BWL infighting - Put up your dukes???
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After a good CWG it looks like there's trouble in't BWL mill. Open letter gone out to anyone involved and/ or interested
Dear Colleagues
Re: Open Letter concerning British Weight Lifting (BWL)
I introduce myself as the former CEO and Technical Director of BWL. The purpose of this letter is to determine and strengthen the debate within the membership on the future of our Association. If you share these concerns or have other concerns you may wish to be raised then please contact me at one of the contact details above. A strong debate may determine possible outcomes which the Membership may support to control and shape the future of its Association.
My employment with the BWL ceased in February of this year, but I have been involved in weightlifting at all levels for nearly forty years and still meet many other people in the sport I often hear fellow members discussing matters which affect the future of our Association, a number of which are reflected in – and part of the motivation for writing – this letter.
Performance and Elite Funding
Great Britain weightlifting qualified for the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004 by meeting the IWF Olympic Qualification Procedure. World Class Lifting assumed the responsibility of the Performance Plan in 2006 and in 2008, Great Britain did not qualify for the Olympic Games, but was provided a special invitation from the IWF for Michaela Breeze. In 2012, Great Britain were provided five host slots, but would not have qualified via the Team Placing at the 2012 European Championships. At a meeting of Coaches in early 2013, it was announced that Great Britain targets for Rio in 2016 would be:
Qualifying by right three female athletes for the 2016 Olympic Games
Qualifying by right one/three male athletes for the 2016 Olympic Games
In December 2012, UK Sport announced £ 2million funding award for BWL for 2013-2016. Nine months into the funding cycle, the funding was suspended and reinstated on appeal for the Women’s Team only, after the Commonwealth Games our men will not receive any funding from UK Sport.
The funding was stopped because of a fundamental risk of BWL not reaching its targets for 2016. So why were exceedingly ambitious targets set against a background of poor performance in 2008 and 2012 (that is non qualification of the Olympic Games)?
Regional Funding.
The Home Countries and the English Divisions require funding for the administration of their regions, to hold competitions, to arrange meetings, to provide equipment for Clubs, and in some case to assist lifters and officials attend National and International Championships. Regions have gained funding from membership rebate and contribution from courses. In the second half of 2013, the contribution from BWL courses has been stopped without negotiations with the Regions and no discussion of its reinstatement in the future.
How do the Regions operate without funding? Surely it is unfair to expect volunteers to pay all their own expenses (travel, accommodation and administration costs) whilst BWL staff, contractors and University Internees who assist at competitions, are paid adequate expenses?
Loss of Central Funding / Self Assurance
The majority of income from BWL is derived from funding from UK Sport and Sport England. In order to receive the funding, BWL is required to ensure it is “fit for purpose” with good practice of governance and management. In 2007 both BWL and WCL were audited and received a limited assurance rating. In 2009, the BWL conducted a self-assurance and gave itself a red rating, but during 2010 – 2012, the rating was improved to green rating in accordance with targets set by Sport England. In 2013, BWL received an onsite audit and it’s rating has slipped from green to an amber / red rating.
From a membership perspective it is important to know that our Association is being run and managed properly and therefore some questions may be asked.
Has anybody see the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 2013? I know someone has asked and received a negative response.
Has anybody seen the minutes or notes from Board Meetings?
Do we have a Conflict of Interest Register? Since it would appear that several of our current Board members have other appointments in other companies. It would appear our CEO has 12 active directorships, do any of these have an impact on BWL?
The Executive Board
In the last year, five members of the Executive Board have resigned. In May 2014, five new independent members were appointed, and since then, two of these new members have resigned. It is of some concern to some of our members, that the existing Executive Board has very few members who have a knowledge of the sport of Weightlifting and IPC Powerlifting, and who are in contact with the Regions and Clubs – the grassroots of our sport. I have also discovered that Mike Heath and Neil Binder are no longer Vice Presidents despite being elected by the Annual General Meeting in 2012 for a two years term. Why were Mike and Neil removed as VP’s.
The purpose of this letter is to determine and strengthen the debate within the membership on the future of our Association. If you share these concerns or have other concerns you wished to be raised then please contact me at the contact details at the top of this letter. A strong debate may determine possible outcomes which the Membership may support to control and shape the future of its Association.
