Danny's Inline Hockey Olympic Post

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

A great thread on inline hockey's potential for being included in the Olympic Games was buried in the wrong forum. I'm moving it here:

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Here's something I just realized...when the International Olympic Committee recognizes which international federation, either IIHF or FIRS, should be responsible for conducting roller hockey in the Olympics, that will pretty much dictate which United States' entity, either USA Hockey Inline (IIHF) or USARS (FIRS), will need to be designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) by the USOC.

As both the IIHF and FIRS have previous Olympic experience handling their various other sports responsibilities, you might consider the decision a toss-up.

I have no special knowledge of how things would stack up in such an international decision. How well do the IIHF and FIRS handle their present responsibilities? Is one set more "important" than the other? Does one set hold more "political weight" than the other? Does one organization hold higher position or favor with the IOC, or the USOC? Would present standing/consideration with the USOC hold any weight in the international decision?

I am now fascinated by the prospect that one of our national organizations might be hands-down the best choice for the job in our country, and this would be taken away from them because of political "connections" of other ethereal considerations that have nothing to do with what's the best for our players.

Oh, well...

Anybody know any thing about this???

DannyG

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Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

Gary Del Vecchio of USA Hockey InLine had this reply to Danny G's questions:

"The International Olympic Committee has not officially recognized either FIRS or IIHF as the International Governing Body for inline hockey. One of the reasons is that the sport is not yet in the Olympic Games.

"With regards to the point on the respective strengths and weaknesses of each United States organization and how it may play out internationally, it is certainly possible that the "hands-down" best organization in the USA could be held back from being recognized as the National Governing Body simply by political decisions made internationally.

"USA Hockey InLine's intent is to develop the sport to the best of our abilities in an effort to gain the support both domestically and internationally that will be needed to truly advance inline hockey. I believe that if the entire inline hockey industry can see the right path and is willing to work toward a common goal and designate one leader, it will happen. Inline hockey's future can be great."

Gary Del Vecchio
USA Hockey InLine

***

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

One thing could make this discussion moot. /wtimages/icons/shocked.gif

I remember hearing that the Olympics was cutting back on sports and the number of athletes of the Games due to cost/manageability issues.

If that's the case, the IOC is more likely to drop sports than add them right now.

I hope I am wrong and that inline hockey eventually becomes an Olympic sport! /wtimages/icons/cool.gif

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[MDE3]

I have emailed the IOC to find out when or if Inline Hockey may be included as a demo sport. There is no mention of it on their website.

[Jon Niola]

Maks you wonder where all the money goes. NBC paid BILLIONS to cover it on TV in the US alone, not to mention other broadcasters from other countries. Then there are all the corporate sponsors. Then there is the rediculous price of admission. Come on, $300 bucks a seat for figure skating, and it sells out. I can't see how they could possibly spend all that money unless there is some crooked sh*t going on :)

--Jon

[psfye]

I think that IIHF has more political power than FIRS because Firs only promote "little sports" compare to ice hockey. But I also know that FIRS is getting closer to the IOC because Speed inline skating will probably be at the 2008 olympics so there are frequent meetings between FIRS and IOC. The adventage of the FIRS is that inline hockey is an important card to play for them compare to IIHF that will always put ice first.
I think the inline hockey won't go to the olympics as long as there will be 2 internationals federations. A couple years ago, IIHF and FIRS met several times and decided to create a common commission for inline hockey and a common world championship but for some reasons I don't know it screwed up... This new commission was ment to reorganise inline hockey in every country and impose only one governing body... Maybe this step is necessery for us to be wordly recognise.

[psfye]

Here are the links to confirm what I just said:
http://www.rollersports.org/article.php?sid=452
http://www.rollersports.org/article.php?sid=479
http://www.rollersports.org/article.php?sid=492
There is still 2 world championship in 2003...

