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Wpa open letter
- Thread starter pro9dg
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Yes, the WPA is a flawed organization, but aren't they all? Just look at the USGA debacles of recent months. They made huge mistakes involving both men and women's events this year.
Having been on their Board of Directors, I can tell you a few facts:
1.) Minimum added money requirement: You can't just lower the requirement so that a different country can get to host a World Championship. That is demeaning and insulting to the countries who are working hard to meet the required minimum in order for the privilege of hosting a World Championship. Once you allow a country to come in under the minimum, you risk losing those who do meet the minimum.
2.) No one here has mentioned the following problems of events being hosted in Arab countries: First, no one with a passport that has an origin or stamp from Israel is allowed to enter the Emirates or Qatar. Even if you aren't Jewish but visited Israel at some point, you would have to obtain a new passport to enter an Arab country. But the worst part is that citizens of Israel are not permitted to compete in Arab-run tournaments. This is a clear violation of the Olympic Charter, which the WPA is supposed to be abiding by.
Next: With all the money the Arab countries have poured into world pool events over the years, have you ever seen any women's events hosted there? Why hasn't the WPA stepped up and required that what they do for men they must do for women? AND the Arabs do not want women competing in their men's events. The year that Jasmin played in the World 8 Ball event shocked them. They were unprepared for the possibility that a women could actually qualify for one of their events. They put a stop to it and you didn't see any women competing in their events after that, despite the fact that there is still not a Women's World 8 Ball championship.
I see the biggest flaw of the WPA is that they do not negotiate strongly enough. They are too quick to give in to the demands of the tournament organizers. I believe that the reason they give in so quickly is because they are afraid of losing events for the players by taking too strong of a stance. How far to go in negotiations is a tricky business.
The problem is that there is so little out there to choose from. The countries are not exactly lining up at the door of the WPA to request to run events.
Having been on their Board of Directors, I can tell you a few facts:
1.) Minimum added money requirement: You can't just lower the requirement so that a different country can get to host a World Championship. That is demeaning and insulting to the countries who are working hard to meet the required minimum in order for the privilege of hosting a World Championship. Once you allow a country to come in under the minimum, you risk losing those who do meet the minimum.
2.) No one here has mentioned the following problems of events being hosted in Arab countries: First, no one with a passport that has an origin or stamp from Israel is allowed to enter the Emirates or Qatar. Even if you aren't Jewish but visited Israel at some point, you would have to obtain a new passport to enter an Arab country. But the worst part is that citizens of Israel are not permitted to compete in Arab-run tournaments. This is a clear violation of the Olympic Charter, which the WPA is supposed to be abiding by.
Next: With all the money the Arab countries have poured into world pool events over the years, have you ever seen any women's events hosted there? Why hasn't the WPA stepped up and required that what they do for men they must do for women? AND the Arabs do not want women competing in their men's events. The year that Jasmin played in the World 8 Ball event shocked them. They were unprepared for the possibility that a women could actually qualify for one of their events. They put a stop to it and you didn't see any women competing in their events after that, despite the fact that there is still not a Women's World 8 Ball championship.
I see the biggest flaw of the WPA is that they do not negotiate strongly enough. They are too quick to give in to the demands of the tournament organizers. I believe that the reason they give in so quickly is because they are afraid of losing events for the players by taking too strong of a stance. How far to go in negotiations is a tricky business.
The problem is that there is so little out there to choose from. The countries are not exactly lining up at the door of the WPA to request to run events.
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This is unbelievable.
I had no idea about the Israel passport stamp rule.
Thank you for the input.
Not allowing the Israeli players is outrageous! What year are we living in?
NYC cue dude
Banned
If an Israeli player like Zvion Zvi beat an Arabic player it would be a national disaster. :grin-square:
It's $20K to winning team members and $10K to losing team members. Yeah, not worth bothering about.