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Message concerning the CSIT World Sports Games 2013
Dear friends in CSIT,
A few weeks ago we have informed you briefly about an unforeseen situation concerning the organisation of the 3rd CSIT World Sports Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro in August 2013. Today I would like to bring more details to your knowledge.
CSIT has successfully organised two new editions of the former "Workers Olympics" our so called "World Sports Games"; together with UISP in Italy 2008 with 3.000 participants and together with KALEV in Estonia 2010 with 2.000 competitors and 6.000 dancers and gymnasts.
At our General Assembly held in Agrigento/Italy in October 2010 we have seen a very ambitious presentation of our SESI friends and colleagues, Rui Campos and Eloir Simm, about organising the third edition of our Games in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Since its affiliation to CSIT in 1996 we have made the best experience with SESI as an innovative member organisation, as a strong partner, as an active union participating in our various championships and events and also as a perfect organiser in Brazil. Since 16 years many of you - like me as well - have made good experience being hosted by SESI. Since 16 years we all have been grateful for excellent service that we have received. Due to the fact that travelling costs to Brazil are quite high SESI has followed a unique invitation policy that allowed all participants in the CSIT Championships to be hosted free of charge. Since 16 years this has been the internal policy of SESI appreciated by CSIT and its member unions. The General Assembly 2010 finally decided to grant SESI with the organisation of the 3rd World Sports Games under the presented conditions of invitation as mentioned above.
Following the Executive Committee has held two meetings in Rio - in March and in October 2011 - in order to co-ordinate the preparation of the Games in a professional way. During a business lunch in the headquarters of SESI National Department in Brasilia in March 2011 I have been introduced to Mr. Carlos Enrique Fonseca, Superintendent of SESI.We have agreed upon and I have promised to develop any necessary steps to guarantee successful Games in Rio with highest possible participation. Our SESI friends always mentioned that they would be afraid of too little participation. Very welcome was my information that besides the competitive program in 14 different sports disciplines the CSIT has also developed a non-competitive sports program for those people, who are interested in practising sport and physical activity on an international level, but without elimination. During our first ExCom meeting in Rio in March 2011 we have had the possibility to visit sport facilities and places of accommodation in order to get a first impression and a good overview. Everybody was satisfied about the standards of the presented possibilities. Finally we found an agreement to limit the participation with 5.000 participants. This figure can also be found in the official minutes of the ExCom meeting.
Later in October 2011 SESI has hosted a well prepared CSIT Congress, also in order to allow our technical sport experts and the international delegates to get the same view on facilities and accommodations that the ExCom already had. Satisfaction and even euphoric expectations should guarantee a big sport festival in 2013. The presentations of SESI Rio and SESI National Department during the Congress informed about the time schedule, the activity program, marketing and communication aspects and also the terms and conditions for lodgement, transfers, meals and several other services and issues. All these aspects that have been prepared during 2011 finally resulted in a partnership contract similar to the Tallinn edition of 2010, except the long term invitation policy of SESI free of charge to participants.
The contract has received the authorization by the Legal Department of SESI. In order to achieve validity the contract was officially signed by SESI Superintendent Fonseca and myself in front of all international delegates at the Congress. Up to this moment I have not been aware of the fact that there would be a superior management position in SESI, as there is obviously no elected President. I very much regret that I have never been introduced to the Director of SESI National Department, Mr. Robson Braga de Andrade or to meet him personally. I also regret that he was obviously hindered to address the CSIT Congress or the ExCom meeting in March before.
Only six weeks after this successful Congress I had a phone conversation with CSIT Vice-President Mr. Rui Campos. He informed me that he, Mr. Simm and Mr. Fonseca would not be any longer employees of SESI National Department. Up to now I did not receive any official information about this fact by the National Director, but a short and unclear notice via email from the secretariat.
From that moment on I have tried to contact Mr. Braga and Mr. Caporali, the successor of former Superintendent Fonseca. I have sent them invitations to our 1st ExCom meeting held in Rome/Italy at the end of February 2012. A secretary answered in a brief email that both respected leaders would be hindered. In March I succeeded and had a short phone conversation with Mr. Caporali, where he first time spoke about difficulties in organising the CSIT Games as planned. I invited for a personal meeting to Vienna or to our next ExCom in Berne/Switzerland in order to speak about the problems in detail and in order to find solutions. One day prior to the ExCom meeting he arrived with a lawyer and two more persons and we started negotiations.
I have introduced the CSIT as an amateur sports organisation, our history, our values and our policy. I have invited all decision takers not to leave the table without appropriate solutions. Very soon I learned that the new management of SESI was worried about several economical aspects of organising a big event. Mr. Caporali mentioned rising price levels in the south zone of Rio around Copacabana, especially in four star hotels. I immediately offered to lower the standard of accommodation in order to safe financial resources. Four star hotels are not the usual standard of CSIT sport delegations. I also offered to change the district of Rio South to a district with lower price levels. Mr. Caporali did not accept my proposals due to security aspects that could endanger the participants. Within the discussion I finally offered to speak about a completely different city in Brazil, like Fortaleza, Recife in the North East or Curitiba, Florianopolis in the South or others by choice of SESI. Mr. Caporali unfortunately did not accept as well. The more he insisted on a financial contribution of all participants as it was the case in Rimini 2008 or Tallinn 2010 and also on limiting participation to a maximum of 1.500 to 2.000 persons.
This would certainly have brought several member unions of CSIT in big troubles and I did not accept, mentioning that all conditions have been settled within the signed partnership contract in order to achieve legal certainty for both parties in case of changes in leadership positions.
I have invited Mr. Caporali to announce this new host policy of SESI during the next CSIT Congress to the delegates. All of us would accept and agree for the time after the Games 2013, I am sure. With all flexibility it is not possible to change this major issues within an agreement that has reached the above mentioned legal certainty.
The CSIT Congress has decided further more to accept and to welcome new target groups participating in our Games; company sport teams or trade union teams on their own costs and to sell eligibility to them. This strategy based on growth was approved unanimously with the votes of SESI. The new management of SESI denied to support non competitive sports and this strategy.
Finally both parties agreed to have a four hours break and to work out acceptable solutions. Mr. Caporali returned just with the message that SESI will no longer host the CSIT World Sports Games 2013, after consulting the National Director, Mr. Braga de Andrade.
The next day I brought this decision to the ExCom and it was decided soon to send a brief information to all CSIT member unions, which Secretary General Burghardt has delivered on May 11th, 2012. There was another unanimous agreement to take legal steps towards the new SESI management, as our core values trust, respect, friendship and fair-play have been strongly violated.
Actually we are in consultation about the next steps and we will inform you in due time, when final decisions have been agreed upon. Consequences for SESI cannot be estimated in detail today; also the CSIT Jury will be concerned.
I regret this development that neither me and my colleagues in the ExCom nor certainly you would have ever expected and what has never happened before. We will surely never allow to violate our core values that our movement is based on since 99 years.
Actually I am focused on the future and I am in negotiation with possible other organisers for our World Sports Games next year. I would be more than glad to announce soon a new host city and finally a new solution for this unique situation.
Best success for your national efforts, health and happiness, these are the cordial wishes from
Harald Bauer
President