Thanks to d1jinx for posting this in the other thread. I just thought I would give it its own thread.
http://usa-taekwondo.us/news/2010/02/04/usat-referee-chair-speaks-out/31482
USAT Referee Chair Speaks Out
February 04, 2010
February 2, 2010
Dear Taekwondo Referee Community:
Normally, I wouldn't respond to a letter such as the one Mr. Friello recently sent to the leaders of the AAU Taekwondo program. I will not comment on statements he made about which I have no personal knowledge, but I would like to set the record straight on the things he said about me.
Mr. Friello accused me of trying to recruit officials from his program. This is simply not true.
Without naming individuals (for fear of retaliation against them), several AAU referees have told me that they would like to gain more experience, and would referee at USAT events if they didn't have to start at the bottom of our certification ladder. We also had a certified AAU official recently attend one of our referee development camps at the Olympic Training Center.
Looking for a way to extend a welcome to these individuals, I spoke with AAU Referee Chair, Mr. Chuong Pham, and discussed ideas about how AAU certification might be recognized by USAT in a way that was fair to these officials; this is not unlike what the AAU has done for USAT referees in the past. In discussing this issue with Mr. Pham he asked if it would be a requirement that AAU officials support the USAT National Championships and Junior Olympics. My response to him was NO. USAT referees have many opportunities during the calendar year to support sanctioned USAT events to advance their certification, and requirements would be the same for AAU officials as for other USAT referees. Again as Mr. Pham your referee chairman knows, my goal was strictly to extend an olive branch out to the AAU referee program. I wanted to try and get past some of the bad blood from the past, and was looking forward to some of the things that he and I might accomplish together.
I find it interesting that Mr. Friello seems so outraged that I should try to recruit "his" officials, after I was very diligently recruited in 2004 to assist Mr. Blair and Ms. Cerami with the AAU program-which I gladly did. Around that time, Mr. Pham and I helped to identify a number of senior USAT referees who participated in AAU Nationals and Team Trials. It was the AAU referee chairman at the time that mailed me a video of his hand signals to verify if they were correct. Mr. Friello then offered me all my airfare, hotel expenses and the normal per diem and asked me, "Please do not tell the other AAU officials because they pay for their own hotel rooms." And Mr. Giambi approached me and paid me to come to Texas a couple years in a row to help the AAU officials-which I was glad to do.
In fact, I joined the AAU, registered my school, and paid for the supplemental insurance. While I chose not to renew my membership seven months ago, for the last several years I have supported AAU at local events in Kentucky and Ohio. Recognizing that the only way to improve your game is to practice, I've refereed at a number of AAU events, as have several of the USAT Referee Vice-Chairs. When I first started to referee in the AAU and my rank was kindly recognized by the organization, I was asked why USAT did not have a reciprocal policy of recognition. I feel my team and I were able to put together a solution for that question, and were planning to announce it soon on the USAT website. My personal involvement in AAU's major events stopped a few years ago. I was told that Mr. Friello did not want me involved anymore, because I made a suggestion to him that I felt would help improve their events.
I feel strongly that most of us who continue in Taekwondo, whether it be in USAT or AAU or both, do so because we love the art; we enjoy the game. In my experience, most of us are not at all of the "what's in it for me" school. I want to make it clear to everyone in the AAU-many of whom are long-time friends and associates-that it has never been my intention to diminish the AAU program in any way, only to offer a hand of fellowship. I'm disappointed that my attempts to extend an olive branch to AAU referees in order to help them achieve their personal goals were interpreted by Mr. Friello as an attack on the AAU organization-and hope that others don't share his viewpoint.
That said, many of us are left speechless by Mr. Friello's rant. I simply can't imagine that in "the land of the free," a person in a position of leadership in a non-profit organization can get away with telling his members that if they officiate at another organization's event that they are "done." Personally, I would never dream of telling any USAT referee they could not support AAU.
The door is still open; and free will still rules in America.
Sincerely,
John Seiber
USA Taekwondo
Referee Chairman
Addendum:
David Askinas, USAT CEO, has asked me to include the following addendum to this letter:
I have seen Mr. Friello's letter and like Mr. Seiber, I have found the content and tone of the letter to be very troubling. As the USAT is an open organization which welcomes all, we are surprised to see any organization claim ownership over referees, coaches or athletes. No one can claim athletes, coaches or referees as their "own" as they are all free to come and go as they please and enjoy the benefits of participation in many taekwondo organizations.
I did not request that Coach Tubbs or Coach Limas leave AAU. I have spoken with both of them over the years and told them I would like to see them involved with our national team coaching programs. They are quality coaches and quality people that we respect. They are again, free to associate with any Taekwondo associations they see fit on a non-exclusive basis. They are always welcome at our events.
The same holds true for referees. We are an open organization that does not restrict access to qualified individuals that want to become involved in our programs. With regard to the IR seminar held in Chicago as referenced by Mr. Friello, I did not call anyone from PATU to ban anyone from the event. Admission to WTF IR seminars are open to USAT A level referees that have applied to the WTF through the USAT office. The National Governing Body's signature is required for the application to be approved by the WTF. That is the process and when qualified officials apply their applications are given prompt consideration. As I recall the persons noted did not meet the requirements for the course.
USA Taekwondo remains open to and welcomes all athletes, referees and coaches. We do not blackball referees, coaches or athletes and are required under the Amateur Sports Act to act in a non-discriminatory fashion to all participants. We take that responsibility seriously and do not stray from those principles. Mr. Seiber has articulated that point quite well and I agree wholeheartedly with his comments.
