Communicator : MOC Newslatter 2014

THE ATHLETES’ COMMISSION 

Source: http://nocmalta.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ATHCOM-NEWSLETTER-07.141.pdf 

Towards the end of last year, the MOC President presented us with the responsibility to re-establish the MOC Athletes’ Commission in an effort to follow the suggestions of the International Olympic Committee which, in its 2000 reform, recommended that “athletes should be well represented at all levels of the sports movement including National Olympic Committees and National Federations/Associations”. Following these suggestions, the main role of the MOC Athletes’ Commission is to provide a means of ensuring that the MOC is aware of the opinions of current active athletes concerning major issues affecting the sport and to encourage each National Federation/Association affiliated with the MOC to form their own athletes’ commissions. Our objectives are: • To consider issues relating to athletes and to provide advice to the MOC; • To represent the rights and interests of athletes and to make related recommendations; and, • To maintain communication with the IOC Athletes’ Commission as well as the Athletes’ Commissions of the National Federations/Associations affiliated with the MOC. Within these objectives, the role of the Athletes’ Commission is to be involved with all matters concerning the athletes and specifically to: • See that systems for selection ensure that the best athletes represent Malta; • See that equal opportunities exist for athletes from all social backgrounds; • Ensure that no individual, organisation or authority attempts to prevent any athlete from participating in national and international events; • Encourage athletes to act as role models for young children; • Study eligibility rules; • Study and make reports on any athletes’ related matter referred to it by any competent organ of the MOC. Five Associations/Federations nominated athletes to be part of this Commission – two of which are female. A short profile of each member is being published in this newsletter. These members remain in office until the next MOC Elective Council of 2016 after which time the Athletes’ Commission should be made up only from athletes nominated by Associations/Federations that have established their own Athlete’s Commission. We are also hoping that in the same Elective Council an athlete would have been elected on the MOC Council with a right to vote. In these first six months we have met four times and the members on the Commission had the opportunity of discussing the athletes’ contract with Dr Sue Mercieca and suggest a few amendments. Another discussion evolved with Dr Olga Fedotkina Galea around the workings of the Functional Diagnostic Laboratory. In the forthcoming months we take on the baton that has been passed on to us by the MOC President. Furthermore, we invite all Maltese athletes (active and inactive) to on forward their own ideas on how we can be more effective in their regard. We want to be a “platform where the views of athletes are represented and the voice of the athletes can be heard”.

William Beck Chairperson, Athletes’ Commission

                                                       MEET THE COMMISSION 

Jean Claude Dimech has been training in Latin American Dance since 2009 when he competed for the first time under Bronze Level D Class (beginners level). He has been an active member of M.D.A since then, successfully setting up a voluntary program in 2010 called SKOLAZFIN with SkolaSajf Office to promote ballroom dance amongst Skolasajf students every summer. 

In 2009 Jean Claude placed first in the 8th Malta Open Amateur Competition Adult Latin in the Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba as well as Jive D Class categories. He mirrored theseresults the following year in the 16th Malta Closed Amateur Championships. Earlier that year and in 2011 Jean Claude achieved first place in the Adult C Class in the Malta Dancesport Cup National Competition. In the D-class he retained first place for Rumba and Jive whilst coming second in the Cha Cha and Samba. Still in 2011, he placed fourth in the Malta International Dance Festival and second in the 11th Malta Open Dancesport Championships. His last competitive achievement to date was in 2013 when he again placed second in the Malta Dancesport Cup National Competition. In March 2012 he was nominated Athletes’ Representative and worked extensively as a Delegate for Athletes, Education and Sports Promotion liasing with KMS and SkolaSajf office for MDA educational events. In June 2012 he completed the Pre-Tertiary Certificate in Foundations in Coaching at the University of Malta. He has been coaching with KMS in various venues and programs teaching educational ballroom dance since October 2011. At the moment he also teaches children, between 7 and 13 years of age, the basics of Latin American rhythms under the KMS Skolasport Programme. In the summer of 2013 he attended two major international training camps at Tallinn( (Estonia) and Caorle (Venice). This year, he completed the Coaching Program level 1 Instructor and level 2 Coach with the MOC Coaching Academy. At the moment he is additionally working on a personal thesis to examine and redefine the approach of Dancesport Teaching methodology to children.