Confirming my earlier posts, Rex Harvey reports on the WAVA Web site: January 18, 2001: WAVA President Torsten Carlius reports that the rights to conduct the 2003 WAVA World Championship have been withdrawn from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He states that last March, when some question arose, he and several others of the WAVA Council visited Kuala Lumpur to specifically investigate the local organizing committee (LOC) organization and its plans to conduct the Championships. They were favorably impressed with the facilities and the level and ability of the LOC personnel in place at that time. Therefore, they recommended that the Championships go on as planned. However, since that time, the composition of the LOC has changed considerably and some of the most influential members have left or have been forced out. All of this has occurred without notification or consultation with WAVA. President Carlius visited again last fall and carefully set clear minimum objectives for the LOC and a clear deadline of the 22nd of December for achieving those objectives. That deadline, and a generous grace period, passed without any positive action and lead directly to the withdrawal of the Championships by WAVA. He further states that the 2003 Championship is currently being offered to Puerto Rico, who was the runner-up in the competitive bid held at the 1999 WAVA General Assembly in Gateshead, England. Puerto Rico is now checking facility and housing availability, and public and private support and sponsorship. They are also considering their ability to put together an effective LOC to organize, fund, staff, and prepare for the Championships in the two and one-half years remaining. Stay tuned. Ken Stone http://www.masterstrack.com
