The governing body of competitive skiing in Scotland is "no longer fit for purpose and may have to be scrapped," one of its most senior figures claimed, according to Freddie Moran of the LONDON TIMES. Snowsport Scotland, which relies on public funding of £325,000 ($420,000) a year, is responsible for nurturing "elite skiers and snowboarders to compete in the Winter Olympics" and other int'l events. SS Honorary President John Clayton claimed that "devastatingly poor leadership" has put its future in doubt. Clayton outlined his concerns in a "scathing" letter. He "threatened to resign and bring his 50-year association with the sport in Scotland to an end" unless "back of a fag packet" plans to alter its governing rules -- which he claims will lead to greater centralization -- are abandoned. Clayton also called on fellow members to consider creating a new "more appropriate" replacement organization. In response, SS "accused him of using inflammatory language and suggested his intervention was misleading." The organization has "gone through a period of turmoil in recent months" with former President Bill Gray resigning in May and interim CEO Andy Salmon announcing his departure this month. Clayton wrote, "What is certain is that Scotland’s skiing community is in imminent danger of sleepwalking its way into oblivious purgatory. With such devastatingly poor leadership, the selection, briefing, support and control of the increasingly numerous management team has proved to be a catastrophic failure" (LONDON TIMES, 8/30).
