C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache\htdocs\web\europower\conrep07.doc
European Powerlifting Federation
Minute from the EPF Congress 2007.
General.
The Congress took part in Koscian, PolandMay7thand representatives from the following national federations were welcomed by president Wahlstrom:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Rep.,Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden.
Present from the Executive committee: Arnulf Wahlstrom, Kalevi Sorsa, Dietmar Wolf, Alain Hammang and Myriam Busselot.
AGENDA.
1.Welcome by the President and the Meet director
2. Roll call of Nations and Delegates...... Dietmar Wolf
3. Presidents address...... Arnulf Wahlström
4. Minutes of the last Congress.
5. The Account with the balance sheet.
Treasurers report...... Alain Hammang
Auditors report...... Pavol Müller
Approval of budget for 2007……………………….Alain Hammang
6. General Secretary report...... Dietmar Wolf
7. Committee Reports:
- Technical ...... Myriam Busselot
- Law and Legislation ...... Kalevi Sorsa
- Disciplinary ...... Pavol Müller
- Finance....(see Auditors report)...... Pavol Müller
- Appeal ……………………………………………….Detlev Albrings
8. Elections
9. Proposals
10. New member Applicants
11. Action on Delinquent Nations
12. Hall of Fame
13. Bids and confirmation on Future Championships
14. Any other Business
15. Adjournment
...... ……………….
Technical meeting with team nominations and technical details after the Congress.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3) President’s report to the 2007 EPF Congress.
By Arnulf Wahlstrom
Welcome.
On behalf of the EPF I wish delegates and guests welcome to the 2007 European Congress.
I want to thank the organiser, by the meet director Jacek Urbaniak and the Polish PF’s President Pawel Filleborn, for inviting us to Koscian.
I am looking forward to a pleasant stay and a very well organised championship.
European Championships 2006.
A lot of hard work and good planning created European championships of good technical and social standard in 2006. Statistics show that all together 718 lifters took part in European championships in year 2006 and this is 23lifters more than the year before.
It is a high standard on European lifters and Anna Olsson from Sweden and Jaroslaw Olech from Poland was awarded European lifters 2006.
European championships were organised in:
- Prostejov, Czech Rep.(Open) 92(*95) Men and 56 (*66) Women
- Bratislava, Slovakia.(Juniors) 92(*57) Menand 48(*31) Women
- Prostejov, Czech Rep.(Masters) 148(*140) Men and 30(*23) Women
- Bordeaux, France(Benchpress) 69 (*79)Men and 41(*56)Women
- Frydek-Mistek, Czech Rep.(Benchpress Masters) 111 (*115) Men and 31 (*33) Women
* = numbers in 2005.
Antidoping work.
In year 2006, we made 135 doping tests at European championships and 11 lifters were suspended due to positive doping results and one case is still pending. This is a discouraging result meaning that about9 % of the doping tested lifters were positive.
The fight against doping is not easy but IPF and EPF are determined to increase the focus on member nations that do not have a serious national antidoping program. In 2006 both Russia and Ukraine PF’s were suspended by IPF due to not following the WADA recommendations concerning antidoping. More nations may face such suspension if they do not work seriously with their national antidoping program.
30 years celebration of EPF.
14 May 1977 the EPF was founded in Turku, Finland. Delegates from Great Britain, Sweden, Finland and Norway took part and the meeting was chaired by the IPF President Vic Mercer. Among the delegates, were well known powerlifting names as George Leggett and John Moody from GB and Arnold and Georg Boström from Sweden.
Jaakko Parviainen, Finland was elected the first EPF President and Wally Holland, GB the first Secretary.
This is now 30 years back and EPF has grown into a strong federation with 30 full member nations and 5 provisional members.
The first 10 years of its history, EPF had an administration more or less together with IPF and with no separate economy. In 1987 the first EPF Constitution and By-Laws was adopted and from that year the real development of EPF started.
