User:ConMan/Making DDR Official in Australia

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As many people would be aware, Dance Dance Revolution was made an official sport in Norway in 2004, and there is a petition to do the same in the USA[1].

The question then is "What does it take to make DDR an official sport in Australia?"

To begin with, we consider what it would take to make a "DDR club" of some sort eligible to become a registered "National Sporting Association" with the Australian Sports Commission[2], which is responsible for things such as funding of sports organisations.

On the ASC webpage, there is a document listing the criteria for recognition, divided into four sections.

[edit] Section A: General

All criteria in Section A must be met

A1. The activity meets the ASC's definition of "sport".

Sport

A human activity capable of achieving a result requiring physical exertion and/or physical skill

which, by its nature and organisation, is competitive and is generally accepted as being a sport.

Physical exertion and/or skill? Check. Competitive? Check. Generall accepted as being a sport? Probably.

A2. The organisation can satisfy the ASC that it is the pre-eminent organisation taking responsibility for the development of this sport in Australia.

Translation: This "DDR club" has to be the biggest club nationwide, and it needs to be involved in finding good players and making them better.

A3. As the pre-eminent organisation taking responsibility for the development of the sport in Australia, the organisation is accountable at the national level for providing its members with technically and ethically sound sport programs, policies and services.

Translation: The club has to set rules about what its members can do to promote and teach DDR.

A4. The organisation has been an incorporated association or Company for a minimum of three years.

This is the kicker. This basically says that the "club" has to become a proper financial entity under the Corporations Act. That means it has to have revenue, it has to have a committee that runs it responsibly, and it has to follow a few thousand rules about what it can and can't do with its money.

A5. The organisation has produced annual audited financial statements and annual reports for the past three years.

See A4.

A6. The organisation has an operable and current three-year (or longer) strategic plan that addresses all aspects of the sport (this may include issues relating to access, equity and the management of risk within the sport).

So the club needs to know where DDR is headed in Australia, and needs to be riding that wave.

A7. The organisation has formally committed to a governance structure that is consistent with the ASC's governance principles of best practice.

According to this, the club has to be run responsibly, with careful plans to keep it financially secure, with clear goals, and always acting in the best interests of its members.

A8. A8. The organisation has an operable and current anti-doping policy consistent with the ASC’s anti-doping provisions.

DDRers Don't Do Drugs.

A9. The organisation has an operable and current policy on harassment and member protection consistent with the ASC’s Member Protection Policy.

DDRers also don't disrespect people.

The organisation must provide documentary evidence to substantiate compliance with the above criteria as part of the assessment process.

[edit] Section B: National and International Scope

All criteria in Section B must be met

B1. The organisation has active branches or affiliated State/Territory Associations in at least four States/Territories.

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth - we can manage that.

B2. The organisation conducts annually regional and/or State and National championships in open and/or age groups, as deemed appropriate for the sport.

Annual Australian DDR Tournament - again, doable.

B3. The organisation is the NSO of a sport that has been played in Australia for more than 75 years, involving a high level of registered and active members (minimum 5,000). OR The organisation is affiliated to an International Federation (IF) for the sport.

Well, no way we can make the first one, given DDR hasn't existed for 75 years (and I'm not sure about the 5000 members either), but the second is at least a little possible. Either we need to convince the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF[3]) to affiliate with the club, or the DDR players of the world form their own Internation Federation (although that then requires the IF to affiliate with the General Association of International Sports Federations[4] to have any real respect).