.
THE CONGRESS - SECOND AND
THIRD DAY
Monday and Tuesday were full days, in which the meetings finished
around 6.30 p.m. These were followed by the working groups, which are
trying to find solutions for the most controversial points: particularly,
new entry fees for ICCF tournaments, new Statute, new tournaments
structure.
Yesterday (Monday) discussions began with the ICCF
Financial Plan for 2004 through 2006, that is strongly influenced by huge
costs of ICCF Webserver's development.
Phase 1 has just concluded,
perfectly according with the deadline established by the Ostrava Congress.
Last June test tournaments began, and next January a great tournament will
start the 1st Webserver Open (separate announcement in ICCF pages of
http://www.asigc.it). Our President, Guido Bresadola, was appointed to the
prestigious task of Central Tournament. The server, in short, is already
active.
Phase 2 has been proposed, but it may be financed only with
a generalized and heavy increase of entry fees for ICCF tournaments,
essential funds to pay external programmers. The majority of Congress did
not accept this proposal, and after long discussions a different guideline
was decided:
a) During the next months a "short Phase 2" will be
carried out only with essential and urgent matters. This includes anything
necessary to allow play of the most important ICCF tournaments (and also
some national ones), including team tournaments, via Webserver and, if
possible, also rating procedures and the connected administrative job
(organization, tournaments direction, etc).
b) This job will be
carried out by a group of volunteers; among them our Luz Marina Tinjaca',
who has already co-operated during Phase 1.
c) A minimum budget was
approved (15,000 Swiss Francs), in order to contain the fees'
increase.
Subsequently, all of the particular cases about
international titles were discussed and voted on. Next, discussions about
new fees, Statute, tournament's structure and Direct Entry were held.
These were very controversial matters that require a plenary session and
will be continued tonight.
Today (Tuesday) Congress awarded new
Title-holders.
Then we talked about Marketing, an essential sector
nowadays. The expert Med Samraoui was appointed as Marketing Director, he
immediately introduces new ideas. Among them organization, shortly, of
promotional tournaments taking advantage of the rapidity and functionality
of new technologies: University and school tournaments played via
Webserver.
Subsequently discussions came back to tournaments fees,
various options were submitted, and, at the end, it was approved a little
increase in "normal" tournaments, and higher increases in some "special"
tournaments such as Champions League and Invitational.
It was also
approved that each Federation may organize a free national tournament via
ICCF Webserver.
At present that's all.
Regards. Gianni
Mastrojeni
(Translation by Marco Caressa revised by Grayling Hill)
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