International Umpires Sub-Committee Working Group Members

Job role: Voluntary Working Group Members
Posted: 16 April 2025
Closing date: 30 April 2025
Term of Appointment: 4 years
Salary Range:  Voluntary Role but all reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with World Sailing expenses policy. 
How to apply: Applications can be submitted by completing this form. Deadline for applications is 30 April 2025.

World Sailing is the world governing body for the sport of sailing, officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As an International Federation, World Sailing is responsible for promoting the sport, managing sailing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the regulation and development of the sport worldwide.

The principle members of World Sailing are the 147 Member National Authorities (MNAs) and more than 100 Class Associations within the sport.

Our mission is to make sailing more exciting and accessible for everyone to participate or watch and use our reach and influence to create a sustainable future for our sport and the waters of the world.

Under the provisions of Article 41 of the World Sailing Constitution, the IUSC requests approval from the Board that the following Working Groups (WG) are appointed under IUSC. The intention is that expressions of interest from Members are sought as for all three WGs. In all three cases it is considered that there is a need to bring in the knowledge and experience of non-IUSC members so that the subcommittee can provide the required recommendations to ROC.

It is proposed to appoint three WGs: Digital Umpiring, Umpire Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and Umpire Documents. The proposed terms of reference and criteria for selecting WG members are detailed below.

Digital Umpiring WG

Increased use of digital tools is one core area of World Sailing strategy and therefore it is important that the IUSC consider how to utilise these tools for use in umpiring. The intention of this WG is to allow us to appoint subject matter experts (e.g. especially with kites/iQFOiL) in order to advise IUSC on best practice for these classes. IUSC can then put the best practices as recommendations to ROC. For these areas, it is right that the experts be consulted on what will work best for their respective classes. The recommendations from this WG will then be taken to the ROC Digital Officiating WG.

Reports to: IUSC

Composition: TBC following expressions of interest

Criteria (Preferred)

• Experience as an umpire, not necessarily at IU level.
• Experience with classes already implementing digital solutions or remote umpiring (e.g. SailGP, Olympic Kite series, AC etc)
• Experience in sailing or umpiring with fast classes such as Kite and iQFOiL

Terms of Reference

• Building on the experience of Paris 2024, devise a strategy for LA 2028 regarding use of live video footage during medal races to make real time umpire decisions.
• Consider available options and propose a digital solution for signalling penalties during a medal race without on-the-water umpires (e.g. sailor headset, watch etc) to maximise the instances where the winner is known with certainty at the finish or within minutes of the race ending.
• Review Appendix FMS and kite medal race procedures to produce a detailed plan for implementation at Olympic Qualification events in 2026 and onwards.
• Recommend to IUSC changes to IU training required to prepare IUs for events utilising digital solutions.

 

Umpire Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) WG

As of 2025, the IU community stands at approximately 13% women, and with the vast majority of officials coming from Europe and the US. It is well understood that there is an urgent need to change this. We therefore propose a WG which will be composed of members of the underrepresented communities, to provide advice and guidance on what the main challenges to becoming an umpire are from their perspective, and how IUSC can adapt and develop the umpire programme to remove them. This group will also consider ideas for future educational activities that might better engage these groups.

Reports to: IUSC

Composition: TBC following expressions of interest

Criteria (Preferred)

• Experience as an umpire, not necessarily at IU level.
• Experience in delivering education or development programmes.
• Experience in delivering training to umpire at any level.
• Applications are particularly welcomed from representatives of underrepresented groups in the umpire community.

Terms of Reference

• Consider and report to IUSC on what the WG considers to be the main barriers to increased participation in the IU community. In particular, focusing on the lack of female representation and from underrepresented regions.
• Discuss and propose to IUSC possible changes to the IU programme that would encourage more participation in umpiring from underrepresented groups. Examples could include female only seminars, a mentorship programme, maternity leave policy etc.
• Discuss and propose educational activities that would lead to increased participation in the WS umpire programme.

 

Umpire Documents WG

Several of the manuals, while updated to the new rules periodically have not have a major rewrite for some time. There is an opportunity to review all these documents more thoroughly and make their content more consistent. In addition, we have new disciplines which are umpired, such as the Kite and iQFOiL, and we should consider whether there is a need for additional content to cover best practice for these disciplines. To achieve this, additional help is needed from non-IUSC members.

Reports to: IUSC

Composition: TBC following expressions of interest

Criteria

Essential

• Experience as an umpire, not necessarily at IU level.

Preferred

• Experience with umpiring a variety of disciplines including match racing, team racing and fleet racing.
• Proven track record of working to deadlines
• Strong attention to detail.
• Experience of training umpires at a national or international level.

Terms of Reference

• Review and propose amendments to the content of the International Umpire Manuals for match racing, team racing, and fleet racing.
• Consider opportunities to make all three manuals more consistent with each other, in particular in terms of style but also in the recommendations for umpire dialogue and procedures.
• Consider whether there is a need for and propose content for additional manuals for new disciplines (e.g. Kites, iQFOiL etc).
• Propose and maintain additional educational materials as needed and as requested by IUSC.