CMAS/AIDA fusion - pros/cons

[CEngelbrecht]

I have a continous dream of one day dismantling AIDA as we know it and transfer all activities to CMAS. Taking the current AIDA Board and/or Assembly and fusing it with the CMAS Apnea Commission. Transfer the judge group, transfer instructors and trainers, moving to unify various competition regulations and standards, etc.

I know, easier said than done, but hear me out.

I realise that there are those in both AIDA and CMAS circuits who are open to this notion, and others in both AIDA and CMAS who are definitely against it. The current ratio I have no idea about. Either way, if a fusion of agencies is to be a potential, it has to be to the benefit of both parties. Either way, it has to be to the benefit of freediving as an activity (what ever the hell that means).

A couple of pros:
* Historical. CMAS is the original confederation for underwater activities (one of its founders being eg. Jacques Cousteau). Regardless of other issues, 'La Grande Dame' is still the proper center for any and all diving activities (provided that conditions are acceptable for which ever activity).
* Principle. It is ridiculous seeking the needs of freediving and apnea fulfilled in more than one organisation. If not only to point to one agency to define official world champions. (That's the problem with modern boxing, who the hell IS the world champion?)
* Olympic affiliation. CMAS is acknowledged by IOC. I also have a dream of seeing (deep) freediving in the Olympics. Even though blackouts are a big 'but' on that one, from Olympic ideals I believe that freediving belong in the crowd. One day or another.
* Funds. CMAS has access to much better funds than AIDA, and a much larger and better suited organisation for administering a complex sportive community (or though most of AIDA's construction were originally copied from CMAS'), if not only due to the age of the confederation. There's no need to reinvent sliced bread, as AIDA has had to do since 1992. Also, it could relieve stress towards the AIDA-management related to lack of funds.

A couple of cons:
* CMAS historical hostility towards key apnea activities (primarily deep diving). It will be no good to inaugurate everything AIDA has achieved (deep competition format, etc.), only to see CMAS dismantle it again for past reasons (safety and medical concern, originally around 1970, again around 1990).
* The notion of 'who needs CMAS?' within AIDA, which has a certain validity. More or less all that competitive freediving is today has been achieved under the AIDA flag (for better or worse). AIDA currently holds the apnea community of both athletes, judges, organizers, etc., and jolly good show for it.
* The notion of 'what AIDA?' within CMAS. I don't see a disbenefit for CMAS to officially acknowledge the management achievements of AIDA. To give to Ceasar what is Ceasar's, so to speak. A couple of years back (don't know if it's still active), CMAS officially sanctioned athletes for competing in AIDA events, preventing them from competing in CMAS events. This I personally think is the greatest error of sport management I know of (I'd personally whine about any similar action from AIDA against freedivers from eg. FREE or IAFD, etc.).
* Insurmountable differences in sportive philosophy between CMAS and AIDA (eg. towards the nature of blackouts, etc.), causing incapability to unify regulations and standards.
* Problems of individual management in CMAS. I have seen much critisism fly against key managers of CMAS for the last decade or so, about personal interests, lack of democratic process, loss of representation and service value to parts of the diving community (eg. spearfishers, what ever). All that bla-bla, which may be right or wrong, or something in between. (Not that AIDA hasn't been critisized of exactly the same at times, that's why we have a FREE, ain't it?) Stuff that would prevent key AIDA-actives to have sufficient confidence in a switch to the CMAS flag. Related to people, not flag. None mentioned, none forgotten...

I realise that my points above may be outdated perspectives, and that I'm talking as a full-blooded AIDA-man. But as such, I don't give a rat's fart about which flag freedivers compete under, only that said flag is capable of providing the proper service for both the community of freedivers and the apnea phenomenon. All that jazz.

The mutual CMAS & AIDA Pool World Championship in Aarhus 2009 was one of the best events I have experienced within the world of freediving (diplomatically, at least). I saw no difference in magnificence between CMAS and AIDA world champions, or between the eagerness of CMAS and AIDA officials, and I wish we could somehow follow up on that. A fusion doesn't have to happen next year or this decade, but I'd like to see it as a mutual goal for both organizations.

 

[efattah]

In 1985 if you tried to unify the governments of the Soviet Union and the USA, you'd be in a similar situation as trying to unify AIDA and CMAS, and the chances of success equally similar.

In terms of the 'benefits' of such a merger (as those benefits you mentioned), I don't see a single one actually bearing any type of fruit. In terms of the 'cons', I see every single one becoming a major problem.

The fact that CMAS is run by a bunch of non-elected bureaucrats with extraordinarily high egos, who believe that deep diving is a dangerous activity which should be banned -- that says it all. Who would want to have anything to do with such an organization? You might as well merge AIDA with a track and field organization that doesn't even recognize water sports at all. In the days when IAFD and FREE were officiating a large number of record attempts, a merger of AIDA+IAFD+FREE could have yielded good possibilites. But CMAS is another story. The best you could possibly hope for is unification of the pool disciplines. But for the ocean forget it.

Just my opinion....

 

[CEngelbrecht]

I'm beginning to see evidence to the contrary, at least in some CMAS individuals. They too are fascinated by apnea. But then there are the 'old-school' CMAS people, who are still furious against apnea. Again, I have no idea what the ratio is.

 

[Goran Colak]

I did not read all of the first post coz i have no time now, but just to say something about CMAS. It is truth CMAS is rigid organization that have nothing on AIDA in terms of free diving, that is a fact. But CMAS have some new people now, like Levent from Turkey, in apnea commission, and they have introduced new set of rules for static, DNF, and yes for CWT too. And other depth disciplines will follow... And like it or not CMAS have some world class competitors at least in the pool... Fusion if enihow possible will be awesome thing for free diving, a BIG step foward and one in right direction if you ask me. Of course there is lot work to be done, and lot of thing to be resolved, so that is a utopia probably... but still...

 

[DivingDane]

i would love to see the governing bodies of Freediving become one! it would make for a more focused push on the sport and clearer levels of records.

for example in an earlier issue of International freediving magazine an italian was promoted as breaking the world record in constant weight! at only 83m or something like that while at the time the AIDA records was 120 or something like that. these leads to confusion amongst amature divers. if we could all be unified it would be a great improvement.

BUT in saying that CMAS is the governing body of our AUF (australian Underwater association) and they are so rigid in their beliefs that freedivers are not recognised in the club at all, we are too "dangerous"

Ideally i believe what we want is:
- AIDA rules
- AIDA disciplins
- CMAS orgonisation
- CMAS funding

because at the moment CMAS has nothing to offer us on the Apnea front at all it is mostly their size and history (stability) which would be of advantage more than anything else.

Unity would be great but unlikly i guess in the near future i would love to see ALL athletes CMAS, AIDA, FREE doesnt matter who all competing together for nationaland international records. 1 set of records world wide not 3 or 4 different records.

to quote Highlander "there can be only one!" (hehehe been wanting to use that for years!)

DD

 

[efattah]

I think a more pressing problem is a major revision to the static apnea rules, followed by a record transition in that event, much like was done with the Javelin throw by the IAAF. There are two sets of javelin records, one with old rules, one with the new rules.

Once the static apnea rules have been improved, we can still keep the old records list, but it will be 'closed', and all new records (starting at 0'00") will be in the 'new' records table.

I still find it beyond sad that the best static apneist in the world (Guy Brew, 9'03" in competition), has no chance whatsoever of even attempting a world record in that event.

 

[Siku]

What would be the difference between new and old rules? And is not the record 11'?

Let me know when the new book opens, I'd love to hold the world apnea record at 1'00 or so, however breifly

 

[efattah]

The new rules would disallow elevated oxygen levels in the atmosphere, by placing an oxygen sensor near the athlete during the final preparation. The new rules would also place stricter rules on the wetsuit and mask setup to prevent things like that magician did in Sweden. Possibly also rules which control exhalation somehow, since that magician clearly exhaled about 20 litres of air or more, showing there was another air source somewhere.

