11 times Australian Champions escorted out of the venue after winning Pro Std

I applaud the Australian couple for standing up for their beliefs. The Australian couple knew what would happen, even had a chance to get out of it yet stood and still stand by their beliefs and for that I think they will be an inspiration to others and are very brave. I don't believe, in my opinion, the Canadian couple were trying to take a stand but are now only using the cause as a smoke screen to serve their own purpose and get out of the hot water they knowingly put themselves in. They even contradict themselves in their letter which weakens their argument. Not sure who wrote if for them but they should have taken more time and looked into it more before they sent it.

They say, "1. We are athlete members of DanceSport BC and we are not members of Canada Dancesport. Under DanceSport BC rules, Article 3(d) our license to compete is granted by DanceSport BC. It is our position that we did not violate our obligations as members of DanceSport BC and we did not violate their bylaws. If there is any act from DanceSport BC, we will deal with it when and as appropriate".

DSBC, like ODS, is a subgroup of Canada Dacesport (CDS) and thus they are members and subject to the rules. CDS is a subgroup of the WDSF and thus subject to the rules of WDSF.

They then say ". It is also in your Bylaw, Article 1.01 that Canada Dancesport is the ”sole national authority of competent jurisdiction for the administration of Amateur DanceSport in Canada”

So as amateurs they are admitting that they know that they are under the jurisdiction of CDS, which negates much of their argument.

They continue, "therefore, you cannot expand arbitrarily your power and regulations to any events outside Canada and their participants";

To compete, even outside your country, you have to have a membership in your countries organization. For them it is DSBC which is under CDS so CDS does regulate what they can or can't do in other countries. If they don't agree then they can call up the WDSF and really that is who they should be writing if they want changes. What do they think Sandy can do? She would have to have the vote from the majority of us that we want to have freedom of choice and want to leave WDSF and how many of us do you think will really do that and give up competing.

Do I think the sanctions and power struggle are right? No way, it is ruining dancing and I think it is going to ruin both organizations. They need to settle their differences and leave the rest of us out of it. Maybe a third group will start up and that will solve the problems. Do I believe in freedom to compete? Yes I do but I can't see it happening any time soon.