EPF is as strong as its member federations and I myself have taken part in international powerlifting since 1981 and I have experienced a great improvement in powerlifting organisation in many of our member federations and within the EPF and IPF Executive. Powerlifting is now a well established sport in about 100 countries World wide and the leading Region is Europe.
In many countries the National Powerlifting Federation is a member of the National Olympic Committee and IPF is a member of GAISF (Federation for International Sports) and WGA (World Games Association). This is a proof that our sport is accepted as equal to many Olympic sports and only what we now are working for is the IOC recognition – and this work is in good progress by the IPF EC.
Election year.
Another 4 years have elapsed since last election of EPF officials. Have the EPF administration done an acceptable job and brought European powerlifting forward during these years? Have the mandate given by the Congress to the EPF officials been well taken care of?
It is up to the member federations to answer this, but to my opinion the officials elected or appointed last 4 years are people working determined to do their duties and in the administration several good routines have been implemented to work more professional. The work load has increased year by year and every EPF official has a list of duties he is responsible of and must comply with to meet the deadlines. The internet with e-mails and “Skype” connections are effective medium but they have also speeded up the communication considerably creating a much higher workload than before.
In the EPF administration, QA (quality assurance) routines have been focused on like in professional and successful industry factories. Only by a high QA and by good working routines we can expect to move forward with our sport. To my opinion the member federations and the EPF administration have step by step improved their organisation in the right direction to be more professional.
Future goals.
Every organisation, like an industrial factory, has to work for better routines, be more effective in the way of working and look forward to be competitive. In all what we are doing in the powerlifting sport, we must put the lifter and his supporting team in focus – this is what is most important. But the administrators at National and EPF level must also think of the commercial side of our sport. Powerlifting must gain popularity to the “man in the street” which will generate high number of spectators at our competitions, which again creates interest from Media and Sponsors and finally the Governments will be more interested to grant economic support.
The EPF administration has adopted several routines to make both the EPF and the organisers of European championships more effective. These are working lists of the duties and contracts signed by EPF and organisers. EPF also provide the organisers with administrative support prior and during the organisation and also offer EPF Sport Development fund to help the organiser to buy high standard equipment to a strongly subsidized price.
In the future, important goals are:
-Fight doping abuse in our sport because if we can not control this , powerlifting will never be accepted as a high quality sport with support from the Government authorities and not being adopted by IOC.
-Work with Media to highlight our championships in TV and Newspapers. On-line Internet TV is a relative new media that IPF has partly adopted and this work must go on to find methods for making it more easily accessible and to install pay-systems for viewers that are easy to use.
-The quality of the organisation of European championships hasrisen considerably last years, but this work must continue. In the future we must see only high quality equipment also in the worm up area and with good space for many platforms.
-The payment for accommodation and fees in connection with European championships must be done by electronic cards or bank transfer and not in the way that people carry around lot of money in their pockets.
-Continue to improve good routines in the EPF administration and follow up and improve the many contracts and working agreements that serve as QA documents for EPF and for our member Nations.
Thanks to the EPF Officials.
To end this report, I want to thank all EPF officials for their good work. The main burden is on Jiri Hofirek , the championship secretary, that has a lot of work to do with preparing the paperwork, follow up and taking part in the organisation ofEuropean championships.
Also the treasurerAlain Hammang has been very active and structured in his position and run his office in a professional way.
Dietmar Wolf carries out the general secretary work in a good way and looks after the promoter’s contracts.
Myriam Busselotis responsible for the technical part and does a good job with the technical checklists prior to the championships and referee and jury work during championships.
Kalevi Sorsahas this year taken care of the Law and Legislation workin a devoted way as Kseniya Aloeva unfortunately was prevented to take part due to the suspension of the Ukraine PF.
David Hinchley does an excellent work with the EPF web and Jari Tähtinen is conducting the record registration in a very conscientious way.
Also Pavol Müller is very helpful with different matters besides his financial control and disciplinary work and Detlev Albrings co-operates in a good way to come to good conclusions in different EPF matters.
