Dear competitors all over the world,

I feel that I have to respond to your requests for transparency in the matter of Assen.
I've never before read such a bunch of propaganda, misleading statements and pure lies in one letter stating
"Setting the record straight.   Here are the real facts".

As most of you know our team has organized Assen to the very best of our ability for many, many years. Not only to give you the best floor, the best music, the best judges, but it gave us great pleasure to help you wherever we could. To find a place to sleep, to provide transport; your requests were fulfilled to the best we could offer.

I dare say that we received a lot of credit in the past for doing all that and we all, our team and especially you as dancers or as visitors of our event, showed the world that dancing can be a wonderful experience. That was and is our first priority in organizing; to give you wonderful memories for now and later.

Always we have sided with the interest of every competitor; accepting late entries, all the help with visas, last minute bookings, whatever came up, we did everything to help you as a competitor to make it worthwhile to come to and be in Assen, the pride of Holland.
This in great cooperation with all organizations involved and completely to their satisfaction. The only thing we all wanted was to go on with that, nothing more.

What is so wrong with the IDSF-letter?

The case of the freedom to dance was only dismissed for the court because that demand was already fulfilled by NADB.

Fred Bijster unreasonably refuses to register his competition at Assen…."
Fred Bijster never refused to register, he demanded Assen to be registered by NADB. This demand was not met in court.

"Mr. Bijster doesn't like the democratic, IOC-recognized Dancesport system."

Is it democracy to treat one member (NADB) different from others?

Is it democracy to treat one competition (Assen) different from others?

Is it democracy to exclude dancers?

Is it democracy to go against the wishes of your own competitors at large?

If it is, YES, I'm against democracy! But to me that all seems dictatorial.

Of course it is, nobody ever denied that. And of course you can associate yourself with such a group. No question about it. But can there only be one association?? Does that forbid you to join other events!

Well, only in totalitair systems it does. Not in a democratic world.

Since Assen is no longer a NADB-competition, NADB doesn't have to invite competitors.

Actually, they never did before.

Couples are free to enter without any invitation. As in Blackpool, as at the UK or the International and nearly every other competition I can think of.

On what ground? This is just pure intimidation, nothing else. A non-statement.

Calling going to any open competition, not under IDSF-ruling, is a "poor career-choice" is about the limit of what you can say; Blackpool, UK, International, Assen are the most important events for any career.

It shows the lack of knowledge of and respect for dancers and their careers.

"Fred Bijster has chosen to exclude the finest international competitors"

Another blunt lie to add to the list.

Fred Bijster chose not to exclude any fine international competitor.

IDSF chose to exclude competitors.

Fred Bijster asked for cooperation; IDSF through NADB denied that.

I could go on, but I think it wouldn't really help. I've written numerous letters to Carlos Freitag on this subject and only received answers that were evasive or no answers at all. And now this. Doesn't it look like "anything goes to prevent Assen to succeed?"

A letter full of lies and misleading statements. Just to get it your "democratic" way.

Wouldn't it be democratic to let the competitors decide themselves if they want to go or not?

But that might just be too democratic for the IDSF…..

True facts are:

Assen is a great event and will defend the right to dance for every competitor.

IDSF is acting at will with her members (NADB is treated different from others).

IDSF refuses cooperation and forces NADB to follow suit.

IDSF "promised" to NADB that the UK is next after Assen. In the mean time I've received information that England (BDC) and IDSF have made a "deal". Well, Chaimberlain did that too, I remember.

Are all members to be treated differently?? Is that democracy??

IDSF seems to have no democratic sense, but prefers "Praesidium-decisions".

IDSF is pushing her members full force to do the faul work of excluding their couples.

IDSF has no respect for the open events and calls it a "poor career-choice".

IDSF threatens her members and her competitors, using no realistic arguments.

You as competitors should actually ask yourself the question

"Do I want to be part of such an organization?"

And when I say IDSF, I mean the few in the top. I cannot believe that corrupting power is so deeply embedded in the IDSF as some may think.

But it is gross, I find, that a leading world organization uses methods like this to prevent competitors to do what they want to do: to dance under the best possible conditions.

And I have no doubt that our conditions in Assen are amongst the best.

We, the team of Assen, ask you to come to Holland again and ignore all those unsubstantiated "advises". These advises have only one goal (to stop Assen) and that has nothing to do with the protection of your interest.

Kindest regards,

Fred Bijster.

On behalf of the Team of Assen