Camanachd Association Unrest Continues. | |
17 April 2009 Shinty’s governing body, the Camanachd Association, was this week hit by another resignation as the spat between some of the sport’s leading figures intensified, writes Keith MacKenzie. Competitions director David MacMaster’s decision to quit follows swiftly from the departure of Chief Executive Officer Gill McDonald last week, and brings the number of high-profile exits from the association’s board to five in a little over two months. While Mr MacMaster, from Strathpeffer, has resigned from the volunteer post the association have said Ms McDonald’s departure had been “mutually agreed”, a decision which could yet have further financial implications for the organisation. Mr MacMaster’s decision has been muddied by further controversy amid claims by association president Duncan Cameron that pressure from a group of previous board members — led by the broadcaster and former association vice-president Hugh Dan MacLennan — had encouraged the competitions director to walk away and heap further pressure on the game’s administrative body. In early February club and volunteer director Donnie MacKenzie quit his post, and he was quickly followed by coaching director Stuart Ferrier and Alexander Menzies, the director of finance. All three has been highly critical of Mr Cameron’s leadership — with his style described in some quarters as “dictatorial.” Mr MacMaster has so far refused to speak publicly about his reasons for leaving the post, but Mr Cameron — having first learned of the resignation through media reports — believed that pressure had been applied. “I am in no doubt a campaign has been going on here,” said Mr Cameron, who returned to a second term as president in 2008. “Hugh Dan, on John Beattie’s radio programme on Saturday mentioned (when discussing Gill McDonald’s departure) the prospect of more resignations several times.” The allegations, however, have been strenuously denied by Mr MacLennan who described them as “preposterous and ludicrous” and “demeaning to David”. He said: “David MacMaster informed me of his intention to resign,” and added that Mr MacMaster had made it clear to Mr Cameron why he resigned. “The president is wholly wrong and should withdraw the allegation,” Mr MacLennan said. “As to being party to a conspiracy or campaign, that’s the product of paranoia or an over-active imagination.” Mr Cameron said the current board would now begin a process of co-opting additional members who would then be required to stand for election in a bid to fill the void. While Mr Ferrier’s post has now been filled by Daniel MacIntyre from Oban, the association will go into their annual general meeting next week looking to fill a further three roles as well as that of a newly-created director for youth development. Mr Cameron — who was elected in 2007 on a mandate of promoting greater engagement between the governing body and its grass roots and has pressed on with plans to establish a series of standing committees, chaired by each of the individual board members — refuted claims he has operated above and beyond his remit. “It’s a ridiculous claim,” he said. “I put a paper to the board and it was accepted. The decision was taken by the majority of the board. “What has been agreed won’t solve all of shinty’s problems, but the reason we were attempting to change it is that it was made clear that what was in place was not working.” Mr Cameron said the role of the chief executive officer would now be reviewed, and it remains unclear whether a full-time, part time or indeed any replacement at all will be recruited. From the |