Welcome to the city of Lahti

It gives me great pleasure to welcome one and all, athletes, officials, accompanying persons and guests, to this XVIIIth – World Masters Athletics Statia Championships in the city of Lahti, Finland. We, the WMA Council, have great expectations for these Championships.

You will find that Lahti has all the necessary infrastructure and facilities to succesfully host an event this nature. In addition, the weather and climatic conditions during Championships are predicted to encourage excellent performances.

This aside, I am pleased to state that in Lahti the “hands on” expertise of both the members of the Organising Committee and their Finnish affiliate augurs well for a most successfull Championships. However, despite this, the WMA Council will be on hand to assist whenever and wherever required.

Turning now to WMA, past present and future, I am aware that little or no recognition has been given by the affiliates and athletes to the work done and the time devoted to WMA affairs by the WMA Council. Possibly there exists misconception amongst affiliates and their athletes that serving on the Council is a license to “free lunches”. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that the majority of the Council member are in full-time employment and make enormous sacrifices both in terms of time and loss of income in order to discharge their numerous and often onerous duties. Not a single Council member is paid for his/her time or services. Many of them fly to various destinations on Council business at the lowest available economic airfares and they often do so at very short notice, as the need arises.

As we now approach a WMA election year at the Lahti General Assembly, thought must given to the fact that the Council is “top heave” age-wise with an average age of members in their middle sixties. Surely the time has come for young, experienced and enthuastic people to stand for election to Council offices! This is all the more so with all elected Council offices up for election, whilst a number of them will not be contested by the present incumbents who will have served the limit of their terms in office.

I, for my part, make it clear that I will not be standing for election to any Council office. This decision is consistent with my call for younger and experienced potential office bearers to come forward for election to Council offices.

I end with wishing all athletes succesful and injury free perfomances and the achieving of personal best results.

Monty Hacker
WMA President (Acting)