By ETU
05.06.2004
ETU plans to establish a number of 'A-class tournaments' in order to provide a basis for a future ranking system for athletes in different weight categories. At the board meeting in Lillehammer a proposal of the ETU Tournament Committee has been discussed.
This proposal describes the conditions under which any ETU member national federation can apply for the recognition of its national tournament as 'A-class'. The proposed conditions are:
- At least 15 participating countries (based on the last three years of this tournament)
- 50% of the officiating referees must be WTF IR's
- An ETU delegate must control the tournament
- The 'A-class' contract with ETU must be signed
- A deposit of currently € 1.000.- must be transferred to ETU
Not more than eight tournaments should be recognized as 'A-class' every year. For the season 2004/2005 the following tournaments have been proposed to be 'A-class':
- Swedish Open (Malmö,Oct.17th 2004)
- Spanish Open (Madrid, Nov. 20th-21st 2004)
- French Open (Paris, Dec. 4th-5th 2004)
- Dutch Open (Eindhoven, Feb. 12th-13th 2005)
- Belgium Open (Herentals, March 4th-6th 2005)
- Croatian Open (to be announced)
- German Open (to be announced)
- one more still to be decided
In 2005 those eight National Federations will not have to sign the ETU contract and also the deposit needs not to be paid. In 2006 the deposit still needs not to be paid but the ETU contract has to be signed by the applicant National Federations. From 2006 on the proposed rules will govern any application (ETU contract and deposit).