 

[mortenkv]

- AIDA rules
- AIDA disciplins
- CMAS orgonisation
- CMAS funding

Still needs to be a lot corrections of the above, but definately an interesting thought.
Morten

 

[michelefucarino]

Hello everybody!!

I am Michele Fucarino, italian freediver from CMAS.
I think CEngelbrecht said something really interesting and intelligent. I agree with everybody sais that this "evolution" will be very difficoult and probably also very long in terms of time, but the value for freediving would be huge.
Also, I am quite new to that "burocratic" side of freediving, but I can grant you that new people are working in CMAS, and the introduction of CWT; DNF rules proof that something is mooving in a positive direction (as Goran said, other disciplines will probably be introduced soon). I can imagine that people like efattah, living the freediving panorama since many years, could have a very bad opinion about CMAS ( and the same could be for some CMAS athlete) but as I said, things are mooving a little and we could take advantage of that.

Ciao!!

 

[trux]

Just lets hope CMAS does not introduce CWT and DNF disciplines without removing the outrageous rule forbidding athletes participation on non CMAS competitions.

Personally I have no problems with both federation concurrently - we have this situation here in France since many years, and I can tell that it is a great advantage having two federations, two alternative offers, two sets of competitions, two different approaches. Additionally the relations between the French CMAS branch (FFESSM) and AIDA are excellent - they recognize each other's judges, instructors, and freediving levels; there are no rules forbidding the participation on the competitions of the "adversary", and FFESSM with AIDA even organize common competitions.

I think it would be very sad if CMAS merged with AIDA, and we would lose much more than gained. We would lose the freedom, and we would lose the chance to influence the rules, and the activities of the federation.

Where it may sometimes seem to be difficult at AIDA to move it to some action, you can completely forget it at CMAS - it is a huge dinosaur, and nobody will ever listen to you. While AIDA is run by our friends and exclusively by freedivers, CMAS is to great majority run by people who have no idea what freediving is, and many in the headquarter are plain bureaucrats, employees without even being divers.

You will get to use to handle with the same type of old ladies and men, you have to speak to in state institutions. You can forget about the family atmosphere of AIDA. Get ready and geared for much worse fights for power, and back-scene intrigues than you ever saw at AIDA. Forget about getting news from friends, or on the web, about what happens in the headquarters - nothing will get out. Transparency was not always excellent at AIDA, but since it is all run by our friends, it is impossible to keep any secrets. Forget about it at CMAS - you will not get any information from anyone. And you will get information about decisions only long time after they were done (if you are lucky).

You can also forget about the dreams of good funding Christian mentioned. The CMAS does not have much available for the use by the end-members, clubs, or for competitions. Most of the huge amount of money the organisation gains gets wasted in the bureaucratic system, and the treasury seems to be in a great disaray. I've just read the protocol from the last meeting of the CMAS management, and it looks like they are trying to lower the spending, and to consolidate the treasury. However, I fear it will impact negatively much more the sport than the bureaucracy.

AIDA, in contrary, seems to have a rather healthy treasury, and could (and should) certainly spend more for the support and development of freediving.

 

[chrismar]

Last I heard, CMAS was 160,000 Euro in the red. I doubt freedivers would be better off financially (except where countries fund CMAS athletes directly).

 

[trux]

Yes, the international CMAS in fact has rather limited resources and quite big spending. Although national organizations have often very huge member bases (i.e. 1,500 clubs and 149,000 members in France), the international CMAS is basically funded only from sales of international licences. And a big part of the member countries do not sell any international licences at all. So for example in the report from the last management meeting I've read that from 115 CMAS countries 47 did not sell a single international licence. More than 1/3 of all international CMAS licences come from the French branch FFESSM. And the situation is even worse at the competitive licences - from 83 participating federations only 39 ever delivered an international sport licence, and only 18 respect the agreed ratio.

So yes, the CMAS is in financial troubles. Some of the national branches are in better shape, but even in France (the branch that brings the most funds to CMAS), despite its huge member base, the money available for freediving is limited. There is some money for supporting the very few top elite athletes in the national team, but very little remains for the thousands of competitive and recreational freedivers, and for the development of the sport.