Marcel Weigl: “Racketlon helps make this world a better place”
Nearly a year ago I handed over my FIR presidency, a few months later I laid down my duties as general secretary too. Since then I always had in mind to write a short paragraph thanking my companions over the last ten years and wishing my successors good luck, but I never did it. One of the reasons was probably, because I was not sure what role in Racketlon I would take in the future. Since a couple of weeks it is clear, I have decided to comeback as president of the RFA – RacketlonFederation of Austria and establish my country as a role model of Racketlondevelopment in the world. My national goal stays the same as was my international: bringing together people with different religions, languages and skin color through sport, is my contribution to make this world a better place to live on.
Special thanks to…..
Before I talk about the future I will now express my special thanks to Lennart Eklundh, who was at my side as vice-president for the whole period of 10 years and supported all my decisions, similar to Poku Salo. Secondly, it was Graham King whom I thank for taking the initiative and keeping FIR alive in the last year, when I was close to throwing everything down. Last but not least I thank my biggest critic Keith Lesser for opening my eyes and helping me to accept that some things will never become reality and that there will always be someone who knows a better way. Nevertheless, I would still take every single decision of my presidency the same way again.
Media, sponsorship and website with high priority
In the end I will not forget to thank Kresten Hougaard who choose to take over as president and wish his team and him that they can continue to work on the base I built up. There is a lot to do in the three-year period and one year is already over. The Council has been enlarged to 13 people and especially the areas concerning media and social media were put on the high priority agenda starting with a new website and a corporate identity. After the EU project was rejected, it will be even more important to find sponsors to be able to hold the budget. Although time is running fast the new team has my full trust and support and together with Radu Ionescu my contribution will be to continue working on the EU project.
Comeback as Austrian president
Austrias Racketlon president Martin Schifko (see pic left) did not stand for re-election at the AGM a couple of weeks ago, so I had the choice to quit Racketlon completely or to take care of my baby properly again. I could not resist and chose to take over Austria again to establish my country as a role model for Racketlon development in the world, where Michael Ebert (see pic right) an international expert of ITF – International Tennis Federation junior development has joined me in the RFA Council. We have views of building up an international Racketlon College and Training Centre at the venue of City and Country Club www.cityandcountry.at, where the next European Championships will be held from 25th of August to 2nd September 2017 and I have rented a premise at the venue for my www.racketlonshop.at. Finally and I need to finish my master thesis on “Racketlon in the EU” until the end of the year and that is why I have the decided for the first time after 10 years to NOT travel to the world championships. I wish everyone good luck and a good time!
Marcel Weigl
RFA-President
weigl@racketlon.at