Thank you very much all of you for your great work to run and administrate the EPF!
I hope we will have useful discussions at this Congress and that the election of new EPF officials will result in people that really want to work hard and efficient for EPF powerlifting the next 4 years. Iwish you all a successful Congress and a successful Open European Championships for Men 2007.
Arnulf Wahlstrøm sign
*Accepted unanimous.
.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4) Minutes of the last Congress.
The Minutes can be loaded down from the EPF web.
*Accepted unanimous.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5) EPF Account 2006.
Financial Situation / Year 2006 / EPF Savings AccountLU430019651241234000
Category / Expenses / Category / Incomes
Bank Fees BCEE 06 / -1,50 / Credit Interest 06 / 538,80
Trsf from EPF acc. 06 / 56.500,00
Sum / -1,50 / 57.038,80
Left over: / 57.037,30 €
Financial Situation / Year 2006 / EPF Business Account
LU300019205559571000
Category / Expenses / Category / Incomes
Bank Fees BCEE 06 / -39,00 / Credit Interest 06 / 63,17
Bank Fees outside 06 / -12,00 / Doping Fees 06 / 40.400,00
Doping Control Forms 06 / -250,00 / Drug Offence 05 / 4.500,00
Doping Control Sets 05 / -1.815,00 / Drug Offence 06 / 500,00
Doping Control Sets 06 / -1.941,00 / Membership Fees 04 / 370,00
Doping Renum.costs 05 / -1.212,00 / Membership Fees 05 / 740,00
Doping Renum.costs 06 / -1.446,95 / Membership Fees 06 / 5.710,00
Doping Transp. Costs 05 / -979,00 / Membership Fees 07 / 1.255,00
Doping Transp. Costs 06 / -786,47 / Org. Penalty Fees 06 / 250,00
Doping Trav. Costs 06 / -1.589,00 / Participating Fees 06 / 4.040,00
EPF Newsl. Int. Pow. 07 / -500,00 / Penalty Referee Fees 05 / 250,00
EPF Registration 06 / -500,00 / Penalty Referee Fees 06 / 1.500,00
Flight Tickets 06 / -3.907,86 / Report last year 05 / 41.875,38
Hotel Room booking 06 / -511,59 / Sanction Fees 06 / 1.700,00
Inv. Doping Laboratory 05 / -1.080,00
Inv. Doping Laboratory 06 / -15.020,00
Inv. Int. Pow. BP sports 06 / -587,32
Other Approv. Expenses 06 / -3.839,15
Reimb. 05 pc/intern/phone / -1.737,50
Reimb. 06 pc/intern/phone / -1.650,00
Sports Develop. Fund 06 / -5.400,00
Trav. Comp. Car 06 / -772,80
Trsf Savings Account 06 / -56.500,00
Sum / -102.076,64 / 103.153,55
Left over / 1.076,91 €
*Accepted unanimous.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Treasurer’s Report
I am very delighted to inform the EPF congress that for the year 2006 (31.12.06) our two accounts shows a large increase.
In the last four years we can find the following financial evolution in our EPF account stand:
200312.646,40 Euro (EPF account in Spain)
200426.091,87 Euro (EPF account in Spain
200541.875,38 Euro (EPF account in Luxembourg / open June 2005)
200658.114,21 Euro (EPF business account 1.076, 91+ EPF savings account 57.037, 30)
This excellent financial situation shows that we are in a strong financial and economic position. This means that the EPF is able to push and move Powerlifting forward in the future with this financial background.
Federation Support:
I am very satisfied with national federations concerning their financial bank payments.
With such a good cooperation, we become more and more professional. In the future we must reduce more and more the cash payments. In 2006 EPF has decided to open a savings account and to create a Sports Development Fund. The EPF Executive is proud to announce that we have signed contracts with 3 national federations with a total investment of 5.400 Euro.
EPF presents for the first time a very detailed financial situation. This was a request from the financial chairman Mr. Pavol Muller last year.
