• Message from Cenek Kepak

First of all, let me to express my congratulations and satisfaction with your work as editor of Air Sports International. Throu this magazin I keep informed about the activities of FAI.

I am writing about the History of the World Air Games, published by FAI on Internet pages, and in your magazin too. Even that the history of FAI is not the priority of FAI actual activities. I do not want to interfere into the actual policy of the FAI, but I can say a lot about the past time. I have following comments:

1. I believe, that WAG will become more an more important in the future for economic and promotional reasons. That the common effort will strengthen the unity of all aeronautical sports and that the role of the FAI as a coordinating body will play important role. Since the beginning of the project, I was of the opinion, that WAG are not the product of one person, but the result of enormous contribution and effort of many people, directly or indirectly involved.

The idea of more air sport events was discussed by several FAI delegates. As I remembre, Belgian general DuBonnet in l982 made a proposal to the FAI Council to organise Air Games, but et that time, it seemed not to be realistic. No one member of the FAI wanted to deal with this idea. In 1984 o 1985, the flying enthusiasts from Grenoble wanted to organize a meeting of more than one aeronautical sport. All discussions were theoretical only, and without FAI participation, as many other discussions.

The development of the idea of the WAG should be seen in close connection with the situation in the FAI at that time. Sporting Commissions played more and more important role, but the conservative Status of the FAI recognized them as advisory bodies of the FAI Council only. Et least gliding, hang gliding and Ballooning Commissions dreamt about independence out of FAI. Parachuting Commission supposed parachuting to become part of summer Olympic Games. FAI had financial troubles and there were no profit from FAI sports and other FAI activities.

Et the same time, the permanent conflict between Aeroclub de France and strong UFFACE became open. The similar conflict existed in Spain, Brazil, Belgium and some other countries. FAI was in the delicate situation to satisfactory resolve all these problems of FAI memberships.

It became vital for the FAI to do something to strenthen unity of all air sports, to maintain FAI as one international air sport organization and to get more money for FAI budget and for Air sport Commissions. The important steps were changes in new FAI Statues. Than, the FAI needed the common activity, unifying its effort. General conference 1987 held in Sweden, made important decisions in this way.

2. If we really want to be exact in the description of the history of the FAI World Air Games, /and we should be/, the milestones and steps should be exactly mentioned and the role of persons should be neglected. The role of different actors was of different importance and it would be better not to mention anyone and state the important decisions of the FAI General Conferences and Councils only.

3. Two month before the General Conference in Sweden, having on mind all continuities, I had a lot of discussions with the President of Aeroklub de France Richard Fenwick, concerning the possibility to organize in France, together with French air sport organizations, the multi air sport event. My intention was to settle at least two problems, both in France and FAI. My idea was to organize a mediated event, which will push different air sports to cooperate and not to fight against FAI. My intention was to maintain the unity of all air sportsman and stop the development, aiming to the destruction of the FAI, which was real danger. Richard Fenwick understood my intention and agreed to try to speak to UFFACE. He promised me to announce publicly at the General Conference, that the Aeroclub of France is ready to organize first multi air sport event in France. This happened during the summer of the year 1987 and no one was informed. Just before the Conference, I drafted the proposal in writing and I informed FAI president. He accepted the idea and agreed to present the paper for discussion to the Group of Presidents. In the Minutes you can read a result.

In the Minutes from the meeting of the group of presidents of FAI International Committees held the 7th September 1987 in Sweden, under the point 6, you can read:

The group considered a proposal for organizing an international meeting of air sports. The project and possibilities of organizing has been investigated for a considerable time.

The group resolved to propose to the General Conference:

To agree the concept of organizing at regular intervals a multi sport event to include aerial activities of not less than seven different FAI sporting commissions. Such events are not to be staged during Olympic year. The project is to be known, initially at least, as FAI ICARUS GAMES.

The group is aware that France is prepared to organize the first of this event and recommends to the General Conference to approve this application.

However, if during the preparation of this first event it is found that it is impractical to proceed, FAI Council shall take appropriate steps.

4. Under the point 7.2.1. of the list of resolutions from the FAI General Conference, held in Sweden in September 1987, you can read as follows: Resolved, that the concept of organizing at regular intervals a multi/sport event which includes aerial activities of not less than seven different Committees is approved. Such events are not to be staged during summer Olympic years. The project is to be known, innicially at least, as F.A.I. "Icarus Games.

Under the point 7.2.2.,France was prepared to arrange the first of these events and the general Conference this approved.

These decisions should be considered as a turning point in the history of FAI. The program of WAG helped to unify FAI and helped to find coexistence of French Aeroclub and UFFACE. It opened the way to organize World Air Games. The published history of the beginning of WAG is not correct.

5. During following two years, the process of concrete discussions started. The decision to organize I.WAG in Province of Midi-Pyrénees /Toulousse/, was announced for the first time at the FAI General Conference in Varna in September 1989 by the new president of French Aeroclub Mr. Tessier. The FAI GC under the point 10/3 of the Minutes resolved, that the First World Air Games be held in the Region Midi-Pyrennes in September 1991. The text of the published history is not correct.

6. In the Minutes from the FAI Council, held in February 1990, under the point 4, you can read: "The FAI President Informed the Council that, in accordance with the decision of the 82nd General Conference in Varna, the joint meeting of FAI Officials with Presidents of FAI Air Sport Commissions, the responsible persons of the Council of the Midi-Pyrenees Provincial District, of the French Ministry of Transport, of the French Ministry of Sports, of the Aeroclub of France, Presidents of French Air Sports Federations and UFFACE, was held on the 6th and 7th of February 1990 in Toulousse. All participants of this meeting expressed their wish "to go?.

7. As Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council was not in a position to organize the 1st WAG in 1991, asked to postpone them to 1993. But the FAI GC resolved, "that the request of the Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council to organize the first World Air Games in France in 1993 not be accepted and that the First Word Air Games be organized in 1995 in Greece. What was the real reason for this decision? We can only speculate, but one of reasons could be, that FAI Air Sport Commissions and NAC,s were not prepared to accept new format of air sport events with limited participation of best sportsman only, proposed by the organizer and that FAI needed more time to adapt.

With compliments

JUDr.Cenek Kepak
President of Honor of the FAI