Is the International Canoe Federation Open to Change?

Article by Keith Lyons http://keithlyons.me/open-to-change/

His exhortation for the ICF to be much more pro-active in change:

“I do think we have an important window of conscience available to us in canoeing. We should mind the gender gap as a moral imperative. ‘Mind’ in the sense of thinking deeply and ‘mind’ in terms of being concerned about decisions and their consequences.”

The ICF said “No changes for Rio 2016”.   No changes after being in the IOC’s “Bottom 5” - with Wrestling - in February 2013. The IOC Olympic Program review will begin after the Rio Olympic Games.

This is what they will see from Olympic Canoeing:

• 16 events/330 athletes quota (cap).
• 5 events for women, 11 for men.
• 5 Canoe events, 11 Kayak events.
• 0 women’s canoe events - a streak going strong for 89 years.
• Twice as many male athletes as female athletes.
• Twice as many Gold medals for men than for women.
• Women race 1/2 the distance of the men.

Where are the women in Olympic Canoeing?

Where is the Canoeing in Olympic Canoeing?

This is the picture the ICF wants to give to the IOC Program Review team.   

The ICF slogan is “Always Moving Forward”.     Seriously?