In the interest of keeping all Shufflers informed, President Zellner has agreed to the posting of his letter, below.  It was, yesterday, sent to all ISA Board Members.  **

 

Dear National Presidents and ISA Board Members,

 

As you are all aware, the ISA had to make a decision by May 31, 2013  whether to renew our membership to remain in TAFISA or let it expire.   I placed this decision in the hands of the voting Board Members and

on June 3, 2013 the final results indicate your desire is to NOT  RENEW our membership by 5:2 with one nation abstaining. My vote as President was not necessary since  it would not affect the outcome.

 

I believe the principal deciding factor for NON RENEWAL was the doubt that  it would be cost effective for the ISA to continue.  To date the  ISA has paid TAFISA Membership Dues in the amount of $450 usd for 2011 and $450 for 2012 and this would continue for upcoming years 2013,  2014, 2015 and  2016 when the next 6th TAFISA World Sports Event is scheduled to take place in Indonesia.  Trip reports from the past delegates to Lithuania were also instrumental in  making their decision.  Many including myself, doubt seriously that  the ISA would be able to support the 2016 TAFISA event in  Indonesia with a delegation due to its very far distance and need to ship courts  and equipment there at ISA expense; it is a volitle location for westerners;  travel arrangments to Indonesia will be so expensive; questionable  living conditions provided for our delegation; and finally all this  for just another 1 day exibit of shuffleboad. 

 

I know I speak for all when I say Dieter Hussmann, has done an outstanding  job and should be commended for his efforts in assisting myself and the ISA  with the TAFISA initiative for the past 2 1/2 years. I also thank each and every  one of the ISA voting board members for their participation. Without you, this  democratic process cannot work. The ISA has always been and will continue to be  an organization based on democratic principles where the will of the  majority determine our course.

For those of you who may be upset with this decision, I ask that you do not  shoot the messenger.

 

Sincerely,

 

Prof. Michael Robert Zellner

ISA President

** If you wish to review articles about our trip to Lithuania, and to TAFISA, CLICK: https://theshuffler.net/category/tafisa-lithuania/