The reason for the split is that many feel CMAS has not defended spearfishing against unfair regulation and legislation, even in its own house. On the contrary, it always caved in against pressure groups because all its affiliated scuba federations are against spearfishing. Inasmuch as that the General Assembly voted to expel spearfishing from its sports roster in 1999; the decision was overturned by the Sports Arbitral Tribunal later on. It's a schyzophrenic situation; most don't want it, but they don't let it go. It has to be about money, hasn't it?
On the technical side: its competition rules only changed recently; wholesale kill was norm (or is, depending of location), and this gave us a bad rap too. And most progressive spearfishing federation consider their new rules too little too late.
On the finance side; their fees have became astronomical. A typical case of taxation without representation.
The fact that some major teams like Italy and Spain aren't taking part in Mundial FIPSA doesn't necessarily express the feeling of the divers themselves. Ask them. A Spanish diver, who has some world titles, has expressed to us that they want in but their Federation has the money and doesn't want the split because of scuba certification revenues. One must take into account that many of national underwater federations, like Italy, Spain, Portugal etc, are diversified bodies, with other sports and, worst, scuba certifications. This is a huge revenue.
As for the soccer comparison: England didn't participate in World Cup until 1950 (and was sent home by the US, btw...). Neither had the US and some countries friendly to them in the 1980 Olympics. The same happened in LA1984, with the Soviet bloc. Does that mean that we shouldn't take the results into account? A long journey always start with a step.
As for Team Canada, they're a case in point for some countries with small spearfishing community but very dedicated nonetheless. They wanted to compete in th CMAS worlds in 2002 and 2004, but the national body affiliated to CMAS sports committee, CUGA, couldn't care less because their focus was UW hockey etc. The refused to send a Canadian team under their banner because "they were against spearfishing", even if the guys paid their way. Their spearfishers are members of the famous Brown Water Hunters group. One of them even placed among the first 10 in the US Nationals a few years ago in Rhode Island.
As for the legitimacy of the FIPSA World Championship, I say they're more of a World meet than the World Series or the Superbowl, whose winners claim to be champions of the world. Irony aside, it's the understanding of FIPSA members that, if other entities do not really represent the interests of the majority of actual spearfishers (not the officers of their federations), they cannot claim exclusiveness to world titles, regardless of their so-called link with the IOC. This link is granted by fin-swimming, that's it. IOC refused spearfishing in the 60s. If they didn't want it in the first place, why should IOC recognition be used as a reason. Personally, I really don't care what IOC thinks of spearfishing. In fact, they don't; CMAS is using its name to impress the unaware.
Basically we don't stay in places where we aren't not welcomed. This snafu says a lot of the actual representation spearfishers are getting in those multi-disciplinary federations. They're in bed with their enemies, in most cases.
Off the soap box now...
On the technical side: its competition rules only changed recently; wholesale kill was norm (or is, depending of location), and this gave us a bad rap too. And most progressive spearfishing federation consider their new rules too little too late.
On the finance side; their fees have became astronomical. A typical case of taxation without representation.
The fact that some major teams like Italy and Spain aren't taking part in Mundial FIPSA doesn't necessarily express the feeling of the divers themselves. Ask them. A Spanish diver, who has some world titles, has expressed to us that they want in but their Federation has the money and doesn't want the split because of scuba certification revenues. One must take into account that many of national underwater federations, like Italy, Spain, Portugal etc, are diversified bodies, with other sports and, worst, scuba certifications. This is a huge revenue.
As for the soccer comparison: England didn't participate in World Cup until 1950 (and was sent home by the US, btw...). Neither had the US and some countries friendly to them in the 1980 Olympics. The same happened in LA1984, with the Soviet bloc. Does that mean that we shouldn't take the results into account? A long journey always start with a step.
As for Team Canada, they're a case in point for some countries with small spearfishing community but very dedicated nonetheless. They wanted to compete in th CMAS worlds in 2002 and 2004, but the national body affiliated to CMAS sports committee, CUGA, couldn't care less because their focus was UW hockey etc. The refused to send a Canadian team under their banner because "they were against spearfishing", even if the guys paid their way. Their spearfishers are members of the famous Brown Water Hunters group. One of them even placed among the first 10 in the US Nationals a few years ago in Rhode Island.
As for the legitimacy of the FIPSA World Championship, I say they're more of a World meet than the World Series or the Superbowl, whose winners claim to be champions of the world. Irony aside, it's the understanding of FIPSA members that, if other entities do not really represent the interests of the majority of actual spearfishers (not the officers of their federations), they cannot claim exclusiveness to world titles, regardless of their so-called link with the IOC. This link is granted by fin-swimming, that's it. IOC refused spearfishing in the 60s. If they didn't want it in the first place, why should IOC recognition be used as a reason. Personally, I really don't care what IOC thinks of spearfishing. In fact, they don't; CMAS is using its name to impress the unaware.
Basically we don't stay in places where we aren't not welcomed. This snafu says a lot of the actual representation spearfishers are getting in those multi-disciplinary federations. They're in bed with their enemies, in most cases.
Off the soap box now...
