Dubai: The deadline for the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) set by the World Professional Powerboating Association (WPPA) expires today.
The WPPA had informed the Working Group appointed by the UIM following a joint meeting between the world governing body for the sport and the breakaway WPPA held in Dubai last month.
The two bodies have been trying to arrive at an agreement to find a solution for the WPPA and Class One racing to remain under the auspices of the UIM for the new season.
However, the WPPA, headed by DIMC Managing Director Saeed Hareb is keen to take the sport to the next level without interference from the UIM.
At last week's meeting, the UIM's Working Group consisted of Raffaele Chiulli (Italy), Sami Abu Shaikha (Qatar) and Per Benson, Cominoff Chairman from Sweden. Saeed Hareb, Marco Sala, Rory Power and Sid Bensalah represented the WPPA.
No choice
"Our season starts in the first week of June and we need to get the teams galvanised for the year. When the Working Group left Dubai last month, we had told them that the UIM should get back to us latest by today.
"It doesn't look like they are interested in our conditions. So we have no choice but to go ahead with the WPPA," Hareb told Gulf News.
"The Working Group left Dubai quite satisfied with our point of view.
"There have been some minor disagreements, but these too can be sorted out in the interest of the sport. But they should have got in touch with us," he added. The opening round of the 10-round race card for 2007 will be held in Athens, Greece from June 8-10.
"There has been a lot of interest from other countries, but we have had to be careful while choosing," Hareb said.
At the end of last month's meeting, it was agreed that the WPPA will recognise the UIM as the sole international governing body for Powerboating. Among the other terms the UIM had to recognise the capacity and exclusivity of the WPPA in regulating and managing Class One and the World Powerboat Championship events with IOTA owning the commercial and TV rights of Class One.
"We need to know where we stand. We need to know whether we will be going alone or we work with the UIM for the 2007 season," Hareb stated.
