EUROPEAN SAILING FEDERATION

EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange Programme Guidelines

EUROSAF Regulations. Edition 2023. Version 1.0
APPROVED ON 28 February 2023

 1. PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

The objective of the EUROSAF Race Official Exchange Programme is to provide knowledge and experience for National and WS International Race Officials, including:

• How (international) events operate, knowledge of WS policies & practices and that of Classes Associations, and,
• Gain experience for National Officials to help them become a WS International Race Official;
  
  

It is also intended to help event organizers and or class associations[1] with the provision of Race Officials, to work at (international) events and in doing so to improve standards and consistency of these officials, for the benefit of sailors.

[1] These are collectively referred to as event organizers. Nevertheless, it is recognized Class Associations play a key role in the appointment of Race Officials to high-level events.   

2. SCOPE OF RACE OFFICIALS AND EVENTS

The programme is open to all (international) events and intended for:

• WS International Race Officers and National Race Officers;
• WS International Judges and National Judges;
• WS International Umpires and National Umpires;
• WS International Measurers and National Measurers;

Race officials are commonly identified by development stage, observing their general development pathway:

• National race officials seeking to gain experience and skill development with (international) events and classes;
• National race officials progressing to international status, meaning having the required skills and experience and are ready to sit the test or have passed it;
• New international race officials, meaning (early) in their first term of appointment;
• Established WS international race officials, meaning in their second or higher term of appointment;

Offered events and their exchange positions are classified in accordance with the WS Race Official Roles, Qualifications and Competences document, available at www.sailing.org, providing guidance on event grading and descriptions of valid roles for race officials for event organizers, in support of the Race Officials’ development pathways and event organizers’ requirements.

3. LIMITATIONS ON SCOPE

• Event organizers and Race Officials can only apply to the exchange programme through their Member MNA who act as gate keeper to the programme;
• Event organizers cannot request a specific individual Race Official;
• Event organizers cannot request a Race Official from a named Member MNA;
• Not more than 49% of the Race Officials at any one event shall be appointed through the exchange programme, and the majority of those appointed shall be National Race Officials;
• Race officials shall not use the exchange programme for leisure;
• Established WS international race officials shall not solely rely on the exchange programme;
  
  

4. PRINCIPLES

• Participation in the programme is voluntary;
• English language proficiency, or the availability of a translator, is a standard feature with the programme;
• The EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange Programme is an equal opportunity programme and intentionally broad and non-discriminatory to maintain its overall attractiveness;
• Differences in internal MNA procedures[2] must not affect the level playing field between Member MNAs and race officials in the exchange programme;
• Event organizers shall make a genuine effort to deliver a meaningful learning experience, that may count toward international certification, to the incoming Race Official hereby increasing her/his employability, for the benefit of the sailors. The incoming Race Official shall serve the event in the best possible way and in support of her/his/X continuous development;
• Appointed Race Officials must be available to event organizers without the organizers incurring travel expenses. Travel expenses, to a convenient and mutually agreed destination (airport, railway or bus station, ferry terminal, or by car[3]) should be covered by the incoming Race Official. Travel expenses from this point, to and from the venue, will be the responsibility of the event organizer;

The event organizer shall provide comfortable accommodation and all meals throughout the event and the official shall be treated as a guest while in the host country;

[1] By example, Member MNAs may reimburse travel costs for their race officials participating in the exchange program, or have to approve the composition of international juries in their jurisdiction.     

[1] If it is mutually agreed that an incoming Race Official will travel to the event by car, the event organizers will start to cover the cost of travel once the Race Official reaches the nearest country border to the event location.

5. PARTIES

The participating parties listed below share responsibility for the EUROSAF Race Official Exchange Programme:

• EUROSAF, through its Race Officials Committee;
• Member MNAs[4] in good standing with EUROSAF;
• Event organizers, through their Member MNAs;
• National and WS International Race Officials, via their Member MNAs;

These responsibilities include:

EUROSAF shall:

• Arrange an annual meeting to organize the Race Officials Exchange between the Member MNAs;
• Timely collect and publish the initial and final event list, of exchange events offered by its Member MNAs;
• Inform the event organizers by email of the Member MNA contact sending its race official(s) to the event;
• Inform the Member MNAs about any feedback received on events or Race Officials;
• From time to time publish documentation to serve the EUROSAF key development strategic priorities relevant to the exchange programme;

Member MNAs shall:

• Collect the agreed attributes of its nominated Race Officials and classify the offered events and exchange positions to improve the matching of events and Race Officials;
• Appoint a qualified Race Official to events allocated to the Member MNA at the EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange Meeting;
• Communicate the name and contact details (including a valid email address) of the appointed Race Official to the event organizers;
• First find a replacement for an appointed Race Official who is unable to attend after being allocated an event. If unsuccessful, the position shall be released to other Member MNAs, through the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee;

Event organizers shall:

• Establish contact with the incoming Race Official allocated to the event as soon as the event organizer is aware of their name and contact details;
• Provide name and contact details, including a valid email address, of the event organizers to the allocated Race Official;
• Confirm the appointment with the incoming Race Official at the first opportunity;
• Keep the incoming Race Official fully informed and updated of any changes relevant to the Race Official, both before and during the event;
• Mutually agree a convenient point of arrival destination in the host country and travel arrangements to the venue, including the means of transportation;
• Refund any additional travel costs incurred by the Race Official as a result of them not being able to purchase tickets a minimum of 8 weeks prior to the event, due to the event organizers failing to effectively communicate with the incoming Race Official;
• Reimburse any costs incurred by the Race Official (or supporting MNA) should the event be cancelled after confirmation has been given by the event organizers;
• Provide online feedback on the performance of the incoming Race Official to the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee;