[dcdawgs]

Apparently in the 1992 Summer Olympics it was a demonstration sport. At least that is what I have heard several times, yet I haven't found any proof of it.
Does anyone know if this is true? If so, what organization was in charge of it?

Josh

[psfye]

In 92 it was not inline hockey but Rink-hockey (or hardball) wich is a very important sport in spain...it was of course run by the FIRS.

[NLane]

Is it USARS that goes to the Pan AM games with figure, etc. roller skaters? Could we maybe start there or is that where/when FIRS plays?

[MDE3]

USARS(now USARS/AAU) is the US affiliate organization for FIRS

[NLane]

My attention was drawn to World Games and it says that the 2005 World Games will host inline hockey under FIRS. We're getting closer!!

[RichardGraham]

Hi NLane,

What are the World Games? Never heard of 'em.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[DannyG]

Everybody please keep in mind that one thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other in this situation...the IOC just might not like the World Games people, so if the World Games is hosting FIRS, this could cause the IOC to go with IIHF, or vice versa, for any similar circumstance.

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[TimeKeeper_CYMRU]

Hi Richard and others,
Visit: http://www.worldgames-iwga.org
Then scan down the list on the L/H side of the screen until the Roller Sports button is seen, then click.

There is a lot of interesting text to plough through, but from the perspective of Inline Hockey players, possibly the most revealing statement is made in the penultimate paragraph, isn't that always the case!
John
Swansea, Wales, UK.

[NLane]

Same old, same old. When it doesn't change even at that level how can anyone expect cooperation to change at lower levels? Hopefully having inline hockey in another venue can't hurt. My optimism abounds!!

[NLane]

And isn't FIRS USARS and isn't USARS under the IOC umbrella? I remember attending Jr Olympic games under a skating confederation that had ties to the committee. Has that changed or am I missing something? Or are there two branches reflecting similar, but not the same, games? Sorry, I guess I haven't kept up.

[MDE3]

Hello John and thanks for your informative post. I was not really even aware of "the World Games" as an entity and it was interesting just to read the background information on the whole movement.

I emailed the IOC a few days ago asking when or if inline hockey would be a demonstration sport at the Olympic games (I assumed summer) and was given two reference sites - supposedly relating to inline hockey and/or demonstration sports in general - no direct information was forthcoming.

I could not open either site, and seriously wonder why a simple response could not be given to a simple question. With the billions of dollars generated by these games - one might expect that someone within the organization was qualified and could take the time to answer a pretty straightforward question. I guess the ultimate answer is that when it comes to the Olympic Games -there maybe nothing either "straight" or "forward" about them.

[MDE3]

Basically right - although it is FIRS which corresponds with the Olympic committee on the World scene, and USA Roller Sports(now USARS/AAU for Inline hockey) which is the US organization which corresponds with the FIRS. Hence as relates to participation in the Olympic Games in the USA - for Inline Hockey - USARS(/AAU for inline hockey) corresponds with the US Olympic commitee as the official representative of all roller sports - including inline hockey.

[NLane]

I thought AAU and USARS were two different bodies, not really associated. I have an OLD sanction certificate that says USAC/RS is recognized by the USOC and FIRS as the NGB of amateur roller hockey. Was that before AAU started inline hockey maybe?

[MDE3]

Yes at some point I think last year AAU and USARS agreed to unite as an organization for the 2002/2003 season - at least as regards roller hockey. Because USARS is still the offical sanctioned body for Roller Sports for FIRS, by extention USARS/AAU now holds the &quot;keys to the kingdom&quot; for any FIRS and by extension IOC(although I do not believe there are any olympic events scheduled for Inline Hockey by IOC at present) sanctioned inline hockey events.

No doubt it was a membership growth move as well as providing a larger insurance base - and maybe cheaper rates?

[TXGoalieMom]

All of these acronyms. I am so confused!! I will never get all this straightened out.......

