Shark Freediving

AIDA International Sports Officer Pim Vermeulen send an email today telling he is resigning from his function. Pim has done some tremendous work in the years he was part of the AIDA board. In my opinion one of the best things he has done is simplify and clarify the AIDA international competition and record rules. Pim will surely be missed, and if you read his letter there are some open questions which needs to be answered by AIDA.

Anyway, as AIDA volunteers get way too little recognition I would like to thank Pim for his countless number of hours he has dedicated in making the sport better. Below you can read the complete letter from Pim.

Pim Vermeulen

Hi all,

Through this mail I would like to inform you of my direct resignation from AIDA International as Sport Officer….

I feel I can no longer function within the AIDA Executive Board in the way I stand for as a person or contribute the way I would like to contribute as in a democracy. The reason for my resignation is a result of continuous actions of individuals undermining all common sense, undermining all workgroups, discarding/disrespecting all volunteers work. I am willing to put in many hundreds of hours a year for free, as I have been doing over the past years, if there is a mutual trust in honesty, goals, reliability, etc. My trust in some people I have worked with is totally gone knowing that I tried to change this situation and still AIDA International foundations are being undermined. I have no trust this situation will change in the near future although I gave it some time before and after my resignation as member of the Technical Commission.

An inquiry was asked for within the Board and in the Assembly, but so far no investigation/actions have been taken. I support AIDA International as THE Freediving organization and will still do so in future and therefore I will continue my work in the EC as long as needed and will stay active as judge, organizer and instructor.

Best regards, Pim Vermeulen

PS: It has come to my attention that also Grant Graves resigned from the AIDA technical committee. So something is going on at AIDA HQ. Grant still keeps his board position but he is directly blaming AIDA president Bill Stromberg because Bill “believes he can do anything he would like to at any time.”

Not so good signs I would say. But I guess the Assembly is now asking some serious questions.