Chapter 14
AIMS stands for Association of Independent Members of SportAccord. As described earlier, it can be seen as the remaining sports in the structure of the IOC, IWGA and SportAccord.
Several of the martial arts and combat sports are member of AIMS: Kendo, Muay Thai, Sambo, Aikido, etc.
As described AIMS started off without much of a goal, but it found it’s goal when Mr Stephan Fox from Muay Thai became chairman. His position is also general secretary of Muay Thai, and he is an energetic and pragmatic official who will get things done. When he became chairman of AIMS he started to work diligently to make AIMS the steppingstone for members to IOC recognition (ARISF: Association of Recognized International Sport Federation; ic. recognized by IOC).
He quickly found out that eventhough Muay Thai is no small organization, it did not meet the standards of the IOC. So, as he set to work on recognition, he learned what it implies to meet the standards. And he decided that this effort should be shared with the other sports in AIMS.
When SportAccord collapsed, he made a heroic effort to protect the members of AIMS. He started negotiations to get IOC recognition for AIMS, and as such protect AIMS members from the consequences if SportAccord would lose its power of cease to exist. He phrased his intentions at different occasions, and stressed to the AIMS members that on the one hand this recognition by the IOC implies access to IOC resources, NOC resources and such, but on the other hand does not give individual recognition to sports. Aikido can not claim to be IAF recognized, but it can make that claim through its membership of AIMS*.
On the other hand, he clearly stated the consequences he sees that follow from IOC recognition. There are two major lines. The first line is that other sports that want IOC recogntion now have a clear path. They can prepare within AIMS. AIMS will support the process and will work closely with ARISF to achieve such recognition.
The second line is that the sports that do not seek IOC recognition will still have to live up to the standards of the IOC. His work to get us recognized have therefore raised the bar for Aikido to meet the IOC standards.
The first question we asked, was what does that imply. It goes too far for here to go into detail, but looking at the Olympic Charter and the Olympic Agenda was given as advice to get started.
And this is one of the important challenges for Aikido in the coming years: to not look or act below standard in an international community where most sports will work towards the IOC standards.
* In fact some IAF members have already reported that they have been contacted by their NOC. Others have stated that this finally gives Aikido the recognition they need in their country.
