What's up with UPBF & APPBF's site?

I was surfing for some information on PALS and UPBF and oddly, I found websites that aren't even working. I think it's been there for some time already.



APPBF.com was registered back in 2005 and is expiring soon. A quick search on Domain records turned up the with following information:

Domain Name:appbf.com
Record last updated at 2008-02-05 05:03:13
Record created on 2008/2/5
Record expired on 2009/2/5

2 more days to go!

Curious enough, maybe I can find more infomation at UPBF.COM, but what did I see instead?



What the? Is anything even working or did I get the wrong URL? Nope, correct URL there. If this is indeed an oversight, I hope the relevant authorities will take note and update their sites. I was looking forward to read more about UPBF and was shocked to see this.

During my googling on UPBF, I came across this. Perhaps this sums pretty much.

"UPBF (United PaintBall Federation) who are the major international standard setting body for paintball. They include groups like the PSP, Millenium and PALS, and intend to have a single set of rules, player IDs, reffing standards etc. They are doing this in order to make paintball an internationally unified sport - a prerequisite for getting into major competions like the Olympics. As there is no international 7Man body, it is likely that 7Man will become to paintball like what Indy500 is to international motor racing - only in the US. The UPBF should eventually become to paintball like what the IRB is to rugby." ~ vijil

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This is taken from PALS site:

UNITED PAINTBALL FEDERATION
The Paintball-Asia League Series is pleased and proud to announce their participation to the first worldwide paintball organization: the UPBF (United Paintball Federation).

What is the UPBF and What it is made for?

The UPBF is simply the unification of national federations and tournament series in order to have a representing organizational paintball body to deal with official sports organization such as the Olympic Games, National Organisations, etc... But also to have communal paintball rules, refereeing, ID, Etc…

For example some of the UPBF objectives are;

* To improve the game of Paintball continuously and promote it globally in the light of unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values particularly through youth and development programs.
* To draw up regulations (Rules, Refereeing, Disciplinary, Players statues…) and provisions and ensures their enforcement.
To prevent all methods or practices which might jeopardise the integrity of matches or competitions or give rise to abuse of paintball associations?

How does it work?

The UPBF is made of confederations and National associations and has an administration which is supported by different Committees under the control of an Executive committee.

CONFEDERATIONS

The confederations are the umbrella organizations of the national paintball associations on each continent. All provide support to UPBF without encroaching on the rights of the national associations. In fact, the Confederations actually raise the profile of paintball further, by staging their own competitions at club and international level and through a range of other activities.

*APBF: (American Paintball Federation) Operate in North and Central America and the Caribbean with series like PSP, CFOA….
*EPBF: (European Paintball Federation) Operate in West and Eastern Europe with series like Millennium, Centurio…
*APPBF: (Asian-Pacific Paintball federation) operate in Asia and Pacific with series like PALS…
*SAPBF: (South American Paintball Federation) operate in South America with series like the Circuito sul Americano.
*AFPBF: (African Paintball Federation) operate in Africa.

ASSOCIATIONS

UPBF supports the associations logistically through various programmes and grants them a number of attractive rights and privileges. But they also have obligations. As representatives of UPBF in their countries, they must respect the statutes, aims and ideals of Paintball’s governing body and promote and manage our sport accordingly.

COMMITTEES

The UPBF is made of committees and 2 legislative bodies (the disciplinary committee and the appeal committee). The Committees play a critical role, making decisions on the organisation of tournaments and the development of paintball in general. Decisions taken by the committees are ratified by the Executive Committee -effectively UPBF's board of directors. The Executive is composed of the UPBF President (who chairs the committee) 4 vice-president, 14 members, one observer and the UPBF General Secretary, who takes part ex officio in all committee meetings.

Several Committees and Judicial Bodies

*Executive committee
*Rules committee
*Technical and development committee
*Referees committee
*Players’ statues committee
*Disciplinary committee
*Appeal committee
*Organising committee for the Intercontinental Cup and World Cup championship
*Media committee
*Sports Medical committee
*Finance committee
*EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Executive committee consists of 19 members:
- 1 president elected.
- 4 vice presidents appointed by confederations and associations
- 14 members appointed by confederations and associations

The confederations are apportioned the following places:

*North America (APBF) vice-president 1 Members: 5
*Europe (EPBF) vice-president 1 Members: 5
*Pacific-Asia (APPBF) vice-president 1 Members: 1
*South America (SAPBF) vice-president 1 Members: 1
*Africa (AFPBF) vice-president 1 Members: 1
*The administration is carried out by the General Secretariat. At its head is the UPBF General Secretary, who is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Executive Committee.
*The General Secretary is also responsible for UPBF’s finances, international relations, the organisation of the UPBF World Cup™, and other UPBF paintball competitions.
*The General Secretariat is comprised of divisions dealing with development, competitions, paintball administration, finance, business, personnel, services and communications.


How can I be part of it?

*If you are a player, thanks to your ID you will become automatically a member. You will be able to play with same ID card everywhere in the world as long as the event or series is a part of the UPBF.
*If you are a national association (federation) you will have to contact your confederation.
If you are a manufacturer you will be able to contact the Manufacturer committee.

Contacts will be very soon available on the official web site www.upbf.com