The 1993 Men’s World Team Championship in Karachi, Pakistan was mired in controversy before it began as 31 nations had entered. The maximum permitted by a new WSF format was 24, and so the qualification formula was brought into play. One which left seven countries, including USA, excluded.
Here is what happened.....
USA NEARLY MISS OUT
The 1993 Men’s World Team Championship in Karachi, Pakistan was mired in controversy before it began as 31 nations had entered. At that time the maximum permitted by a new WSF format was 24, and so a qualification formula had been brought into play. One which left seven countries including USA excluded.
The Championship Regulations allowed the top twelve teams from the preceding edition a place, with the other twelve slots filled from regional allocation, handled by the regions themselves.
Europe was allocated five places, Asia three, Pan America two, Africa and Oceania one each.
While a few regions had issues, it was PanAm where the it became explosive. The Pan Am Federation had decided that places would be allocated by totalling the placings of the top three competitors from each nation competing in the individual Pan Am Champs being held in Rio de Janeiro prior to Karachi to generate pretend team results.
USA had not used their full allocation of entry places due to funding issues and the formula meant that Argentina and Brazil finished above them.
Protests from USA to the Pan Am Federation coupled with WSF intervention were not successful, and the matter only resolved by an agreed WSF AGM motion which increased the size of the entry to 28, and so adding USA along with Japan, Kuwait and Nigeria who had also missed out.
(The WSF meeting also agreed to review the format for future events, leading to an enlargement to 32 before qualification would kick in).
The reinstated US team was (LtoR): Craig Brand (manager), Grant Pinnington, John Phelan, Jeff Stanley, Richard Chin.