[MDE3]

LOL

USARS: USA Roller Sports
AAU: Amateur Athletic Union
USA Inline: Inline division of USA Hockey
FIRS: Federation International de Roller Sport
IOC: International Olympic Committee
IIHF: International Ice Hockey Federation

[TXGoalieMom]

Thanks....now all I have to do is figure out all the relationships between them all! I have been struggling with this since my daughter started playing hockey. It is hard for the veteran to figure out and it is really confusing to us newbies.

[DannyG]

also note:

IIHF is also used for International Inline Hockey Federation, sub-division of Int'l Ice Hockey federation,

NIHA: National Inline Hockey Association...first national organization for the betterment of the sport, early 90's...run by three guys out of a garage in Florida, went essentially bankrupt trying to do good deeds for all of us, lacked enforcement capability to get everybody to pay fees on timely basis...gave all their debts, responsibilities, and franchise to USA Hockey in 1994, who used the program to form USAHIL as a division of USA Hockey...

USAC/RS...the former name of USARS, as "The United States Amateur Confederation of Roller Skating."



<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[NLane]

Hey Mike, maybe you didn't get an answer to your question because they are all scrambling for their JOBS!! Just read a piece on the USOC. If they trim down as promised then it will be awhile before inline hockey gets a break. They'll be too busy with the changing org charts!!!

[MDE3]

LOL we have been trying for years to figure out who is really in charge.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

Lou Marciani of USA Roller Sports has this answer for Danny G's questions:

"FIRS would be the recognized international body. This is the same case in the United States. USOC recognizes USA Roller Sports."

I have asked Lou for a more in-depth answer, as I didn't feel his response was very informative. I'll post here again when I hear back from him.

The U.S. Olympic Committee is in turmoil right now, and a blue-ribbon panel has suggest it shrink its board of directors from 128 members to nine. When that happens, who knows what the USOC might determine is the best direction for inline hockey, if they give a fig anyway. lol

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

Lou Marciani has replied to my request for more information:

"I don't know how much more I can say. As we speak, FIRS is the recognized body for roller sports in the world. Inline hockey is part of roller sports. The same is true in the United States. The new board structure does not affect the governance of hockey. I hope this will help."

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[DannyG]

Open letter to Mr. Lou Marciani:

Lou: I'll be glad to tell you what more you can say...

You can recognize first off that the people who are asking you for information are a reasonably intelligent and informed audience. Further, you would do well to consider that we belong to one of those "hard core units" of a specialized-interest sport that you would want to have in your corner. You would do well to treat us as one of your own.

Your monosyllabic, general, cliche responses to a specific request for specific information can only lead us to believe that you have no interest in informing us beyond tag-line-for-the-uniformed-public-to-keep-them-at-bay information levels. That would be a shame.

I point out that "Roller Hockey" holds no necessity whatsoever to be considered a "roller sport." We have seen 30 years of "short stick," and it is not what we are talking about. For the USARS to arbitrarily decide that inline hockey has belonged to its domain from the origin is an obviously self-serving fabrication.

Let's go back to square one, and start over in this conversation, this time with a little respect, how-'bout?

Questions:
1. What criteria will be used by the IOC in determining whether the IIHF or FIRS will be the governing body for inline hockey competition in the Olympics?

2. Are you purporting that because the IOC has recognized FIRS regarding competitions such as the Pan American Games, and the World Games, that this indicates recognition for any future competition, including the Olympics?

3. Are you telling us that such recognition would preclude the IOC from requesting the IIHF organize other such competitions?

4. Are you telling us that the decision has already been made, and that the IOC has specifically already designated FIRS as the organizing body for the time in the future (whenever) where inline hockey will be part of the Olympics?

5. Would you like to actually tell us how things are going, instead of some banal, cliche-for-the-stupid-public, response, please?

All of us in the inline hockey community would welcome a legitimate, thoughtful response this time...

-Daniel T. Guard,
El Paso, Texas

[Richard, can you forward this?]

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>