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≡ INTEL REPORT ≡
There are many International Federations which re-elect their Presidents over and over again, often without challengers, sometimes for decades, or in recent times, to the end of their term limits.
The situation in 2024 is different at World Sailing, where first-term President Quanhai Li of China is being opposed by three other candidates:
● Rodion Luka (UKR)
● Ben Remocker (CAN)
● Philippe Rogge (BEL)
The election will take place in Singapore during the World Sailing General Assembly on 9 November 2024.
Li won a tight election –also among four candidates – in 2020, defeating incumbent Kim Andersen (DEN) by 68-60 on the second ballot; a majority of more than 50% of the voting delegates was needed to win.
Li, 62, was a long-time Council member and a two-term Vice President (2012-20) prior to his election as President, and was heavily involved in the organization of the 2008 Olympic sailing competitions in Qingdao.
Each of the candidates submitted an information package, including a page on candidate goals:
● Li emphasized athlete development, writing “Sailors are the cornerstone of our sport. We will prioritize their development by more proactive global sailing calendar management & promoting regional growth. By supporting tailored regional development plans we will optimize resource allocation, ensuring necessary support and assistance.”
He also recognized the issue of finance: “The fragility is the dependency we have on the IOC income. Management and Board focus will be on ensuring our relevance in the Olympic Movement. In parallel, we will build and enhance the World Sailing brand, expand market channels, develop the sports presentation using innovation and technology. We will invest in research and development, exploring new ways to enhance the sailing experience for our audience. We will formulate diverse marketing plans. In turn this will increase media attention and attract sponsors, driving revenue for regional development. This collaboration with stakeholders, sponsors, and governmental bodies, will give us the best chance to secure the resources needed to elevate our sport to the next level and further support our athletes.”
● Luka, 51, was a four-time Olympian and 2004 Olympic silver winner in the 49er class. His commentary recognized access to sailing and growth of the sport as key. He also stated:
“One of the primary goals is to increase the visibility of our sport on television during the Olympic Games, as this is our main income. To achieve this, we must increase the number of people interested in yacht racing and encourage them to adopt it as a lifelong hobby. It is evident that only dedicated enthusiasts follow their favorite sport online or on TV.”
● Remocker is 55, was a 2008 Olympian (49er) and a 2012 Olympic coach in Canada in the RS:X class, and heavily active in the World Sailing Events Committee. His goals list pointed to:
“We must deliver outstanding Olympic events with engaging TV coverage, satisfied athletes, innovative formats, and flawless execution. This will secure our position within the Olympic Movement and attract new participants.”
He also noted that “shared club boats and collegiate sailing, we can guide our member national authorities and clubs to rapidly expand participation.”
● Rogge, 54, is the former chief executive of Vodafone Germany, after a significant career with Microsoft in Europe and China from 2010-22. He is the son of the late former International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and has had a long history in sailing for more than 40 years.
He expressed concern that “our sport is today not on the winning end of capturing the hearts and minds of the next generation” and that “Ensuring Sailing retains its place among the 32 ‘most important’ Olympic sports and regains Paralympic status are, beyond their financial significance, a necessity.”
Expansion can come “from universal access into our sport (all regions, genders, religions and abilities), including further leveraging e-sailing, improved access to standard equipment, the stability of equipment pathways and continued work to reduce the cost of competitive campaigning” and leveraging “the ‘7-77 years’ participation appeal of our sport.”
None of these three challengers ran for President or Vice President in the 2020 elections, so this is a new field of players to run against Li.
Sailing has a significant opportunity to raise its profile in Los Angeles in 2028 as the sport will be held in Long Beach – same as in 1984 – within the Olympic city and not set up in a faraway location, as was the case for 2024, with the Olympic Games in Paris and the sailing in Marseille.
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US Sailing is also undergoing change, as chief executive Alan Ostfield “will step down from his role and transition to an advisory position for the Association.”
Ostfield joined US Sailing in April 2021, after prior chief Jack Gierhart left in November 2020. Gierhart had been with US Sailing since 2010 and had been the acting Executive Director since 2010 and Executive Director since February 2011.
US Sailing has gone through a turbulent period, with complaints about fund-raising, governance and the performance of the national team. The federation’s statement noted:
“Over the past four years, Ostfield and his team have implemented critical improvements, including professionalizing the staff with a talented new leadership team and many key staff members, ensuring financial accuracy and transparency, hiring Marcus Lynch as the new High Performance Director to rebuild the Olympic operations, ensuring that the sailor athletes have their important and required voice, building trust and confidence with the USOPC, and developing a corporate partnerships department that has since created more than a dozen new partnerships.”
American sailors won their first Olympic medal since Rio 2016 at the 2024 Paris Games, with a bronze in the men’s 49er class for Ian Barrows and Hans Henken.
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