14/11/2009 - John Haigh - Do Club Committees Abuse Their Power?

In the last few weeks on the Costa Blanca several examples of discrimination has occurred involving bowlers  attempting  to join a new club who have been  refused membership without a reason being given by the clubs concerned.  What on earth could anyone have done that was so serious to prompt a club from refusing an application?  Its mind boggling what a person in the last third of their life must done for a committee to undertake such a serious course of action or is it simply people on a committee abusing their power?

Spanish Constitution

Passed by the Cortes Generales in Plenary sittings of the Congress and the Senate held on October 31, 1978; ratified by referendum of the Spanish people on December 7, 1978 and sanctioned by His Majesty the King before the Cortes Generales on December 27, 1978. Modified by the Cortes Generales in the plenary sittings of the Congress held on July 22, 1992 and of the Senate held on July 30, 1992 and sanctioned by His Majesty the King on August 27, 1992.  But not apparently recognised by ex-pats who manage and organise lawn bowling in Spain

CHAPTER 2

Rights and Freedoms

Section 14

Spaniards (but not apparently ex-pats who participate in lawn bowls) are equal before the law and must not in any way be discriminated against on account of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion or any other personal or social condition or circumstance.

The above paragraph seems to be straightforward in the way it has been drafted and I suspect that one can misinterpret its meaning unless of course you happen to be a committee member of a Costa Blanca bowls club.  Committees continue to disregard this very important piece of legislation and discriminate against bowlers who have let’s say some character to their personality.  I’m really proud that my own club has an open door policy to people that wish to participate in this wonderful sport of lawn bowls.  We are not concerned what history the person may allegedly have when they come to our club. They start with a “clean sheet” and it is incumbent on our club management to manage that person. What has allegedly happened at another club is not of our concern and we are only interested how they conduct themselves within our club.  So why do certain club committees continue to discriminate against individuals and why does the regional Federation Committees allow this serious and illegal activity to continue?

Unless individuals offered, their time and skills to become committee members clubs would not effectively operate and my one concern is the abuse by some committees of the power that has been given to them by their members.  You only have to analyse an AGM to realise that most members are not interested in “club politics” and so the same people invariably for several years “control” their club.  A new trend to prevent a person from joining a club without breaching an applicant’s legal right is to get the “owner” to refuse an application.  What a devious underhanded manoeuvre this is.  If a committee refuses an applicant, they should have the courage to explain why it has been turned down.  The average age of our members is about 67 or thereabouts and as “old codgers”, we have been given the legal right in the EC to move to any member state to reside in.  Under the Human Rights Act and Spanish Constitution, we have the legal right to express opinions in writing, verbally or by any other means.  However, if you are a lawn bowler on the Costa Blanca these basic rights are withheld by certain club committees.  I support albeit with reservations the right to refuse entry into a club of an individual guilty of a SERIOUS OFFENCE.   Serious offences should be identified in a club “Disciplinary Code of Practice” so that committee members cannot abuse their power when it comes to suspension or the refusal of an applicant attempting the join their club. 

My message to all club committees and the people who serve on them please do not refuse entry into your club of any individual but judge them on their performance, attitude and how they conduct themselves AT YOUR CLUB!  Lets rid once and for all this archaic system of “black balling” individuals from lawn bowls in Spain.  The heading of my letter was “DO CLUB COMMITTEES ABUSE THEIR POWER?” in my opinion the answer is an unreservedly YES!

The views expressed in this correspondence are my personal views and are not associated with San Luis Bowls Club.

John Fyles-Haigh