IBSA NEWS NEWSLETTER FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BLIND SPORTS FEDERATION Nº 8 Welcome to IBSA News No 8. IBSA News is our regular newsletter aimed at keeping you informed of IBSA affairs and activities. You'll find up-to-date information on recent and upcoming IBSA events and news in this issue. We would like to thank those of you who have provided feedback and comments on past issues. Once again, if you have any comments to make, or wish to submit an article or news item, please address them to ibsa@ibsa.es . We look forward to hearing from you. You’ll find IBSA News in Word and text formats below for easy accessibility, and back issues of IBSA News can be downloaded from our website at www.ibsa.es. IBSA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETS IN ATHENS The IBSA ExCo held a very productive meeting during the Paralympic Games in Athens. Among the issues on the agenda was a stock-taking exercise of the participation of blind and partially sighted athletes at the games, the general consensus being that despite reductions in the number of events the blind were well represented overall. Other agenda items included: 7th IBSA General Assembly 2005 After studying the bids submitted by a number of IBSA member countries, the committee awarded the 7th General Assembly to Beijing, China. It will be held from the 8th to the 12th of June and will offer the IBSA family the opportunity to get to know first hand the host city for the next summer Paralympic Games. Further information on the assembly will be circulated to all members in the near future, and we would like to thank those countries which submitted a bid or expressed an interest at any stage. For more details in the meantime please contact the IBSA Secretary General at info@ibsa.es or the China Paralympic Committee at npcchina@cdpf.org.cn. Position paper on B4 category The ExCo analysed and approved a draft position paper on the establishment of a B4 category within the federation. The document, which now becomes official IBSA policy on the issue, outlines IBSA’s firm but reasoned opposition to the creation of this extra category. The idea had originally been mooted by a small minority of IBSA members in an attempt to resolve the problem of falling numbers of blind athletes in certain sports. While welcoming debate on the issue and possible solutions, the paper sets out the reasons why a B4 category is not the solution and is politically and legally unacceptable. Please contact ibsa@ibsa.es if you would like to receive a copy of the policy statement. 3rd IBSA World Championships 2007 – update The committee considered the bids received to host IBSA’s showcase event, its multi-sport world championships, in 2007. All were impressed with the range and quality of the bids received, and while the final decision will not be taken until early next year Brazil has emerged as favourite to host the event. 3RD IBSA FOOTBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS B2/B3 JUST ROUND THE CORNER The 3rd IBSA Football World Championships for the partially sighted (B2/B3 category) will be held in Manchester, England, from the 11th to the 18th of December. The velodrome was also the site of the B1 European Championships in July 2003 and offers athletes top quality facilities in their pursuit of outstanding sporting performances. Belarus will be looking to take the title of IBSA World Champions for the third time running, having won the championships previously in Brazil and, in 2002, in Italy. Countries such as hosts England (7th in 2002), Russia (runners-up in Italy) and Spain (3rd in 2002) will hope to dispossess the reigning champions of their title. The 3rd IBSA Football World Championships for the partially sighted (B2/B3 category) will be the biggest-ever disability football event held in Great Britain, and enjoys the support of the English Football Association and several other top partners and sponsors. For further information, contact Tournament Director Jon Dutton at jon.dutton@manchesterfa.com or visit http://www.manchesterfa.co.uk/pswc/index.html. NEW EVENTS ON IBSA COMPETITION CALENDAR A number of new events have been added to the IBSA Competition Calendar following sanction. On the 2nd and 3rd of April 2005 the Netherlands will host the IBSA European Judo Championships 2005. For more information contact Mr. D van der Heijden at DanielvdHeijden@jbn.nl or Bruno Carmeni, IBSA Judo Subcommittee Chairman, at arashi@nline.it. Colorado Springs in the United States will play host to the IBSA Youth World Championships from the 4th to the 10th of August 2005. Hosted by the United States Association of Blind Athletes, international competition will be open to rising stars in athletics, swimming, judo and goalball. For further information contact Mr. Mark Lucas at mlucas@usaba.org. More details about these and other IBSA championships will be posted on the IBSA web site (www.ibsa.es) as they become available. CHANGES IN IBSA Vital Severino has resigned from the position of IBSA America Continental Delegate on the Executive Committee. Secretary General Alberto Bravo will co-ordinate activities in the region in the meantime. Alberto Martins has been forced to resign the post of IBSA Technical Director for family reasons. At a recent meeting the Sports Technical Committee decided to put forward Ilona Melounova as Acting Technical Director for the coming seven months and until the general assembly. This proposal will be submitted for ratification at the Executive Committee meeting in Paris in February 2005, the last ordinary meeting of the Executive during this term of office. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for taking the time to read IBSA News. We hope you enjoyed it. If you have any articles or news for publication in the next issue, please send them to ibsa@ibsa.es. If you would like to receive IBSA News at a different E-mail address, or know someone who would like to be added to the IBSA News mailing list, please contact us.