Illegal or irregular?

[Lucan Unlordly]

A lone Director of the national governing body (Limited Company) for an Olympic sport has set up a website that it could be argued, compliments the existing official site but gives massive editorial influence over the somewhat blinkered membership, particularly through the online forum where negative comments relating to said director are removed and where all positive vibes are presented in a manner that are self congratulatory.

Were this an official off shoot of the NGB's own pages with agreed content and direction then that's fair enough but t's not and it seems that other board members are happy to turn a blind eye as their positions are also under severe threat at the forthcoming AGM.

Illegal or just irregular?

 

[The Resolver]

There could be some unlawful misrepresentation as well as a breach of IPR but impossible to answer without knowing more information especially the content of the site

 

[jimnotgym]

It may also be in violation of his contract with the governing body. I agree with the resolver it depends if he is clear it is an unofficial site.

If the board are OK with it (or wont come out against it) then who would challenge it anyway? If you are a board member you could raise it with the board, but same issue if you are a minority. If you are a member you may have the rights to table the issue at the AGM? If you are influential you could attempt to change some board members, especially the Chairman, whose job it is to handle this issue.

 

[FoxtonGroup]

The resolver and Jim are spot on.

Often governing bodies are forced to declare any conflicts on interest that might bring impartiality or the body into question. The AGM will usually post a code of ethics somewhere.

 

[LanaW]

Seems like code of ethics remained forgotten this time and unlawful misrepresentation of board members was conscious.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Your Lordship to my knowledge and I do hold city and guilds part 1 2 3 and 4 in sport from my young self (don't ask) !.
All governing bodies that have athletes that are at an elite level ( this would be the ones eligible for lottery funding) Have all their rights and digital property protected.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Maybe the press in that field could be your best bet to bring it to the attention of other members, Are there any magazines that follow that sport?

 

[johndon68]

This thread had been dead for 18 months until LanaW posted this morning...

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

This thread had been dead for 18 months until LanaW posted this morning...

So it has I don't normally check the sell by date ! Matey has probably gone bust by now anyway