Mika Immonen Ban?

Doug...I don't want to seem ignorant, so I ask you this question, and hope you can answer. For international invitational events, aren't the invited players travel expenses covered, regardless of where they come from? For 'open' entry fee events, the players are always responsible for their own expenses...which is one of the reasons why you see so few US players in events in other parts of the world.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

pro9dg said:
So the fact that only a small band of US pro players are regular overseas competitors is more likely to be for to economic rather than discriminatory reasons
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Scott Lee said:
Doug...I don't want to seem ignorant, so I ask you this question, and hope you can answer. For international invitational events, aren't the invited players travel expenses covered, regardless of where they come from? For 'open' entry fee events, the players are always responsible for their own expenses...which is one of the reasons why you see so few US players in events in other parts of the world.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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Scott - I am happy to answer your question but I will point out that I am not affiliated to any federation, association or anything similar. But I have had a long history as an independent operator connected with a good many high profile events.

The current situation is that NO player receives traveling or accommodation expenses for the international tournaments of which you speak.
In previous years at WPC8 a few players were given some help but this year it was decided to use this money to top up the prize fund to a level where it was eligible for WPA Sanctioning status.

However, I am given some wildcard spots by the local promoter and in general I give them out to players who should be in the field but cannot go for various reasons. I pay their expenses and we cut a deal on their prize money (don't ask because it's private!). Naturally, I would be looking at ROI when dishing out these goodies so it would be no surprise to learn that among my picks this year were Chang Jung LIn and Roberto Gomez.
There is no secret formula, I just identify players whose presence would add to the prestige of the tournament.

This is also the reason that I decline to get involved in the final stages of the event.
 
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JAM said:
...I cannot understand, however, that now European players are gaining benefit from the BCA, which is supposed to be the representative body to the WPA for North America. This seems very odd to me. I thought the BCA was representing Canada and the United States of America. Now they allow European players to take a BCA spot which is supposed to be for North America and allow a German player to compete in a WPA event?

Last time I looked, Thorsten was wearing the colors of Germany at events he competed in. Is he now wearing red, white, and blue?

Something is rotten in Denmark.
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Thorsten Hohmann and Mika Immonen live in the US. I believe Thorsten lives in Florida, and was in New York prior to that. Mika in NYC. I think Feijens also lives in the US. So, while they are European by heritage and birth, at least some have been living in America for a bit now.
 
abs said:
Thorsten Hohmann and Mika Immonen live in the US. I believe Thorsten lives in Florida, and was in New York prior to that. Mika in NYC. I think Feijens also lives in the US. So, while they are European by heritage and birth, at least some have been living in America for a bit now.
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Thanks for the explanation.

I guess where I am confused is that they play for Team Europe in the Mosconi Cup, but they are receiving a green light from the BCA, a North American representative body to the WPA, to represent the United States?

Sounds like having your cake and eating it, too.
 
JAM said:
Doug, thanks for your kind replies, as always. I trust your words and know that you want to promote pool on an international scale, with the end result elevating pool as a sport. Bravo to you for that! :)

I cannot understand, however, that now European players are gaining benefit from the BCA, which is supposed to be the representative body to the WPA for North America. This seems very odd to me. I thought the BCA was representing Canada and the United States of America. Now they allow European players to take a BCA spot which is supposed to be for North America and allow a German player to compete in a WPA event?

Last time I looked, Thorsten was wearing the colors of Germany at events he competed in. Is he now wearing red, white, and blue?

Something is rotten in Denmark.
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It may be Jen but the seat of the WPA is in Holland and WPA President Ian Anderson is an Australian.
Perhaps you are thinking of the only really famous Dane that I can think of - Hans Christian Andersen who also lived in a fantasy world.
 
pro9dg said:
It may be Jen but the seat of the WPA is in Holland and WPA President Ian Anderson is an Australian.
Perhaps you are thinking of the only really famous Dane that I can think of - Hans Christian Andersen who also lived in a fantasy world.
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With hindsight it was probably a bad decision to give Thorsten a BCA wildcard as it sets a precedent. But I think that you should cut a bit of slack until your players actually fill their own quota of spots.
Let them go out an get sponsorship or find some other way of financing their careers. It probably costs players from some other countries as much as it costs a US pro to travel to Asia and beyond. Then you have got an argument. I'm not patronising you Jen because I know you are very passionate about these matters. I am just asking you to look at it from another perspective. Love You
 
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pro9dg said:
Mika was banned for playing in the Philippines Predator Open. His official home federation is still The EPBF and it was them who issued the ban. It was imposed because the Predator tournament was not a WPA sanctioned tournament and it date clashed with another event in Switzerland which was sanctioned.
Players were not obligated to play in the Swiss tournament but they must not play in a non sanctioned event for which dates coincide. Yes, I know that it sucks but that is what powermongers do.

So Mika got banned which impacted down to him losing an EPBF nomination to play in the World 8 Ball Championship last month.

Because of this Mika lodged an appeal which was referred to arbitration. This meant that the ban was unenforceable while the case is under appeal. So I gave him a Wildcard spot in the WPC8 Ball.

This case highlights the growing problems in relation to International status players who have to qualify through domestic sources that force them to play if they want to take part in WPA endorsed tournaments. Mika, Thorsten Hohmann, Darren Appleton, Alex Pagulyan and a growing bad of others need to be in the inner circle of WPA events to keep earning ranking points. But if they drop out then it is impossible for them to regain their status unless they drop down a level to compete.
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Doug,

I brought this very thing up to Ian Andersen last year and suggested that the WPA create a class of players known as international professionals who aren't subject to any federation. These players should have to qualify for this designation and maintain it but then they would not be subject to the politics and rules of amateur governing organizations.
 
JB Cases said:
Doug,

I brought this very thing up to Ian Andersen last year and suggested that the WPA create a class of players known as international professionals who aren't subject to any federation. These players should have to qualify for this designation and maintain it but then they would not be subject to the politics and rules of amateur governing organizations.
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Great Idea John but so obvious (or is it just we two on this wavelength.
They would have a package of players which would give them more muscle with sponsors.
 
pro9dg said:
It probably costs players from some other countries as much as it costs a US pro to travel to Asia and beyond. Then you have got an argument.
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From Heathrow to Manilla 1200

From NY to Manilla 1600
From LA to Manilla 1000
From Orlando to Manilla 1600
From Chicago to Manilla 1500

Just for the sake of argument...
 
Actually, there really is a system for choosing BCA players that makes sense. Speculation sometimes gets people on the wrong track. I think it would be prudent to ask the North American representatives, Jerry Forsyth or Ivan Lee how the players are chosen. It's really not a secret and I'm sure they'd be happy to explain.

I left the WPA last October to pursue other things, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to state the procedure because it's possible something may have changed since then.


JAM said:
Thanks for the explanation.

I guess where I am confused is that they play for Team Europe in the Mosconi Cup, but they are receiving a green light from the BCA, a North American representative body to the WPA, to represent the United States?

Sounds like having your cake and eating it, too.
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