Badminton and the Olympic Games - A Critical Letter by W.W. Kethan
05 December, 2017In the last issue of "World Badminton" we published a report of the annual congress of the General Assembly of International Federations wherein we referred to the lack of progress attained in persuading the International Olympic Committee to include Badminton in the Olympic Games.
We are now pleased to publish the following letter which has been sent by the International Softball Federation to Lord Killanin, President of the I.O.C., and copied to other international federations. This indicates that Badminton is not the only sport to suffer from the slow rate of Progress.
FROM: W.W. KETHAN,
President,
The International Softball Federation
2801 N.E. 50th Street,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111, U.S.A.
25 September 1974.
TO: Lord Killanin,
President,
Comite International Olympique,
Chateau de Vidy,
1007 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Dear President Killanin,
On 4 June 1974, our Secretary General Don Porter, wrote to Harry Banks, IOC Technical Director, suggesting the IOC give consideration to the establishing of liaison representation between the IOC and the non-Olympic International Federations.
On 14 June, Mr. Banks answered Mr. Porter, informing him that the suggestion was being brought to your attention. Since that time we have had no indication from Mr.Banks or you, regarding the suggestion.
Mr. President, you are no doubt aware that the Sports World has changed considerably in just the last five years and no doubt will continue to change as dictated by the continual change in the world in which we live, work and compete.
I would hope you would give serious consideration to this suggestion, as a great many international federations are concerned with the unresponsiveness and insensitive attitude of the IOC, especially in matters relating to the Olympic Program.
How much aware you are of the inability of the Csanadi Commission to provide a realistic and practical approach to providing criteria and procedures for sports to be included on the Olympic Program, I do not know. But, I can tell you, international federations interested and desirous to be part of the Olympic Program are becoming most frustrated.
To be frank, we feel the IOC is discriminatory in applying conditions and procedures for which sports are included on the Olympic Program. The way the present procedures are administered, are a gross injustice! The Csanadi Commission, in my opinion, is a failure in providing the necessary and much needed procedural and regulatory changes for the Olympic Program.
How can you hope to justify by your own (IOC) current standards, continuing to include some sports on the program that do not meet those standards and yet leave sports that do meet the criteria, off the program?
We would hope you would take the initiative and provide the necessary guidance that will change the Present inequities and unfairness as it relates to the Olympic Program.
I cannot speak for all the non-Olympic International Federations, but I can tell you honestly and sincerely, that unless changes are forthcoming in the program structure, the present non-Olympic Federations will contemplate and consider other alternatives.
The Olympic Movement is a great social and physical force and is very much needed by the world as a whole, but continued unfair practices and insensitive awareness by the IOC can bring the Movement to a stop.
With personal best wishes, I remain.
Sincerely,
W.W. KETHAN,
President,
International Softball Federation.
-- World Badminton, October 1974