Update on World Sailing Governance Reform

At its meeting on 5 August 2019, the World Sailing Board of Directors received a detailed report from the World Sailing Governance Commission on the progress of the proposal for wholesale governance reform of World Sailing.

The proposal – called “Refreshing the Foundations for our Future: Proposals for World Sailing Governance Reform” was approved and published in early May 2019.

It was discussed at the Mid-May meetings held in London, where World Sailing’s Council and committee members were provided with a detailed presentation on which feedback was given.

In early June 2019, a survey about the proposal was sent out to all Member National Authorities, Classes, Council Members, committee members and staff. Other people interested in World Sailing were also invited to participate.

Speaking about the survey, World Sailing President Kim Andersen said it was pleasing to see that a clear majority of the MNAs that participated either supported the overall proposal or supported most of it but had three or more areas of concern. With the responses from the Classes, Council Members, Committee members and staff added to this, a total of approximately 68% of those  participants currently support the Proposal overall or most of it.

The World Sailing Governance Commission provided the World Sailing Board with a detailed analysis of the survey. The next steps are for the Commission to consider adjustments to the Proposal and make recommendations to the Board at its meeting on 13/14th September 2019.

In commenting on these adjustments, the independent Chairperson of the Governance Commission, Maria Clarke, said, “While the fundamentals of the proposal seem to be accepted overall, we are looking at several adjustments to address some of the concerns which emerged from the survey. These include the need for a greater role for smaller MNAs; a greater focus on decision making for the non-Olympic side of the sport; cementing the role of Classes in the structure and reconsidering the proposed changes to the meeting schedule”.

In addition to approving these areas for adjustment, the Board approved a detailed timetable to bring the proposal to the Annual General Meeting on 3 November 2019 in Bermuda. It was decided that both the new constitution and those regulations necessary to implement the reform would be put to the Members for voting on.  

This timetable will ensure that Members will receive a summary of the Proposal (incorporating the adjustments) together with the proposed constitution and the relevant regulations by 20 September 2019 giving them time to review before the AGM.

In the meantime, the President, Board members and Commission members will be informing MNAs, and other members, of the many opportunities available between now and the AGM, to meet or speak with them to discuss the detail of the proposal and answer any questions. Please do not hesitate to contact members of the board and the Governance Commission for clarifying questions relating to the Governance reform.