Steve Cannon
Dear Colleagues
Re: Open Letter concerning British Weight Lifting (BWL)
I introduce myself as the former CEO and Technical Director of BWL. The purpose of this letter is to determine and strengthen the debate within the membership on the future of our Association. If you share these concerns or have other concerns you may wish to be raised then please contact me at one of the contact details above. A strong debate may determine possible outcomes which the Membership may support to control and shape the future of its Association.
My employment with the BWL ceased in February of this year, but I have been involved in weightlifting at all levels for nearly forty years and still meet many other people in the sport I often hear fellow members discussing matters which affect the future of our Association, a number of which are reflected in – and part of the motivation for writing – this letter.
Performance and Elite Funding
Great Britain weightlifting qualified for the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004 by meeting the IWF Olympic Qualification Procedure. World Class Lifting assumed the responsibility of the Performance Plan in 2006 and in 2008, Great Britain did not qualify for the Olympic Games, but was provided a special invitation from the IWF for Michaela Breeze. In 2012, Great Britain were provided five host slots, but would not have qualified via the Team Placing at the 2012 European Championships. At a meeting of Coaches in early 2013, it was announced that Great Britain targets for Rio in 2016 would be:
Qualifying by right three female athletes for the 2016 Olympic Games
Qualifying by right one/three male athletes for the 2016 Olympic Games
In December 2012, UK Sport announced £ 2million funding award for BWL for 2013-2016. Nine months into the funding cycle, the funding was suspended and reinstated on appeal for the Women’s Team only, after the Commonwealth Games our men will not receive any funding from UK Sport.
The funding was stopped because of a fundamental risk of BWL not reaching its targets for 2016. So why were exceedingly ambitious targets set against a background of poor performance in 2008 and 2012 (that is non qualification of the Olympic Games)?
Regional Funding.
The Home Countries and the English Divisions require funding for the administration of their regions, to hold competitions, to arrange meetings, to provide equipment for Clubs, and in some case to assist lifters and officials attend National and International Championships. Regions have gained funding from membership rebate and contribution from courses. In the second half of 2013, the contribution from BWL courses has been stopped without negotiations with the Regions and no discussion of its reinstatement in the future.
How do the Regions operate without funding? Surely it is unfair to expect volunteers to pay all their own expenses (travel, accommodation and administration costs) whilst BWL staff, contractors and University Internees who assist at competitions, are paid adequate expenses?
Loss of Central Funding / Self Assurance
The majority of income from BWL is derived from funding from UK Sport and Sport England. In order to receive the funding, BWL is required to ensure it is “fit for purpose” with good practice of governance and management. In 2007 both BWL and WCL were audited and received a limited assurance rating. In 2009, the BWL conducted a self-assurance and gave itself a red rating, but during 2010 – 2012, the rating was improved to green rating in accordance with targets set by Sport England. In 2013, BWL received an onsite audit and it’s rating has slipped from green to an amber / red rating.
From a membership perspective it is important to know that our Association is being run and managed properly and therefore some questions may be asked.
Has anybody see the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 2013? I know someone has asked and received a negative response.
Has anybody seen the minutes or notes from Board Meetings?
Do we have a Conflict of Interest Register? Since it would appear that several of our current Board members have other appointments in other companies. It would appear our CEO has 12 active directorships, do any of these have an impact on BWL?
The Executive Board
In the last year, five members of the Executive Board have resigned. In May 2014, five new independent members were appointed, and since then, two of these new members have resigned. It is of some concern to some of our members, that the existing Executive Board has very few members who have a knowledge of the sport of Weightlifting and IPC Powerlifting, and who are in contact with the Regions and Clubs – the grassroots of our sport. I have also discovered that Mike Heath and Neil Binder are no longer Vice Presidents despite being elected by the Annual General Meeting in 2012 for a two years term. Why were Mike and Neil removed as VP’s.
The purpose of this letter is to determine and strengthen the debate within the membership on the future of our Association. If you share these concerns or have other concerns you wished to be raised then please contact me at the contact details at the top of this letter. A strong debate may determine possible outcomes which the Membership may support to control and shape the future of its Association.
Steve Cannon
Steve is very well written I look forward to going through that in detail
Was it a good CWG for GB Little_A...?
