Athletics does its personal best to change

The mood for change hung in the air at the Bord Luthchleas na hEireann (BLE) annual congress in Tralee at the weekend. It may be a tad unfair to say that the country's administrators have been dragged punching and kicking into the professional era - which was embraced far more readily by the athletes themselves - but veiled threats and financial carrots can perform wonders.

So it was that a report from consultants Deloitte & Touche advocating change, not just cosmetic alterations, but a radical overhaul, got the delegates' adrenaline pumping as easily as a 10-mile run. And, for good measure, there was a healthy diet of elections to keep them on their toes.

Nick Davis, a popular choice as president for a two-year term, indeed, advocated that they should embrace change to "help shape the future." And it was ironic, in a way, that these very words were being digested by the assembled delegates yesterday at a time when Catherina McKiernan, one of those athletes who has blossomed in the new commercial era, was in the midst of winning the London Marathon. On a light note, Davis even asked speaking delegates towards the end of congress to record "personal bests in the context of speeches" to enable everyone to watch the closing stages of the race on Eurosport - they succeeded. Davis, who was attracted to athletics after watching the 1964 Olympics on a grainy, black and white television screen, said the consultants' report (which will be discussed by the various regions with a possible special congress later this year) outlined some potential changes to BLE's structures. "Firmly held beliefs tend to stick with us unless we challenge them . . . if we stand back, can we say how different our clubs, county boards or regional councils were to 20 or 30 years ago?" asked Davis.

He added: "Athletics has moved forward due to coaches and athletes being unafraid to explore unknown territories in the context of technique and methodology. Commercialism has become a major factor. If the sport we serve has changed, should we not? Can we not embrace change to help shape the future?"

Delegates to the congress were warned by Mahon Murphy of Deloitte & Touche that they needed a new "slimmed down" executive with a full-time chief executive, a salaried marketing and public relations director and more full-time coaches. "You need an organisation that's efficient and focused," he said.

In fact, John Treacy, the chief executive of the Irish Sports Council, who opened congress on Saturday, also emphasised the importance of BLE developing their strategic plans. "It must be proactive and needs to meet the challenges from and compete with other interests for people's leisure time," said Treacy, telling them that funding will be based on close scrutiny of the organisation's goals and objectives.

Strangely, there was a remarkable lack of enthusiasm for debate at Saturday's opening session, which prompted one delegate, Kay Guy, to remark: "I was amazed at the apathy and lethargy." However, an open forum at the start of the second session focused minds, with Meath delegate Sean Cooney stating that "we've got to get our act together for the future."

Guy didn't pull any punches either. "God help her or him (the new chief executive), but they've got Mount Everest to climb," she said, arguing that they should perhaps take a leaf from the GAA's book in the way they manage to obtain "funding, public awareness, and TV and media awareness."

Generally, the mood among the delegates was that the consultants' report merited discussion and debate, although Munster chairman Paul O'Connor contested the "negative vibes" which it created. "We're not as bad as all that. If we've won some 52 medals since 1967, we're doing something right. We shouldn't go overboard," he said.

Yet, even in the elections, there seemed a mood for change with many younger people attempting to win positions. Indeed, race walker Pierce O'Callaghan, a 22year-old UCD student, became the youngest member of the management committee when voted on as international athlete representative.

Elsewhere, Tipperary native Liam Hennessy, the long-serving national secretary, defeated O'Connor by 119 votes to 40 for the position of vice-president, while Cork-born Michael Quinlan retained the treasurer's position, beating Dave Evans by 116 votes to 42. Dermot Nagle won the three-way contest for national secretary, beating his nearest challenger Andy Hallissey (Waterford) by 98 votes to 52 on the second count. Chris Wall was returned unopposed as international secretary.

Meanwhile, a Dublin motion condemning the decision of the IAAF to reduce the ban on athletes who proved positive in doping-control tests from four to two years and calling on that decision to be rescinded was passed unanimously and will be forwarded by BLE to the IAAF international congress in Seville next year.