Race Officials shall:

• Get in contact with the event organizers as soon as being are appointed to the event;
• Mutually agree a convenient point of arrival destination in the host country and travel arrangements to the venue, including the means of transportation;
• Notify the event organizer of the cost of travel to the host country if the event organizer has not confirmed the appointment a minimum of 8 weeks prior to the event;
• Not incur more costs than those agreed with the event organizer;
• Inform the event organizer as soon as possible if there are changes in the appointment or the travel arrangements of the incoming Race Official;
• Provide online feedback on the event organizers to the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee;

[1] Non-European MNAs are encouraged and permitted to join the EUROSAF Race Official Exchange Program provided the MNA concerned reciprocates all aspects of the program. EUROSAF will from time to time publish documentation to establish the membership process and any conditions for interested MNAs. 

6. EXCHANGE MEETING

Timeline

• The annual EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange meeting will be held around mid-January;
• At least 3 weeks prior to the meeting, each Member MNA, shall present their initial exchange list for that year to the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee. The list will include the agreed event classifications and positions offered;
• At least 2 weeks prior to the meeting, the EUROSAF Race Official Committee shall circulate the overall initial list to all Member MNAs. Member MNAs may append or amend events and positions to the initial list;
• At least 5 days prior to the meeting, the EUROSAF Race Official Committee shall circulate the overall final list to all Member MNAs. Acceptance of late entries by Member MNAs is at the discretion of the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee. Member MNAs shall be timely informed of any changes;
• Within 1 week after closing of the EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange meeting, the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee shall distribute the resulting exchange list with the agreed Race Official allocations to all Member MNAs;
   

Process

• The annual EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange meeting will be chaired by the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee;
• At the meeting, representatives of all Member MNAs will agree the allocation of offered Race Official positions for each of the listed events with the objective to match race official attributes and event requirements using the data collected from each Member MNA;
• The allocation process is moderated by a general balancing principle, while recognizing imbalances in the number of race officials sent and received by each Member MNA or by group of race officials are a natural reflection of different exchange markets and or EUROSAF exchange programme development strategies. Race officials shall not use the exchange programme for an extended period of time. Such race officials will be given a low priority with positions attracting competing interests (see 7 Development);
• The meeting will practice a 3-step allocation process to match supply and demand:
• In the first round, positions attracting single Member MNA candidates are filled immediately. Positions attracting competing interests from multiple Member MNAs are noted and moved to the second round;
• In the second round, Member MNAs may then informally 'trade between them' to resolve competing allocations;
• Any remaining deadlocks will be resolved by the meeting chair;
• Vacant positions are noted and may be filled after the meeting by Member MNAs on a first-come, first-serve basis. Within 1 week, the Member MNA shall inform the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee;
• Positions that have been allocated to a Member MNA, but for which they are unable to find replacement for, as the case may be, shall promptly inform the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee. The EUROSAF Race Officials Committee will then release these positions to other Member MNAs and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis;
• The EUROSAF Race Officials Committee will obtain statistics and track performance to measure the exchange programme effectiveness;

 
7. Development

• The EUROSAF Race Officials Committee may from time to time publish preferential status facilities for qualified race officials that are progressing to international status to serve EUROSAF key strategic priorities;
• The EUROSAF Race Officials Committee may from time to time publish a talent development plan to serve EUROSAF key strategic priorities. It may herewith be considered sending experienced international race officials, e.g., as DPRO or Advisor, to events to support (developing) Member MNAs, (local) teams, and or talent development, under the exchange programme;
• The EUROSAF Race Officials Committee intends to strengthen the exchange programme for umpires by connecting Member MNA umpire networks through EUROSAF and for measurers by connecting class associations and technical committees (measurers and equipment inspectors) through EUROSAF;
• The EUROSAF Race Officials Committee will from time to time publish a pitch book to share with event organizers and their Member MNAs to encourage race official invitations;

 
8. Disciplinary

• Performance reports of Race Officials, who in the opinion of the event, fail to perform to the required standard, should be submitted, in confidence, to the EUROSAF Race Officials’ Committee and to the Member MNA of that person. All such reports must be in writing and submitted by the Chairman of the Jury, Principal Race Officer, Chief Umpire, Chair of the Technical Committee, event organizing Committee or class association. The individual concerned must be consulted beforehand and informed of the reasons behind the report. A list of those Race Officials who repeatedly underperform in their duties will be established;
• A “black-list” of Race Officials, who have agreed to participate in the programme and subsequently (repeatedly) failed to take part in the assigned event(s), shall be established. Should a Race Official not participate in an assigned event, without giving due notice or reasonable excuse, or without trying to arrange a substitute, the event organizer, through its Member MNA, shall be entitled to submit the name of the Race Official, who will then be added to the “black-list”. Once a Race Official has had their name added to the “black-list” he or she will not be entitled to any assignments through this programme during the subsequent 3 years;
• Consideration will be given to the timeliness of the invitation from the event organizer when considering such a report. Should an event organizer continually make late requests for Race Officials, they too may have their name added to the “black-list”;
• Online feedback, as submitted to the EUROSAF Race Officials Committee shall be shared with the Member MNAs;

ANNEX – EVENT AND CANDIDATE INFORMATION

Event information

Candidate information