A Subject of the Conflict

At the WAF Congress (Brazil 2012) new authorities were chosen.

Next, the new President of the WAF, Assen Hadjitodorov got to know that the right to the domain: www.worldarmwrestlingfederation.com belong to Alain Blanchard. Alain Blanchard suggested various ways of making the page accessible for the new authorities against financial benefits for him, in correspondence with Assen Hadjitodorov.

There is no court in the world that could decide this question!

But this case has to be solved as the disruptions in communication of armwrestlers from all around the world seem to be even a sabotage and blackmail.

Our community meet just once a year and for the rest of the time they are convicted to correspondence and… presumptions. That is why it is necessary to present all the WAF members, players, referees, organizers the whole situation and hear out their opinions.

Let’s refer to some example.

Let’s assume that the WAF authorities (by the knowledge and acceptance of the members) would buy the “X” president a business car to make it easier for him to fulfill their function. The elections came and someone else would became the president. But if the former “X” president drove away you could just run a wild-goose chase…

I guess none of you doubt that it would be a theft.

By dint of the international structure of the Federation, catching and putting a theft in jail could take a lot of time, but the car would return to a legal owner anyway.

Just as data of particular national federations. There is no possibility that the leaving president could hide all the addresses and telephones is his pocket and said that the new one is suppose to prepare his own database.

So the issue of the domain cannot be treated in the same way?

Is the new “phenomenon” called the internet steps out of these rules and regulations?

In my opinion, in every social situation, as the “new” phenomenon appears the legal rules should be applied to. Even Roman law…

Armwrestling and Roman Law

 Presenting our sport, we underline that it is one of the oldest forms of rivalry and strength testing. If we can presume that the ancient Romans were arm wrestling, let’s be consequent! They must have known one of the basic rule of the Roman law which is: “to a willing person, injury is not done” (Latin: “Volenti non fit iniuria”).

 In case of the ownership rights to the WAF page [domain], this principle should be explained as follows:

- Dear Mr Alain Blanchard! You’ve done your work consisting in making www.worldarmwrestlingfederation.com website. Then for a given period of time you were working for the development of this website. You were doing it VOLUNTAIRLY!

No one forced you to do that!

 I do not even taking into account the possibility that “anyone” could register the address of the domain essential for WAF activity, counting on further benefits from such action.

Even more, I do not take into consideration that you could have had such intention.

Referring to the important principle of Roman law should be enough to solve the case of the ownership of the WAF and effectively end up the whole thing. The website: www.worldarmwrestlingfederation.com belongs to the Federation and is run by its current authorities, elected during the Congress in Brazil.

It is over and done.

Armwrestling and the Democracy

However I do predict a situation that Mr Alain Blanchard would like to refer to some other regulations, to convince our community of his arguments..

So let’s think, what is the World Armwrestling Federation? What are its goals?

I will start by saying that people want to practice Armwrestling in many countries. To make it possible to be done in better sports and organizational form an ASSOCIATION was created. The association, so an organization of a democratic and elective structure. There are some differences in the details of it in each country, but the basic aim of the national federations existence is the possibility of UNEQUIVOCAL selection of the best athletes in the country  and enabling them to participate in – as unambiguous – international competition.

The national associations created the WAF together. The only important goal of the WAF that can be framed in a specific verification is a unequivocal selection of the best world competitors.

It's all happening due to democratic and elective principles. It must be so, just because ... it cannot be otherwise!

Everything, all the strength and money that the WAF has gained serve all the members of the community to fulfil its statutory objectives!

No one has had the right to imagine that he can fulfil a function until the end of life.

The more so as no one working for the WAF is working for themselves, but for those who choose them for a given period.

All " material goods " connected with the WAF - are the property of the WAF and no one else’s, no matter how they were introduced to the Federation.

We cannot imagine a situation in which the outgoing President will continue to use a stamp saying "The President Joe College". If a new President is chosen, he orders a new stamp and the outgoing one should destroy his or return it to the new authorities.

I cannot see the difference between the formal, name stamp and the domain!

Is the above argument convincing for you - the players, trainers, referees and members of the national federations around the world? I hope so.

Again, there is no such a court that could solve this issue.

We have to deal with it ourselves!

We also have to make provisions for similar situations that may arise in the future.

We are a group, a community that draws joy from international competition. We meet to fight, but also for friendships that are formed in our circle. This is our prize, our achievement, our way of life. It goes beyond the sport.

Let's take care of our Federation!

Dear Readers! Above, I have presented my point of view. I am very curious to see what you thnik of it. So, please comment.

PeSzy