FISA Executive Reshuffles

Behind the on-the-water action at Athens FISA was quietly undergoing a reshuffle.

Sweeney to focus on Henley
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The omnipresent Mike Sweeney has been an integral part of FISA for the last 14 years wearing the multiple hats as a member of the Executive Committee and Council as well as Chairman of the Events Commission. During the Athens Olympics Sweeney announced his retirement from FISA choosing to leave at a time he sees as going out on top.

“I’ve been the chairman through four Olympic Games and in that time I have been part of a dramatic improvement of the level of FISA events,” says Sweeney. “Our reputation as an Olympic sport couldn’t be much higher.”

Sweeney’s multiple roles has put him on the road to many parts of the globe. “I counted up once that I spent an average of 50 days a year somewhere in the world for FISA.” Now Sweeney has chosen to focus on staying in one place under his other rowing hat – Chairman of the Henley Royal Regatta.

Moving into one pair of Sweeney’s shoes, Mike Tanner will take over Mike Sweeney’s chair on the council and as Chairman of the Events Commission. Tanner has been with the FISA Umpiring Commission for the last decade and has officiated at every World Championships since 1993 bar one. An Australian national, Tanner has lived in Hong Kong since 1974 and is a founder member of the Hong Kong, China Rowing Association.

As chairman Tanner wants to ensure the events are designed in the best interest of the athletes. “The challenge is to maintain a good balance between retaining the best traditions of rowing but at the same time move forward to stay in competition with other sports,” says Tanner.

Denis Masseglia, Chairman of the Rowing for All Commission, also announced that he would be stepping off the Executive Committee to concentrate on his role as Secretary General of the French National Olympic Committee and Sport Federation. Masseglia will retain his chairmanship and position on the FISA Council.

Council members were asked to indicate their interest in the vacant positions and coming into these two seats on the Executive of FISA will be John Boultbee, current Chairman of the Competitive Commission and Jean-Christophe Rolland, current Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission.

Boultbee is also the man behind the commentators voice heard booming out at international regattas. Boultbee sees the main challenge for FISA is to take the development programme to the next stage. “A lot has been achieved in making rowing accessible in more and more countries,” says Boultbee. “But now we need to get it to the stage that it is practiced by a good number of athletes in those new countries.”

Boultbee further espouses the continued recognition of fairness especially at the top where competition is so tight. “We have to be vigilant about fairness matters without going overboard,” says Boultbee who admits the weather adds a further dimension. “We must make sure that coaches and rowers do not have unacceptably high expectations about wind etc.”

Rolland in former rowing action
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Three-time Olympian, Rolland retired from elite competition after winning gold at the 2000 Olympics but still keeps active in the sport. Last year Rolland became the French indoor rowing champion for his age group.

Rolland is one of a small number of recently retired athletes involved at the executive level of an international sporting federation and, at 36 years old, also one of the youngest.

FISA is headed by a congress made up of the 118 national rowing federations that oversee the decisions of the 21 member council. Within the council there is a seven member executive committee which includes the president, vice president, the treasurer, three commission chairmen and the non-voting executive director.

These interim changes will be submitted to the Congress during the Extraordinary Congress in February 2005.

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