Sincerely,
David Askinas, CEO
USA Taekwondo
The National Governing Body for Taekwondo
Member, USOC
http://usa-taekwondo.us/news/2010/02/04/usat-referee-chair-speaks-out/31482
USAT Referee Chair Speaks Out
February 04, 2010
USA Taekwondo Referee Chair John Seiber Looks to Expand Opportunities Within the USAT Referee System
USAT CEO David Askinas Reaffirms the Rights of all Referees, Athletes and Coaches to Freely Participate in USA Taekwondo
February 2, 2010
Dear Taekwondo Referee Community:
Normally, I wouldn't respond to a letter such as the one Mr. Friello recently sent to the leaders of the AAU Taekwondo program. I will not comment on statements he made about which I have no personal knowledge, but I would like to set the record straight on the things he said about me.
Mr. Friello accused me of trying to recruit officials from his program. This is simply not true.
Without naming individuals (for fear of retaliation against them), several AAU referees have told me that they would like to gain more experience, and would referee at USAT events if they didn't have to start at the bottom of our certification ladder. We also had a certified AAU official recently attend one of our referee development camps at the Olympic Training Center.
Looking for a way to extend a welcome to these individuals, I spoke with AAU Referee Chair, Mr. Chuong Pham, and discussed ideas about how AAU certification might be recognized by USAT in a way that was fair to these officials; this is not unlike what the AAU has done for USAT referees in the past. In discussing this issue with Mr. Pham he asked if it would be a requirement that AAU officials support the USAT National Championships and Junior Olympics. My response to him was NO. USAT referees have many opportunities during the calendar year to support sanctioned USAT events to advance their certification, and requirements would be the same for AAU officials as for other USAT referees. Again as Mr. Pham your referee chairman knows, my goal was strictly to extend an olive branch out to the AAU referee program. I wanted to try and get past some of the bad blood from the past, and was looking forward to some of the things that he and I might accomplish together.
I find it interesting that Mr. Friello seems so outraged that I should try to recruit "his" officials, after I was very diligently recruited in 2004 to assist Mr. Blair and Ms. Cerami with the AAU program-which I gladly did. Around that time, Mr. Pham and I helped to identify a number of senior USAT referees who participated in AAU Nationals and Team Trials. It was the AAU referee chairman at the time that mailed me a video of his hand signals to verify if they were correct. Mr. Friello then offered me all my airfare, hotel expenses and the normal per diem and asked me, "Please do not tell the other AAU officials because they pay for their own hotel rooms." And Mr. Giambi approached me and paid me to come to Texas a couple years in a row to help the AAU officials-which I was glad to do.
In fact, I joined the AAU, registered my school, and paid for the supplemental insurance. While I chose not to renew my membership seven months ago, for the last several years I have supported AAU at local events in Kentucky and Ohio. Recognizing that the only way to improve your game is to practice, I've refereed at a number of AAU events, as have several of the USAT Referee Vice-Chairs. When I first started to referee in the AAU and my rank was kindly recognized by the organization, I was asked why USAT did not have a reciprocal policy of recognition. I feel my team and I were able to put together a solution for that question, and were planning to announce it soon on the USAT website. My personal involvement in AAU's major events stopped a few years ago. I was told that Mr. Friello did not want me involved anymore, because I made a suggestion to him that I felt would help improve their events.
I feel strongly that most of us who continue in Taekwondo, whether it be in USAT or AAU or both, do so because we love the art; we enjoy the game. In my experience, most of us are not at all of the "what's in it for me" school. I want to make it clear to everyone in the AAU-many of whom are long-time friends and associates-that it has never been my intention to diminish the AAU program in any way, only to offer a hand of fellowship. I'm disappointed that my attempts to extend an olive branch to AAU referees in order to help them achieve their personal goals were interpreted by Mr. Friello as an attack on the AAU organization-and hope that others don't share his viewpoint.
That said, many of us are left speechless by Mr. Friello's rant. I simply can't imagine that in "the land of the free," a person in a position of leadership in a non-profit organization can get away with telling his members that if they officiate at another organization's event that they are "done." Personally, I would never dream of telling any USAT referee they could not support AAU.
The door is still open; and free will still rules in America.
Sincerely,
John Seiber
USA Taekwondo
Referee Chairman
Addendum:
David Askinas, USAT CEO, has asked me to include the following addendum to this letter:
I have seen Mr. Friello's letter and like Mr. Seiber, I have found the content and tone of the letter to be very troubling. As the USAT is an open organization which welcomes all, we are surprised to see any organization claim ownership over referees, coaches or athletes. No one can claim athletes, coaches or referees as their "own" as they are all free to come and go as they please and enjoy the benefits of participation in many taekwondo organizations.
I did not request that Coach Tubbs or Coach Limas leave AAU. I have spoken with both of them over the years and told them I would like to see them involved with our national team coaching programs. They are quality coaches and quality people that we respect. They are again, free to associate with any Taekwondo associations they see fit on a non-exclusive basis. They are always welcome at our events.
The same holds true for referees. We are an open organization that does not restrict access to qualified individuals that want to become involved in our programs. With regard to the IR seminar held in Chicago as referenced by Mr. Friello, I did not call anyone from PATU to ban anyone from the event. Admission to WTF IR seminars are open to USAT A level referees that have applied to the WTF through the USAT office. The National Governing Body's signature is required for the application to be approved by the WTF. That is the process and when qualified officials apply their applications are given prompt consideration. As I recall the persons noted did not meet the requirements for the course.
USA Taekwondo remains open to and welcomes all athletes, referees and coaches. We do not blackball referees, coaches or athletes and are required under the Amateur Sports Act to act in a non-discriminatory fashion to all participants. We take that responsibility seriously and do not stray from those principles. Mr. Seiber has articulated that point quite well and I agree wholeheartedly with his comments.
Sincerely,
David Askinas, CEO
USA Taekwondo
The National Governing Body for Taekwondo
Member, USOC
Last edited:
