LUCA Club Captains Council Meeting

Student Central

Wednesday 28th 7PM

 

Item number Agenda Item Lead Supporting Material
1 Welcomes James Findon
2 Budget update Yassien Abdillahi
3 Indoor Championships Feedback James Findon A
4 XC League Update Jonny Laybourn B
5 Motion A – Referendum on women’s race distance James Findon C
6 London Students’ Run update Hannah Baynham
7 Outdoor Series Update Matt Douthwaite
8 Officials Training Update James Findon
9

Motion B – Approve Constitutional Change to LUCA-UL Championships agreement

Motion C – Approve LUCA-UL Agreement

James Findon D, E
10 Motion D – Logo colour change James Findon F
11 News team update Daniel Woodburn
12 Triathlon competition James Findon
13 AOB

 

Supporting material

 

A) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1V1PaDMKU5EHESg7dnvH8jxwlCCpWgJEtNBb_9tNh6rQ/edit?usp=sharing
B) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A5bKNOL2tc0fWnFdOVHnReK0F3Du3kIzpZxTN-UE7C4/edit?usp=sharing
C)

Proposed motion to hold a referendum of women members on the question:

‘Should LUCA retain different distances for men and women in the XC league?”

Possible answers:


Retain different distances (Men 8.5KM, Women 5.3KM average)
Run the same distance as men (Both 8.5KM average)“.

Proposed by: James Findon

Background:

Cross-Country races have traditionally had different distances for men and women. Our league is no exception. The traditional national/international distances for senior athletes is 8KM for women and 12KM for men. This remained, until recently, the advice from the IAAF. However, rule changes in Scotland and the IAAF have set distances at 10KM for both men and women[1]. England XC, BUCS and regional leagues (i.e, Met League) have all retained different distances[3].

IAAF rules recommend that district distances should be shorter than national distances to allow progression throughout the season[2]. The difference between BUCS distances and LUCA distances is approximately equal for men and women (1.16-1.5)[3: Graph 2]. However, compared to events which have introduced rule changes (Scotland and Worlds), there is a big discrepancy between the difference in distance (1.5K for men, 4.66K for women)[3:Graph 2]. It is unknown if England XC and BUCS will introduce equal distances at 10K in the future.

Previous attempts to vote on equal distance at the LUCA council have failed due to insufficient support. The main opposition argument is that women who are new to the sport may feel put off by the greater distance. However, asides from informal feedback, there is no empirical evidence to suggest this would lead to a reduction in women participating. To gain the feedback from athletes, we conducted a feedback survey. However, it had a poor completion rate by women (N=8)[4]. The results from this small survey suggested that Race 1 (5.6KM) was considered slightly too long, Race 2 (6KM) was considered ‘just right’ and Race 3 and 4 (4.7, 4.4 KM) were considered too short[4]. These results mirrored the feedback from men (N=25)[4].

LUCA is a democratic organisation run by the the Council of Club Captains. However, I recognise that club captain’s tend to be from the ‘higher performing’ spectrum of ability and are more likely to have previous experience in XC running. This experience is undoubtedly helpful in many areas of decision making, but may introduce unintended bias on the topic of equal distance. Furthermore, without a comprehensive survey of women athletes opinions on the matter, it is difficult to make an accurate representation on behalf of the membership.

Therefore, in seeking the majority opinion of women members, I am proposing hosting a referendum of women members on the question posed above. Considering there is no demand to decrease the men’s distance (if anything, men want longer races [4]), this vote will purley be to increase the length of the women’s race to that of the men’s race. Since it does not impact men, men will not be allowed to vote in this referendum.

A quorum will be set at 58 votes (this was calculated as the majority out of the best attended women’s race (113).

Sources:

[1] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-cross-country-gender-inequality-calls-athletes-petition-a8156481.html

[2]https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/men-and-women-will-run-same-distance/

[3]https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VxdUOclnoHEXY4c5AUKUIfOppLs7DLC0jPaabguBMNM/edit?usp=sharing

[4] https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A5bKNOL2tc0fWnFdOVHnReK0F3Du3kIzpZxTN-UE7C4/edit?usp=sharing

D)

Proposed motion to modify the following section of the constitution:

“1. Where desired and funded by the University of London Athletics Club, LUCA shall make provisions for the University of London XC championship and the University of London Athletics Championship. These two events shall be nested within LUCA events

2. Any and all additional costs incurred by organising events exclusively for the members of the University of London shall be covered in whole by the University of London Athletics Club, the University of London College clubs or other external sources. It is strictly prohibited for LUCA to cover the costs of any event which excludes any LUCA member from competing.”

To

“1. Where desired by a majority of University of London College Clubs, and where the College Clubs or the University of London Athletics Club agree to make a financial contribution, LUCA shall make provisions for the University of London Intercollegiate Championships (Cross-Country, Indoor and Outdoor). These events shall be nested within existing LUCA events.

2.LUCA shall organise these events in compliance with the provisions and regulations as set by the LUCA-ULAC-Student Central Partnership Agreement and, where necessary, the provisions and regulations applicable to each competition set by United Kingdom Athletics and England Athletics. “

This allows LUCA to approve the new LUCA-UL agreement presented in E).

Full constitution available: https://www.london-athletics.com/about/constitution/

E)

Approve the LUCA-UL partnership agreement as set out in [1]. The agreement has passed consultation with the UL college clubs [2].

[1] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OqSq2ZPg-kpp6E9C61o-ZnE7q6_1m6K5X05NozjcZrI/edit?usp=sharing

[2]https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b2m6HCuFBKmxBFGa8ZDDyw4PNrgBFnxwk-_XI1mjzUw/edit?usp=sharing

F)

The colours of the leaves that make up the wreath on the logo represent the 23 major universities in London[1]. This motion proposes changing those colours to match the colours of the 23 LUCA member clubs.

[1] https://www.london-athletics.com/news_posts/logo-story/attachment/logo-story/