEMBERS
The Board approved the following:
– That interested candidates should bid for the organisation of a World Water Safety Congress and that the bids be compared and evaluated at the Viareggio Board Meeting for final decision. The bid would include:
– The installation of an “express of interest fee of 200 Euro.
– The installation of a “bidding fee of 1.000 Euro.
– The use of identical “rules of conduct.
– The installation of an assessment committee where a representative of the last Congress of Drowning would be included.
– The review of the process in 2005.
– The creation of a World Lifesaving Foundation to which people could contribute, which would generate interest to the benefit of ILS. The idea would be that the principle amount would never be touched, but the proceeds from investments would accrue to ILS each year. The Foundation would be named International Lifesaving Foundation.
– The policy regarding the invitations to speak at international conferences, by informing the region and the full member organisation(s).
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENTS
The Board of Directors ratified the following appointments:
– Dr. Peter Fenner, MD (Australia ” Surf) ” Chair of the ILS Medical Commission.
– Terence Higgings (Australia ” Royal) ” Chair of the ILS Development Commission.
– Frans Kenis as a Sports Commission Member.
– Danny Bryant as a Rescue & Education Commission Member.
AMENDMENTS OF THE ILS CONSTITUTION AND BYE-LAWS
The Board approved the following changes:
– That Article 4.1.d) of the Constitution be amended in order to show that ILS has adopted the World Anti-Doping Code.
– That article 8.7. be amended as follows: The President and the Secretary General are empowered to jointly enter into legally binding transactions and sign contracts on behalf of ILS. If one of them or both have a possible conflict of interest or some other hindrance to fulfil his or her task the Board of Directors shall decide which two Board Members shall be empowered to act on behalf of ILS, so long as the transactions and/or contracts are not in conflict with the Constitution, Bye-Laws or any decision of the Board of Directors.
– That an article 15 on Arbitration ” Provisions be added as follows:
Any decision made by the ILS Disciplinary Committee may be submitted exclusively by way of appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland, which will resolve, within the set timelines, the disputes definitively in accordance with the Code of Sports-Related arbitration. The current Statutes are in full compliance with the Olympic Charter and especially with Rules 29 and 30 of the Charter. ILS furthermore complies and accepts the Anti doping Code of the World Anti Doping Agency and its implementation in lifesaving sports.
– That article 5 be amended as follows:
In the event that there is an increase in the number of Commissions, the Bye-Laws be amended as follows:
5.3.E. Amend: No individual shall sit on more than three Commissions.
5.3.G. The Board of Directors shall have power to appoint Chairs and Members of any Commissions formed as a result of any restructuring of Commissions following current considerations as to structure.
NEW ILS MEMBER ORGANISATIONS AND/OR ASSOCIATIONS
The Board approved the following applications:
– China: the Board of Directors is welcoming China as a member but can not accept that this be under conditions applicable to one of its full members.
– Ukraine: was approved as a full member of ILS.
– Qatar: was approved as a full member of ILS.
– Venezuela YMCA: was approved as an associate member of ILS.