IOF NEWS
IOF Senior Vice-President Hugh Cameron Hugh Cameron of Australia has been a member of the IOF Council for many years but, outside the administrative circles of our sport, few people know the great contribution Hugh has made over the years. The Australian Orienteer spoke with Hugh Cameron at the recent World MTB-O Championships in Ballarat. AO: how long have you been a member of the IOF Council? HC: before I begin, may I congratulate the organisers of the 2nd World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships – great organisation, exciting courses, closely contested competition and arenas selected and designed for spectators. Now the question: together with Åke Jacobson, I became a member of the IOF Council in 1988 and a Vice President in 1992. AO: briefly, what does the job of Senior Vice-President entail? HC: the Senior Vice President is a member of the President’s Working Group (PWG). The PWG functions in a similar way to the Executive of OA. If for any reason, the President was unable to carry out his duties then the Senior Vice President would take over the role of President.
meet the required number of member federations. Current policy is to promote the growth of Orienteering in a global context thus positioning our sport for inclusion in the Games. In the meantime, the World Games is an important means of showcasing our sport. Orienteering does satisfy the criteria for inclusion in the Winter Games. We will apply for inclusion in Summer, Winter and Paralympic Games at each available opportunity. There are real benefits of being an Olympic sport – not least in terms of athlete recognition and media exposure. AO: World Championships are now being held every year for WOC, JWOC and WMTB-O. Sending teams every year is a huge financial burden for member countries. Do you think such an onerous program can be sustained or will some countries stop sending teams? HC: the IOF is very aware of the financial constraints and is in the final stages of developing a new elite event programme in foot Orienteering. High quality Regional Orienteering Championships together with the utilisation of existing international events, attractive to the world’s elite, will be part of this programme. The new programme will be implemented in 2007. AO: will you be President of IOF one day? HC: I have been part of the international scene since 1988. The IOF has just elected a new President. We will, in the future, need to look to a new generation of orienteers, much younger than I, to lead the IOF as we venture further into the 21st century. AO: thank you for a frank discussion.
AO: what would you say is your most significant achievement? HC: the IOF Council is dedicated to ensuring the spread of Orienteering to more people in more places. It has a world view. It functions as a very good team, the capabilities of its members complement one another. Living “down under”, I have, over the years, been able to present the perspective of those parts of the world far from Europe. AO: Åke Jacobson has just been elected President of IOF. Do you foresee any significant changes in direction for the IOF during his reign? HC: Åke Jacobson and I know our respective points of view very well. There will be no surprises. The direction of the IOF is clearly set out in the 2004-2006 activity plan. The key elements are to spread the sport world-wide, to promote the development of Orienteering, to create and maintain a world elite event programme and to strengthen the organisation. Åke is committed to realising these goals. AO: Anti-Doping strategies are a major issue for all sports. At WOC 2003 athletes from just 13 of 41 participating countries were tested. Some might say that is not a very stringent approach. What would be your response? HC: Orienteering has a history of being clean when it comes to the matter of doping. The IOF is committed to ensuring a drug free sport. The IOF respects and abides by the provisions of the World AntiDoping Code and the Olympic Charter. It does everything in its power to preserve the spirit and values of our sport. Doping is contrary to such values and spirit. AO: getting Foot Orienteering admitted to the Summer Olympics program seems to be a major pre-occupation with the IOF. Is it realistic and would the perceived benefits justify the effort? HC: when it comes to being admitted to the Summer Olympic Games, the first objective of the IOF is to satisfy the criteria. We do not yet 50 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER DECEMBER 2004
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