I enjoyed the huge selection of disciplines but not the shooting
That was s**t
Was it a good CWG for GB Little_A...?
I enjoyed the huge selection of disciplines but not the shooting
That was s**t
PhillippeHalter said:
Was it a good CWG for GB Little_A...?
Was it a good CWG for GB Little_A...?
I think you would struggle to look at the results and think otherwise. Zoe Smith won Englands first ever CWG womens gold, Breeze proved her class with a bronze after coming out of retirement well into her 30's. Ben Watson medalled and looked brilliant doing so. Quite a few unlucky 4th places including Becky Tyler @15YO
Away from lifting the overall medals table looked very healthy for the home countries. Tom Daley was so far out in the individuals he could have belly flopped his last dive and still won. It made good watching I thought.
I enjoyed the huge selection of disciplines but not the shooting
That was s**t
I don't like shooting either. I wouldn't say it's s**t, but it reminds me of killing people and war, and what's that good for?
PhillippeHalter said:Steve is very well written I look forward to going through that in detail
Thank you x
Steve18/08/14 @ 18:59
Interesting read.
I wonder, since GB has started to apparently target Olympic medals as the sole way of judging a sport's success how weightlifting could keep its funding.
Whilst the paralympic lifters (powerlifting!) may stand a chance, it's difficult to imagine weightlifters medalling at the Olympics given the advantages overseas lifters get.
If a sport is unlikely to medal does it then warrant funding any more than a non Olympic sport such as powerlifting. If this is the case then why shouldn't the BWL divisions have to fund themselves?
I wonder, since GB has started to apparently target Olympic medals as the sole way of judging a sport's success how weightlifting could keep its funding.
Whilst the paralympic lifters (powerlifting!) may stand a chance, it's difficult to imagine weightlifters medalling at the Olympics given the advantages overseas lifters get.
If a sport is unlikely to medal does it then warrant funding any more than a non Olympic sport such as powerlifting. If this is the case then why shouldn't the BWL divisions have to fund themselves?
No I and lots of others don't struggle to think it wasn't a particularly good games for us in the lifting
It wasn't bad and the women did well especially the examples you mentioned... My favorite maybe bring ms Tyler... No Zoe... Oh I can't decide
With the men we could have done better it's just a shame that in the sport of weightlifting if you have a bad day you have to wait four years to put it right
Exciting stuff mind
It wasn't bad and the women did well especially the examples you mentioned... My favorite maybe bring ms Tyler... No Zoe... Oh I can't decide
With the men we could have done better it's just a shame that in the sport of weightlifting if you have a bad day you have to wait four years to put it right
Exciting stuff mind
Steve's closing sentence is very suitable after an extremely informative letter
Unfortunately I am not surprised by many of the points
Fingers crossed and hopefully little_a will keep us informed on developments...?
Unfortunately I am not surprised by many of the points
Fingers crossed and hopefully little_a will keep us informed on developments...?
PhillippeHalter said:
Fingers crossed and hopefully little_a will keep us informed on developments...?
Fingers crossed and hopefully little_a will keep us informed on developments...?
I'm not the first to hear official BWL news, but I'll do my best to pass on what I do get passed on for you Phil.
Harry19/08/14 @ 17:47
WHen you have a sports council who gives money to every marginal s**t sport out there you shouldn't expect anything from them when it comes to WL.
China and the Eastern Bloc dominate. The USA is where in all of this? Nowhere.
China and the Eastern Bloc dominate. The USA is where in all of this? Nowhere.
Harry said:WHen you have a sports council who gives money to every marginal s**t sport out there you shouldn't expect anything from them when it comes to WL.
One man's weightlifting is another man's 'marginal s**t sport'.
Just saying.
ChrisMcCarthy19/08/14 @ 19:46
Was gonna say, Weightlifting would be "marginal s**t sport" to most people, unfortunately.
Quite a number of people who know my interest in such things have told me that they watched and very much enjoyed the weightlifting they saw during the Olympics or Commonwealths (or whatever) - they then seem to immediately forget they've ever seen it.
Quite a number of people who know my interest in such things have told me that they watched and very much enjoyed the weightlifting they saw during the Olympics or Commonwealths (or whatever) - they then seem to immediately forget they've ever seen it.