RWA Presidents Update

1.    Whereas I would like to say that 2021 is going to be a far better year for athletics than 2020 I regret I am not sufficiently confident to do so. With border closures and lockdowns seemingly being applied with little notice there can be little certainty regarding the conduct of athletic events in 2021.
2.    The Oceania/Australian 20 kilometre Championship scheduled for February 14th in Adelaide, which is intended to incorporate selection trials, is still programmed but may be impacted upon by border closures and uncertainty.
3.    The President, after consultation with the Executive of the RWA has discussed with Athletics Australia a date for the conduct of the Australian Road Championships and the Second Federation. The event is likely to be conducted in September. An announcement by Athletics Australia is anticipated.
4.    The Executive of Race Walking Australia Inc. has agreed with a request to allow guides to accompany vision impaired walkers in race walking events conducted by RWA and it’s member associations/clubs. The guide may walk or run alongside the vision impaired athlete but must otherwise comply with World Athletics Competition Rules relating to the participation of guides. Normal rules for the judging of the vision impaired athlete will apply.
Needless to say this initiative will require to be monitored and changes to the rules may ultimately be necessary.
5.    The Executive proposes to introduce a motion at the next AGM to change the current voting system at RWA AGM’s from one vote per delegate attending the AGM (up to a maximum of three votes per member association/club) to one vote per member association. This will mean that votes from member associations are not split and that the member association/club votes as a single entity thus clearly representing the association/clubs view.
A Notice of Motion will be provided in the notice of the AGM which will be circulated by the Secretary sometime in late April, early May.
Note: Changes to the RWA Constitution and Rules and Regulations must be approved by the Annual General Meeting which will be conducted in June 2021 in Canberra.

Bob Cruise
President RWA
10/1/2021