Committee members gather at Lausanne HQ

It was the first time since 2002 the organisation has run an All-Committee gathering rather than the usual process of each group holding their meeting separately throughout the year.

“It was an extremely valuable project,” said World Archery Secretary General Tom DIELEN. “We had fantastic feedback from the committee members themselves, who thoroughly enjoyed the format, and having such a mix of people and responsibilities enabled a huge berth of discussion and expert input that otherwise would not have been possible.”

Representatives from the Athletes, Coaches, Constitution and Rules, Field Archery, Judges, Medical and Sports Sciences, Para Archery, Target Archery and Technical permanent committees were in Lausanne for the weekend of 21/22 March, while the Finance, Classification and World Plan ad-hoc groups attended before or after.

The role of the permanent and ad-hoc committees and commissions is to study interpretations and questions, and propose recommendations the World Archery Executive Board on issues within their areas of responsibility.

In Lausanne, as well as fulfilling this function, committees were asked to consider how their group could contribute to the vision of the new World Archery Plan, which focuses on making archery an important Olympic sport nationally, worldwide.

Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Strategic Planning Assistance for Member Associations, which looks after the plan’s aims, Mr Vicente MARTINEZ said: “We have a challenge now to encourage archery’s member associations around the world to go that extra step to make their sport more valuable at a national level.”

“Thankfully, the obstacle is not a lack of enthusiasm or knowledge – World Archery has all the expertise necessary and our federations want to improve – but many need encouragement and support to take the leap.”

Little steps, Vicente says, will make all the difference. Technology is at a level now that a strong internet presence can be managed by a volunteer with limited time or an employee with little experience. Putting videos and images that archery fans are already creating in a federation-owned web space creates an identity that will lift public awareness of the sport in the country.

To offer that necessary encouragement, members of the this commission will focus on specific geographical areas over the next three years – helping federations take those small steps that will raise opinions of archery around the globe.

The full outcomes of the 2014 All-Committee Meeting in Lausanne will become apparent in time. But with immediate hindsight, bringing so many people with such passion, knowledge and vision for archery together at World Archery’s headquarters in Lausanne has only helped move this successfully evolving sport another step forward.