PRESS RELEASE 30TH OCTOBER 2020 | ISA, ScootFest and Action Space

PRESS RELEASE | ISA, ScootFest and Action Space 

Following the recent exciting announcement of a World Ranking System that seeks to unite as many scooter events around the world as possible (in an attempt to ultimately rank leading pros alongside aspiring amateurs and newcomers), it is regrettable to have noted some dissent from within the industry. To this end, we would like to demonstrate our support for the World Ranking System and deliver some facts to counter the catalogue of misinformation and false conclusions circulating social media.

Facts

With the success of the first ScootFest in 2012 as the first event to host an international event of such size never before been seen in the scooter industry or in the sport with the first World Cup, ScootFest went on to continue to innovate scooter events including helping to establish the ISA World Championships by hosting it in 2013 and 2014. ScootFest and the ISA have always been able to co-exist without any problem and ScootFest has always held the ISA in high regard.

Since entering the sport of scootering 2 years ago, Action Space have enriched the lives of elite athletes and increased the presence of industry brands and furthermore have invested more money than any other in the history of the sport. It hopes to continue doing so.

Action Space is not a company, it is a collective of individuals, companies and brands working together to better the sport to the benefit of many. It does not, nor claim, to own, govern or sanction any other event, but is there to support riders, events and locations alike with resources wherever necessary.  

Action Space recognized a demand to create a world ranking list that not only included the results from the credible ISA World Championships, but also similarly statured events such as FISE, ASI, and ScootFest to name but a few. 

The World Ranking System has fairness at its core and is geared to avoid any advantages to invite-only contests. Its aim is inclusivity of all high-profile events from 2019 and 2020 and includes 36 worldwide events, such as ISA, FISE, ASI, ScootFest, etc and almost 400 riders.

A world ranking list isn’t owned by anyone and cannot be sanctioned by anyone, as it’s just a list that accrues the results from different events around the world and it’s completely inclusive.  

In order for the ISA to create a world championship under their name, they cooperated with a number of qualifying events (put on by independent parties). This has elevated the sport of scootering around the world and has created a number of excellent performances from the riders taking part – all in all a really great thing. They do a great job for the sport and the industry.

The ISA produces a World Championship event by cooperating with (or in their terms; sanctioning) other events, such as Extreme Barcelona, World Roller Games and originally ScootFest.  

In order to put the record straight; the ISA is a privately-owned company (not an association or governing body), owned by two shareholders, which means that they elect themselves as President and Vice President and aren’t elected by their paying members. There is nothing wrong with this as long as it acts in the best interest of the sport and those riders who make up the sport.

Under international law any individual, company or organization is entitled to invent, create and host a sports competition without it being sanctioned by any association. Therefore, ISA does not have the right or entitlement to sanction any other scooter event or vis versa.

ScootFest, Nitro World Games, FISE, World Roller Games, Action Space and Extreme Barcelona etc. does exactly the same as ISA, they create their own events on their own terms. 

No person, organization or company is legally entitled to act as a governing body for an entire industry or sport. The only thing anyone, in this context can do is to govern their own events.    

And furthermore, to conclude...

Choosing not to sanction certain events is fine, but in such a small sport (such as scootering), to publicly withdraw sanctioning of an event is dividing a great sport and that damages everyone. Notwithstanding that by law the ISA are not strictly permitted to ‘sanction’ other events unless through mutual consent.

There is enough room for everyone to co-exist and support each other to collectively elevate the sport of scootering to a wider audience. As a result, increasing the sponsorships and advertisement, but more importantly, to provide more opportunities for the riders.

We would also like to take this opportunity at ScootFest to condemn any and all activity that involves bullying or the discrediting of individuals (who have in fact acted positively and in the interest of the sport) by the posting of inaccurate, underhand and slanderous content on social media.

It is hurtful, wrong and has long term damage to those individuals but also detriment and division to a great and inclusive sport. For anyone to single out and deliberately discredit these people in this way, who have done nothing but act in the best of faith to the sport and industry is malicious and shameful.  

Nobody is trying to do anything bad – on the contrary – ScootFest welcomes and includes everyone, including the ISA and Action Space, and we therefore urge everyone to stop working against each other, stop spreading false information and stop anyone discrediting innocent people.   

Instead we urge people to work together and accept each other’s differences to instead make a difference for everyone. 

The Scootfest Team