1. Situation of our normal business account
Total incomes 2006103.153,55 Euro
Total expenses 2006102.076,64 Euro
Left over 20061.076,91 Euro
2. Situation of our savings account
Total incomes 200657.038,80 Euro
Total expenses 20061,50 Euro
Left over 200657.037,30 Euro
Total Left Over for 2006: 1.076,91 + 57.037,30 = 58.114,21 Euro
Alain Hammang, EPF treasurer
*Accepted unanimous.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Report from the Finance Chairman.
The report will be presented at the Congress
Pavol Müller, E.P.F. Financial Chairman
No report was presented at the Congress because the Financial Chairman had no opportunity to look into the account previous to the Congress.
The account was accepted on the condition that the report was worked out and accepted by the EPF EC members after the Congress.
*Accepted unanimous.
Remark:The Finance Chairman presented the report to the EPF EC within one week after the Congress and the report was accepted unanimous by all EC members..
......
6) General Secretary Report
The year 2006 was a year with positive and with partly sad impacts for the EPF.
Negative impact:
We have had too much positive cases connected to national and international championships. A consequenceout of this high rate with positive lifters was that the IPF-Executive has suspended Russia and Ukraine and we all know that this was a necessary step to protect our sport. Both nations are regional member nations of the EPF and I am sure that all are agree with me that both suspensions didn’t suit the EPF very well. The EPF is an important region under the umbrella of the IPF and our federation has the requirements (roll model) to fight against doping. Optimistically, situations like with Russia and Ukraine should be a warning for our entire member nations and the nations should be able to support us in the anti doping work on national and international level.
As I have stated in the past in my reports, our high level of performances should not be linked to any doping abuses; there is none space for cheating in our sport. Therefore we must be aware for future challenges related to doping.
It is also necessary to point out, that all participants which compete in European Championships and European Cups should have the opportunity to compete against each other on a more equal physician level and possibilities.
Positive impacts;
EC: The working situation of the EC member is based on a very good cooperation. The financial situation and the establishment of a Sport Development Fund show that the EPF is in a progressing phase. The EPF EC members are working determined to strengthen EPF to meet future challenges and to give EPF a more professional character.
Lifters: Europeans lifters performed very successful in international championships all around the World in 2006. European lifters have scored high kg totals and achieved European- and World records for female and male in different age categories. This is a positive improvement for the EPF and hopefully these positive achievements will continue for future international championships, too.
Organizers: The received championship evaluation forms show, that most of the Championships and Cups, (Powerlifting and Bench Press) were well organised in 2006. Theorganizersare now more clever to comply with the technical checklist and the promoter contract to give best possible conditions for all participants. Compliment to all organizers, well done.
Thoughts about our future in powerlifting in the EPF:
Not all member federations of the EPF are supported by a national anti doping agency; therefore I am basically concerning about younger lifters related to doping and the doping problematic in powerlifting in general.
To take care about the doping problematic we should therefore work on three different levels:
1st level: Fight against doping must not only be based on doping controls in competitions and OCT. Basically as an organisation we should spread more information related to doping and our goals with our anti doping work in powerlifting.
To catch the doping problematic earlier, the younger lifters have to get more information about the doping problematic and doping police of the EPF.
Therefore, a future step can be that EPF distribute flyers which include information about doping, consequences related to doping and anti doping work in our federation,
2nd level: in addition, organizing of anti doping seminars with external expertise (WADA).
The goal in a long term of these activities should be that these younger lifters adopt an attitude of zero tolerances for doping in our sport. Necessarily, leaders and trainers must be involved in these important activities, too.
3rd level: the EPF establish trainer seminars as a tool were trainers learn and get information about training principles and training philosophies which are based on powerlifting training without drugs.
I am sure, if we are passion enough and with the support of our member nations, these arrangements which include these three levels will help us to reduce our doping problematic and maybe we are able to provide a doping free sport in a long term.
I will take the opportunity to thank all lifters, national federations and EC members for a good cooperation throughout the last year; I appreciate their cooperation.