6.6 Required NF Membership 75/25

[Secretary Man]

Membership classes and names have changed through all home nations. With different rights associated with the different classes, and names, of membership.
This leaves organisers with an uncertain position and difficulty of proof. This motion seeks to simplify the position in the rules, whilst the home nations sort out a consistent approach.

1.3.1 UK Only full members of National Associations with competition rights but including SCA Introductory Members and Canoe Club Youth Section members at Division 4 events only, have the right to participate in a national competition.
…
1.3.1.d UK Division 4 athletes must prove appropriate membership at the competition by showing their National Association membership card or Canoe Club Youth Section CW Associate membership card to the Organiser at times specified on the start list and advertised at a convenient location (e.g. control).
1.3.1.e UK At Division 4 competitions, an athlete not previously a member of a National Association may use the National Federation Taster form, where applicable, to apply for day membership at a standard cost of the National Association minimum plus £1 to be retained by the Organiser.
1.3.1.f UK If the appropriate membership card proof cannot be produced then membership must be purchased at the competition. Receipts for such membership must be issued and remain valid for competition for four weeks from date of issue. (Athletes who have to obtain duplicate membership will be refunded the amount paid less £1 by the National Association.)

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[CeeBee]

Currently this rules reads as
1.3 ATHLETE ELIGIBILITY FOR COMPETITION
1.3.1
UK Only full members of National Associations but including SCA Introductory Members and Canoe Club Youth Section members at Division 4 events only, have the right to participate in a national competition.
1.3.1.a UK All athletes, at the time of entry, must quote their current National Association number. All athletes must be paid-up members of one of the National Associations both at the date of entry and of the event for every competition they enter.
1.3.1.b UK Ranked athletes in all divisions, except Division 4, must prove membership of a National Association when applying for their competition bib. When membership for an athlete expires, the onus is on the athlete to prove membership to the relevant Ranking Compiler(s) to ensure that results from all events are counted for ranking, promotion and/or selection purposes. Failure to comply with this procedure will result in disqualification of relevant results.
1.3.1.c UK Newly promoted athletes, or others arriving without bibs (for whatever reason) must prove 0membership of their National Association by showing their current membership card to the Organiser (or an appointed deputy).
1.3.1.d UK Division 4 athletes must prove membership at the competition by showing their National Association membership card or Canoe Club Youth Section membership card to the Organiser at times specified on the start list and advertised at a convenient location (e.g. control).
1.3.1.e UK At Division 4 competitions, an athlete not previously a member of a National Association may use the National Federation Taster form to apply for day membership at a standard cost of the National Association minimum plus £1 to be retained by the Organiser.
1.3.1.f UK If the membership card cannot be produced then membership must be purchased at the competition. Receipts for such membership must be issued and remain valid for competition for four weeks from date of issue. (Athletes who have to obtain duplicate membership will be refunded the amount paid less £1 by the National Association.)
1.3.1.g UK Athletes who fail to prove membership as above will not have their results counted for ranking purposes and promotions gained will be invalid
UK An athlete having satisfied 1.3.1 is permitted to compete individually in a British Canoeing Competition.

With most paddlers entering online now and a bib system applying from Division 3 to premier, I would like to see this rule simplified as follows -

To compete in Premier, Division 1,2 and 3 races, you must be a member of a National Association (BC, Canoe Wales, CANI and SCA) and this membership must have competition rights. .

To compete in Division 4 (as an entry level event), you must satisfy one of the following –
• be a member of a National Association (BC, Canoe Wales, CANI and SCA) and this membership does not need to have competition rights OR
• be registered with the National Association as an associate club member of an affiliated club OR
• have day membership by completing the National Association taster form (this form covers you for competing on both days at a double Division 4)

We need to find ways to encourage paddlers to enter the sport without adding unnecessary costs in at entry level events. Those that are keen will get promoted to Division 3 and join their national association.

[JimW]

Honestly, this whole can of worms needs to be sorted out in detail and organisers given proper guiidance on which memberships they should be selling, because it really isn't clear. For example, do we sell the membership of the NF in whose jurisdiction the race is taking place, or do we sell the membership of the NF in whose jurisdiction the paddler resides - it is not always the same.

Also before we submit details for online entries (in lieu of a yearbook) next year, someone, ideally from SCA slalom committee, needs to put together some proper instructions for Scottish race organisers. SCA have had an event approvals system since 2015 which most of us knew nothing about which they have moved to an online form which needs to filled in in addition to gaining approval from BC slalom committee. My understanding is that essentially we just need to attach our existing RAs at the end of the form, but there is also a section about SCA advertising races which needs careful consideration to avoid the SCA online shop selling day memberships for div 3 races and above (where they aren't valid) and to ensure that it is clear to anyone purchasing a day membership for div 4 that it does not cover the event entry fee, only the insurance requirement. A newly promoted div 3 did turn up at a race this year having purchased a day membership thinking it was a race entry due to unclear communication, I really want to avoid that sort of thing in future.

[PeterC]

SCA now not issuing membership cards just digital confirmation.

[JimW]

SCA members can login to the portal before their renewal and specifically check a box to receive a card (at least I did at end of June 2022), but it is just a piece of paper now, not plasticised in any way (good for environment, poor for durability). I recommend everyone use this option to ensure it is not withdrawn in future. Forcing paddlers to digital confirmation only when so many of their own competitions take place at locations where checking online would be impossible is just stupid and should be resisted.

[CeeBee]

Why not make it even simpler and as part of entering Division 4 races, day membership and therefore insurance is included. I'm pretty sure that the insurance the club has for running and event covers anyone at the event.

This would cover and encourage paddlers to enter at Division 4 races which is really needed to encourage people into the sport. The more paddlers that enter at Div 4, the higher the conversion to actual governing body membership will be. The organising club have insurance why does the actual competitor needs insurance? I think it is down to protecting revenue for the governing body. It would only apply at taster level races for slalom i.e. Division 4.

I don't have insurance when I take part in swimming and exercise classes or indeed walking or cycling down the street.

A £5 day membership fee on top of a Division 4 entry fee is not exactly encouraging paddlers into the sport. As a member of an affiliated club, you pay for insurance for club members who are not individual members for the year. This looks like £2.20 per year. So even if we did charge day membership fees, a £1 fee would be more reasonable. One of the objectives of governing bodies after all is trying to encourage people into any of the many different types of canoeing.

For those who compete regularly, paying £45/£27 for Adult/Youth membership is accepted but actually high for what you get as paddlers only join through necessity. In Scotland, none of this membership fee supports slalom in any way so I do wonder what it is spent on.