AFF AGM Agenda Items - 20 May, 2012 sign now

I'm sending this message to ensure everyone has a chance to have a say on the AFF’s selection policy. The AFF is meeting in May to endorse a new selection policy giving priority to AFT members and members of a new squad – the Australian Fencing Squad (AFS). The new policy gives preference to the AFT for ALL team places in virtually ALL significant international competitions, including Worlds, Asians AND National & Circuit championships in other countries in Asia, Europe and USA even NZ. It also extends preference to a lower tier of members on the AFS. Under this new policy NO MATTER HOW HIGH YOUR RANKING, AFT and AFS members (up to 12 places in the Open and 10 places in Junior and Cadet categories), will have preferential selection over higher ranked non-AFT/AFS members. This means it is impossible for many fencers to ever compete for Australia, and will harm Australia's international performances, by sending teams with lesser ranked fencers.

The AFT has been a controversial system, and has led to selection of lower ranked AFT fencers being selected to represent Australia over higher ranked non-AFT fencers (eg 2011 Asian Juniors, 2012 Commonwealth Juniors, 2012 World Juniors and 2012 Oceania Juniors).

I will not be joining the AFT/AFS at this stage as I refuse to take the place of a higher ranked fencer who deserves a place on a team ahead of me. I will not be part of a system which excludes the best fencers from selection. If people want to train on the HPP program they should be welcome to and encouraged to, but not at the expense of those who have earned their rankings through their own hard work. Under this policy even world class fencers such as Frank Bartolillo would not have been selected for the Australian team ahead of members of the AFT & AFS.

Fencing Victoria proposes that the AFF put the AFT selection policy on hold for six months, until the selection flaws are corrected. I ask that we as fencers lend our support to Victoria's proposal to delay the new policy until the problems with selection and the program are sorted out. I am asking fencers to sign a petition to show where they stand on the issue, and hopefully to show the AFF that there is dissatisfaction with the current and proposed Selection System and with the lack of consultaltion given to the fencers to have inut into these matters. A period of time to fully review and debate the High Performance Program and Selection Policy is needed.

If you support my petition enter your details on this petition.

If you want to see the proposed Selection System in full, go to:
http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-3825-0-0-0&sID=40399&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=19150603n

The petition is that:
i. AFF AGM Agenda Item 3 - I support the Fencing Victoria motion That calls for nomination and contract renewals for AFT membership be temporarily suspended, while the results and conclusions of the current review of the AFF High Performance Plan can be fully debated and discussed.

ii. AFF AGM Agenda Item 4 - I do not support the proposed changes in the draft 2012 AFF Selection Policy

Patrick Daley
pd@webmm.com.au