IDSF Implements Pilot Project For
New Method Of Selecting IDSF Panels

The IDSF has for some time been seeking a more transparent way to select adjudicating panels for its championships. In line with this objective, the IDSF Sports Director announced at the 2006 IDSF AGM that beginning in 2007 the selection of adjudicators for IDSF Championships/Cups would in future be by draw.

Immediately following the AGM, the IDSF Presidium agreed on a pilot project to implement this new system of selecting IDSF panels. The procedure for the pilot project is that first a pool of adjudicators from each country would be selected for 2007.

Second, countries would be selected on agreed criteria for each championship. Third, specific adjudicators from the nominated countries would be randomly selected from the agreed pool of adjudicators.

The Presidium set a target date of end August for the implementation of this pilot project covering the first three IDSF Championships scheduled in 2007, so that the results could be reviewed by the IDSF Managing Committee at its September meeting. To achieve this target date, two project groups were established by the Presidium.

The first project group (consisting of the IDSF Sports Director, the IDSF Education Director and the IDSF General Secretary) was tasked with the selection of the pool of Adjudicator’s to be used for IDSF panels for 2007. The second project group (consisting of Drago Sulek [Slovenia], Grethe Andersen [Norway] and IDSF Presidium Member Shawn Tay) was tasked with preparing the criteria for the selection of countries and with selecting the countries for the first three Championships in 2007 based on those criteria.

These two project groups have achieved their targets and on the occasion of the German Open Championships in Stuttgart, the nomination by draw was conducted for the first three IDSF Championships scheduled in 2007, following the agreed procedure. The procedure was observed by delegates of the IDSF and the IDSF German Member-Federation DTV.

This system will be reviewed and decided on by the IDSF Managing Committee Meeting at its September meeting in Barcelona. The experience of the first drawing will be taken into consideration.

The IDSF acknowledges the difficulty in selecting adjudicating panels that meet the many conflicting demands of all interested parties. But nonetheless the IDSF is committed to working to improve both the transparency of the selection process, and the neutrality and quality of its panels.

This project to improve the transparency of the selection of IDSF adjudicating panels, stands separate from other projects and programs that the IDSF is working on to attack bias in judging results and raise the skill level of all IDSF licensed adjudicators. For more detail on this please see our website www.idsf.net

Dr. Johannes Biba
IDSF Communications Director
30 August 2006