Last modified: 11 May 2000
Since the General Assembly in Manchester decided they wished to dispense with my services as Secretary of the WTGF, I thought it would be appropriate to put my thoughts on the World Transplant Games on paper.
THE PAST
The concept of the "Transplant Olympics" was the idea of Maurice Slapak back in 1978 when the first ever Games were held in Portsmouth, UK, in August of that year. Always having had an interest in sport, with enthusiasm I took a team from my own transplant unit to these Games. Like many others I caught "the bug" and have attended every British Transplant Games and World Games (excepting New York) since then in a managerial or official capacity.
Since those early days of the first World and British Transplant Games, when 99 "blooming marvels" competed in front of holiday crowds in Portsmouth, both British and World Games have increased considerably in size and also in sporting excellence.
The British Transplant Games are held every year and have been held in various transplant cities all over the UK. There are now regularly about 700-800 competitors representing all transplant units in the UK. All transplant athletes are catered for, from the elite to the runner who just wants to show his loved ones and donorfamilies that they have been returned to health and able to participate in physical activity.
The World Games, as many of you know, have been held on 10 occasions, each of which has its own memories. The 1st and 2nd were held in Portsmouth, UK, both of which were a celebration of life and a new concept. Both were attended by Sir Jimmy Saville, a well-known British television and pop personality. Next was New York - my only absence as I was not allowed to take a Welsh team.1982 saw us in Athens, the home of the modern Olympics, competing in the original Olympic stadium, not an ideal track but nevertheless memorable for the competitors.1984 took us to Amsterdam and the Budget Cok Hotel where competitors were rather "shoe horned" into less than adequate accommodation. My overriding memories of Amsterdam were the rain from start to finish and the "Pool" party which must be the best WTG social event there has ever been. The memories of drinking beers with Bob McCollough and Maxie Scully by the wave pool and virtually everyone ending up in the pool is indelibly etched in my memory. Three years later (to take the WTG away from the same years ofthe Olympic and Commonwealth Games) we arrived at Innsbruck in the Austrian Alps. The sheer splendour of the scenery was breathtaking. This year also saw the founding of the World Transplant Games Federation and the instigation of medical certification for all competitors.
Over the ensuing year Rules and Regulations for future Games were drawn up and approved by the Council. The Constitution was written, including a clause limiting alI officers and councillors to two terms of office only, the idea of which was to prevent nepotism and stagnation of ideas. Unfortunately, it took four years for this Constitution to be accepted by the General Assembly.
Two years later we arrived in the "Mystic Orient" - Singapore, just north of the equator. The heat and humidity did cause minor problems and I think few of us will forget tea and meeting the President of Singapore on the lawns ofthe Presidential Palace.
1991 took us behind the old "Iron Curtain" to Budapest in Hungary, a beautiful city situated on the "Brown" Danube. Here the WTGF Constitution was finally approved by the General Assembly. From my own point of view it was a great shame that the National Stadium, next to the Hotel Europe, the headquarters hotel, was not used and we were relegated to an indifferent cinder track for the athletic program.
A further two years later we arrived in one ofthe most beautiful cities on the Pacific - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where the mountains meet the sea. This was a marvellous Games with clement weather, Canadian hospitality and good facilities. The only downside was almost complete lack of local knowledge concerning the Games.
The following January a new event took place, the first Winter World Transplant Games, organised by TransForme at Tignes in the French Alps. These Games, of both alpine and cross country skiing, were a great success. The only down side for me was I fractured my wrist attempting to use a button lift for the first time.
THE PRESENT
1995, the year of the 10th World Transplant Games. The Games returned to the United Kingdom where the whole concept started back in 1978. Manchester, in the North of England hosted the Games. These were the largest and the best organised Games to date. They were professionally organised and very well run. The publicity was absolutely amazing, the amount of media coverage was out of this world. As with all previous WTG's there were a few problems but I think these were essentially unnoticed by the vast majority of competitors which was all important.
I perceive these Games as a cross-roads in the future of the Games.The organisation has become much more professional (it had to) and more teams are beginning to bring the better competitors rather than anyone who can afford to come, and performances on the track, in the pool and on the court are improving.
I personally was disappointed at the General Assembly's decision to change the Constitution to allow officers and councillors to remain in post for as long as they so desire and are elected. l believe this does limit the scope for change and new ideas. (Has it done so for the Transplant Sports Association of Great Britain which works on the same system? Ed.).
The concept of dialysis patients competing was raised by the French. Fortunately, the Council only deferred a discussion on this rather than reject it outright. After all, these Games are for transplanted patients, not patients with end stage organ failure.
THE FUTURE
My own vision for the future of the WTG will certainly be at odds with the Council. The idea of the Transplant Games was, and still is, primarily to promote the concept of a healthy, full life after transplantation and as a consequence to encourage organ donation. To this end, publicity and media coverage is essential. To acquire adequate media coverage, stories and events have to be different and newsworthy. l believe the time has come when a recipient of a heart, kidney or liver just running 100m, 400m or even 5km is no longer of significant interest to the media. At the world level it is necessary for transplanted patients competing at 100m in respectable times, say sub 11 secs,1500m approaching 4 minutes. How may this be achieved?
I believe the WTG should be the stage for the elite transplant athlete. l believe each participating nation should hold their own transplant games, as do the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA, and their best athletes are selected to represent their countries at the WTG. Eventually, we might even consider qualifying times and distances. l think each country's national games should be the stage for all transplant athletes and the WTG should become the stage of the elite athlete. We will then have an excellent sporting event with the camaraderie and friendship which currently exists.
I feel strongly the French idea of dialysis patients competing must be rejected. After all, the idea of the Games is to show the benefits of organ transplantation. Apart from this, the medical and logistic problems of arranging dialysis facilities at the Games would cause very major problems and be most unfair on the host centre.
This summary has been a personal view across the history of the Transplant Games. You may agree or disagree with my own visions for the future. l hope at least it gives food for thought!