BKSA moves to ban it's own members

socca · Since 13 Mar 2010 1 Posts New Member

All just a quick hit up as to what is happening here in the UK with Kiting's governing body the BKSA.

In a nutshell the board will ban any member from competing from the BKSA / IKA events from the normal event calender in their own country if they compete in a KWPT event or subsequently any event the IKA add to the banned list.

As an example the BKSA held one wave event last year at the end of the season. By that time one UK rider had become the KWPT champion. So in effect if the same situation happens in 2010 that rider will be been banned from competing in his own country even though he is a full paid up member and long time supporter of the BKSA.

We are also not happy with the way there seems to be this massive sway towards the IKA. There are some very valid views from respected members of the UK kite scene on the thread.

It seems were facing an uphill battle given the BKSA's reluctance to accept that the decisions their making don't represent the majority view of their membership.

Some of these issues may or may not be relevant to you guys.

Cheers

http://www.kiteboarder.co.uk/kitesurfing/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38073

GorgeKite.com · Since 17 Mar 2008 226 Posts Hood River Stoked

Its the same shit every were. Small greedy people making decisions for power and control, just to line there pockets.

specialk · Guest

I don't profess to know anything about the kiteboarding competition world, but in the alpine ski racing world governing bodies work the same way.

You can not just start racing on the World Cup Circuit because you wish to, you have to be associated with a National Team and ranked (via points). As far as I know most competition-based sports work this way (ability/ranking/invitation), in ski racing if you don't carry adequate 'points' you can't go, and if you are ranked (meaning you kill it) your banned from certain races as a 'point holder' - (points are how the governing bodies identify racers' standings - again broken down internationally, regionally, and divisionally). This is done so all athletes have equal opportunities at obtaining a dream.

Once more, you can not come back after racing professionally (for money) to World Cup ski racing (which is considered amateur ski racing, and subsequently the higher level of the two). World Cup (which is Olympic level skiing), and Pro-skiing are separate classes of skiing and the athlete can not go back and forth between the two classes. You make a choice as a young athlete, whether you want to race in the Olympics or if you want to race for money (Pro or amateur? Glory or money?).

Of course, all these governing bodies take their fare share of the proceeds while these racers are moving through the rankings...