FIM News Flash
The 2017 FIM General Assembly took place today, Saturday 25 November in Europe’s highest capital, Andorra la Vella.
From left to right: Wan Zaharuddin WAN AHMAD (FIM Asia President), Pedro VENTURO (FIM Latin America President), Marilynn BASTEDO (FIM North America President), Jorge VIEGAS (FIM Board Member), Jorgen BITSCH (FIM Board Member), Nasser Khalifa AL ATYA (FIM Deputy President), Vito IPPOLITO (FIM President), Steve AESCHLIMANN (FIM CEO), Andrzej WITKOWSKI (FIM Vice-President), Jos DRIESSEN (FIM Board Member), Jacques BOLLE (FIM Board Member), Wolfgang SRB (FIM Europe President), Marco COMANA (FIM Africa President), Glen WILLIAMS (FIM Oceania President) Photo Credit – Good-Shoot.
Morning
The morning’s session began with a warm welcome from the Mayor of Andorra, Mrs Conxita MARSOL Cònsol speaking on behalf of the City Authorities, and Mr Gilbert SABOYA, Andorran Minister for the Economy, Competitiveness and Innovation.
In his opening address to the FIM General Assembly, FIM President Vito Ippolito highlighted the need to continue to make the FIM a modern organisation. In particular, he stressed the importance of stepping up cooperation and education across the FIM in order to ensure the delivery of its Strategic Plan and taking a global view in order to develop motorcycling in all parts of the world.
The FIM General Assembly approved the 2016 Financial Statements, discharged the Board of Directors and approved the reports of the Directors of the FIM Administration and the 2018 FIM Budget.
Mr Jorgen Bitsch, Chair of the Strategic Plan Board Committee, presented the results of the follow-up survey of the FMNs and CONUs conducted two years since the last one in 2015. The survey concerned the FMNs’ activities, sporting and non-sporting, their perceptions and expectations of the FIM, their appreciation of the FIM’s services and the opportunities and threats for the FIM in the future. The results were very positive overall. Areas requiring particular focus were seminars for officials and consultation with FMNs hosting FIM championship events.
The FIM CEO Mr Steve Aeschlimann and his management team made up of the Sports Director Mr Fabio Muner, the Deputy CEO and Legal Director Richard Perret and the Communication Manager Ms Isabelle Larivière updated the Assembly on the work of the FIM Administration.
The CEO highlighted the competitive environment in which the FIM operates as a sports governing body, for example, as regards fans, sponsors and promoters . He also highlighted the main activities of the FIM’s “beyond sport commissions” (road safety and public affairs, touring, sustainability and women in motorcycling”.
The Sports Director gave an overview of the health of the FIM Championships and the relative strength of the various disciplines in different parts of the world. He highlighted the efforts that the FIM Sports Department is making in terms of dialogue with stakeholders in order to help the various disciplines and Championships that are in fairly good or excellent health to stay successful and to help the few facing serious problems to find a new impetus.
The Deputy CEO reported on the activities of the Medical, Legal and Commercial Departments. He explained the impact on the FIM of increasing judicialisation in many areas of sport and life in general and the efforts made by the FIM to evaluate and minimize judicial risk in all its activities. He stressed the importance of education in the fight against doping and the need for athletes and their entourages to understand the basics rather than the legal niceties of the anti-doping rules. He also highlighted the FIM’s efforts to identify new and creative sources of financing.
The Communication Manager updated the Assembly on the most recent initiatives to improve communication to the FIM family as its number one priority audience. She further announced that a dedicated site for Public Affairs would be launched in a matter of days to serve the entire FIM family as a source of news and documentation on issues of importance to motorcycling.
Afternoon
Following the approval of the budget for 2018, the Assembly heard the reports of the FIM’s Continental Unions.
Several amendments to the FIM Statutes and By-laws and the FIM Sporting Code were accepted by the FIM General Assembly. In-depth work on the FIM Statutes, By-Laws and Sporting Code will continue in 2018.
The General Assembly approved the FIM Riders’ Insurance project for implementation in 2019. FIM President Vito Ippolito noted that in his view, this was the one of the most important projects launched by the FIM in recent years.
The title of Honorary Vice-President was awarded to Mr Robert Rasor (AMA). The FIM Motorcycling Merit Award Nicolas Rodil del Valle Silver Medal was awarded posthumously to Mr Ray Wilson, FIM Africa President. Mr Jean-Pierre Mougin (FFM) received the FIM Motorcycling Merit Award, Gold Medal.
The FIM Motorcycling Merit Gold Plaque was awarded, for the first time in several years, to the MobilityLand Corporation Japan, in the person of its Chairman Mr Susumu Yamashita for their outstanding work at the two circuits, Twin-Ring Motegi and Suzuka.
The representatives of FIM National Federations celebrating their 10th, 20th, 30th and 90th anniversaries were called on stage to receive a commemorative plaque.
10th Anniversary MFMA (FYROM)
20th Anniversary DMSB (Germany) FMSSL (Sri Lanka)
30th Anniversary QMMF (Qatar)
90th Anniversary FRM (Romania)
The General Assembly will be followed on 26 November by the FIM Awards ceremony. The FIM wishes to thank the Andorran Federation for hosting these end-of-year events and for the warm welcome extended to the FIM family.