| Minutes from CMAS's decission to suspend Graham Henderson
These minutes were forwarded to me by Carol Rose (I assume for publication on this board)
the following, divided into 2-3 parts are the accusations made against Graham by CMAS. He was found guilty - no specifics - and banded for 3 years. No specific accuser was ever identified.
You may note that a couple of accusations occured before he was president, several are misdated, one is silly, etc.
Please be advised I wrote these answers with consultation of Commission excepting Donato form Italy.
Translation Original text in French
UW Hockey Commission
Reading of infringements to CMAS Statutes, Internal Rules and rules
1. Rules and procedures fro the organisation of CMAS Championships
1.1. Non official communication of the results of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 championships
Not withstanding several requests, several times repeated to the commission and/or the organisation, CMAS never received official communication for the results for these
three championships.
The systemically received answer was: “up to CMAS to se results in the site of the competition"
This behaviour
a. is against the Rules and Procedures established that results must be sent every day
b. does not offer any guarantee about the exactitude of published results because not signed as confirmation by the international judge.
During the first week of the 2006 Championships, the CMAS office was closed, so no results could be received. As it is the responsibility of the CMAS employee to send the results and no employee was present, this process was at general fault. The Commission apologizes for the fault on their obligation.
Concerning the validity of the results, we were unaware of any requirement for a signature on the results, so we apologize if we missed this requirement in our reading of the various relevant documents, and we are pleased to meet all requirments as written.
1.2. Inclusion of Championships not recognized by CMAS ( 2004- 2005- 2006) in the championship
a. The Commission continues in inserting in the program of its World and European championships some "championships junior and master categories, events that do not observe standards established by Rules and Procedures in order to obtain the qualification of championships.
On junior, masters and mixed divisions:
The uw hockey rules are adjusted every 2 years and then sent to CMAS for approval. The Masters divisions were added in 1994 and the Junior and open (mixed) divisions in 1998. Perhaps the Commission should bring the specific changes and additions to the attention of the Board when submitting the Rules for approval.
As there is no mention in the CMAS Statutes or Internal Rules of a process for requesting additional divisions, we were unaware of any procedure. And the Procedures and Obligations manual had not yet been created in 1994 and 1998. We regret not formally requesting these divisions be added to our competitions.
b. The insertion of these not recognized categories increases the total duration of championships creating therefore more board and lodging expenses for federations attending or not attending in these junior and master categories.
UW Hockey has always tried to be inclusive. Adding and allowing these divisions before they were eligible for world championship status allowed new nations and new teams, especially Juniors, to participate in an international competition and encouraged the spread, improvement and advancement of the sport.
And additional divisions/teams provide a deeper financial base for hosting the World Championships, exposure to high level play and strategy for new and junior teams and is cost saving for most federations. More teams means lower entry fees as the cost of the event is spread over more participants.
And, the extra divisions do not add to the length of the event. Elite teams play 2 games per day. A competition and finals for 18 countries in the Elite divisions would take a minimum of 12 days with or without other divisions.
We apologize that we did not bring the creation of these new divisions to the attention of the BOD and will take care, in the future, to inform the BOD more accurately. In the future after each Rules Meeting, the Commission will send an addendum list to the BOD with the updated rules, so the BOD can see the specific changes and/or additions to the UW Hockey Rules.
Let me also note that to hold 3 separate championships - for elite, for juniors and for masters is extremely expensive. Smaller championships cost everyone more money - the federations, the hosts and the athletes. It would require the Commission President, the Tournament Director and World Chief Referee to attend 3 events instead of one. Each world championship costs the organiser about $4000.00 USD in CMAS fees and support. This means higher entry fees for the teams. One championship taking 12-14 days is far cheaper, in every aspect, for all concerned. And, one championship allows growth of quality and quantity of our sport.
c. The Commission, not satisfied for all this, in certain championships
{1) Accepted the participation of
(a) mixed teams
There is mixed gender sport in the Olympics. Our ‘open’ divisions allow for greater participation particularly for newer countries and provides particularly for greater participation by women players who would not be able to participate otherwise. These open divisions are only allowed in the Junior and Masters divisions. Again we apologise that we did not make our rules and aims clear to the Board.
(b) of international teams (Barbarians)
There have been no ‘international teams’ in any CMAS championships since 2001. There has never been an ‘international team at a World Championship.
(2) Entered in the program of CMAS championships some matches among teams of different categories
The Commission is not aware of any CMAS Championship where teams of different categories (divisions) played each other, and we certainly apologise that anyone reported such an event as we certainly are unaware of any occurrence.
(3) Certain athletes participate, during the championships, in different categories (for example Elite + Masters) see point 1.5
This participation is allowed in our rules of play, and it usually only happens occasionally usually when a player is injured and cannot continue. Any such participation follows all rules of the divisions. In fact, we can see no reason for prohibition of dual participation. Until very recently, playing in more than one division was not prohibited by any CMAS manual, and dual participation did not occur in 2006. Again we apologise for any misunderstanding.
Procedures & Obligations manual is dated February 2007 as approved by the CMAS BOD #155.
In recent years, there are few if any meetings of the Sports Committee and fewer still scheduled meetings of the Commissions at the time of the CMAS GAs. The Procedures & Obligations manuals were not discussed, defended, approved, amended or modified by the Committee and/or the Commissions. Many of the limits and requirements are unacceptable to underwater hockey, but there is no recourse.
1.3 2006 anti doping control
According to
a. Obligations and Procedures for the organisation of a CMAS Championship
b. CMAS Anti Doping Code
An anti doping control carried out on a certain number of athletes clearly defined by both rules as ay article 1 .3 a and b
a. must be compulsorily carried out
b. a report, as by enclosure in Obligations and Procedures, on which must be written down the number of tests carried out, must be compulsorily sent to CMAS
The ‘report’ appears to be listed in the appendices of the recent and current Procedures & Obligations manual, but it does not appear to be available as it cannot be downloaded from the CMAS website. We apologise that we did not attempt to request or find the form.
CMAS never received this report and no reply about the request sent by CMAS to the organisation of the championships.
If controls have been carried out and if it has been done in an accredited laboratory, as required by CMAS Anti Doping Code, the laboratory knows perfectly which obligations are up to it, one of which is to communicate CMAS the results of such tests.
Proper and required drug testing, by CMAS standard, was carried out. As the CMAS code instructs us that the test results be presented to the CMAS official present, and I was an elected CMAS official, I gathered the results. At the suggestion of CMAS Anti Doping official, Karl Heinz-Krell, four tests were done, selected at random, from the 4 finalist teams for the elite gold medals. All tests were negative.
It appears the CMAS drug code needs further development, clarification and amplification. Please be assured that all CMAS and WADA standards were applied and followed. And we apologise for any miscommunication.
1.4. Meeting of the Commission on the occasion of the 2005 European Championship
On the occasion of the hockey championship held in Marseille in 2005,i t was forbidden to a CMAS employee to attend the meeting of the commission and he was requested to leave the meeting room.
President Graham Henderson was not personally present at this event, but he has been assured by 2 members of the Commission, who were present, that this situation did not occur. In fact Flavia was not only present but was very helpful and assisted with the translation. And let me assure you, we would never tolerate such treatment of a CMAS employee at any Commission meeting |