New Federation for Sports Officials

The French Multisport Officials Association (FMOA) orl’Association Française du Corps ArbitralMultisports (AFCAM) was created 32 years ago by 12 French Federations of different sports. Today, it is composed of all of the national sporting federations, as well as all the referees’ associations present in France and represents all French sports officials, i.e. 246,000 people. I have been president for the last seven years.

The President of the IOC, Thomas Bach, aware of the role of the referee and the judge, was good enough to appoint me as member of the Commission of the Athletes Entourage, to represent this essential profession that is inseparable from the actors on the ground and of sport.

For 32 years, AFCAM has been a source of proposals, although it refrains from interfering in any way with the internal affairs of a federation. This point is essential since complying with this principle has allowed us to bring together all the disciplines and specialties practiced within French sporting Federations.

It may seem surprising to mix so many different sports activities, but on reflection, one quickly understands that the problems arising in refereeing are the same regardless of the sportpracticed!

-The notion of respect is a fundamental element often forgotten.

-The referee and the judge are "actors" in the sporting competition, whatever the sport. This word actor is crucial, sincewe are the only ones together with the athletes to have a direct impact on the result of the competition, not only through our presence on the ground but also through the result obtained by applying the basic respect for ethics.

-Protection of the referee and the judge by means of a recognized status is also a crucial question, since if we are not athletes; neitherare we managers or elected people. Consequently a special status is required.

- Availability is a difficult subject for non-professional referees and judges (more than 97 % of the referee population)

- Training, beyond the sport practiced, has an essential common core on subjects as distinct as communication, poise, general behavior, stress etc.

Though there are sports that are more or less complicated or more or less athletic for the referee, the role is always a major one. This is why it is essential to respect and to protect the person taking this role!

Following the success of our French association, we felt it necessary to go further and to form a real International Federation, while respecting our basic principle of not interfering in the internal affairs of our members.

This is the reason why I am addressing your International Federation. Wishing to create a worldwide representation of sports referees and judges, it seemed obvious for me to call on you to form such an organization. Its members will be firstly the international federations and the continental confederations, then the national associations of multisport referees and individuals with the necessary qualifications.

We are in the process of finishing drafting the statutes to submit them to you at a constitutive General Assembly. We would be delighted if your federation would agree to become a founding member of the ISOF.

International Sport Officials Federation

(ISOF)

Fédération Internationale du Corps Arbitral Multisports,

(FICAM)

As soon as the constitution is completed, we will begin steps to obtain the status of associate member of the International Olympic Committee and therefore have an invaluable communication channel with the whole world of international sport, facilitating knowledge and interest in our specialty.

I am available for any further information you may require regarding this project. We can only plan intelligently if we do so jointly, in a spirit of solidarity and with you, if you decide to support this project.

Yours sincerely

Patrick Vajda

AFCAMPresident

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