Hosting an international sports event is no small task. Just to place a bid to be considered as a potential host city for the Olympic Games requires an initial fee of $100,000. The initial bidding fee for the Pan American Games comes a little cheaper: $50,000.
The state of Florida is determined to host the Pan American Games, as early as 2007, and the Olympics in 2012 or 2016. To make this goal a reality, a 17-member Florida Olympics and Pan American Games task force was appointed. For the first time, a chiropractor has been included in the appointments.
Thomas Hyde, DC, president-elect of the Florida Chiropractic Association (FCA) was appointed by Daniel Webster, Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives:
| July 21, 1997 Dr. Thomas Hyde
695 NE 126 Street
North Miami, Florida 33161 Dear Dr. Hyde, It is my pleasure to appoint you as a member of the Florida Olympics and Pan American Games Task Force, you shall serve a four-year term effective immediately. In 1996, the Florida Legislature created the 17 member task force in order to study the feasibility of bringing the games to the Sunshine State. The task force will play a pivotal role in consulting with and garnering the support of local public and private amateur sports entities, sports industry leaders, and others, in highlighting Florida as the logical and natural location for the games. Your efforts, and that of the other task force members, will determine whether Florida receives the consideration it deserves as a host site. Jimmy Carnes, of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, will contact you regarding your specific responsibilities and details of meetings. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Mr. Carnes at 352/955-2120. My thanks to you, on behalf of all Floridians, for your willingness and enthusiasm to serve. Sincerely, Daniel Webster cc: The Honorable Governor Lawton Chiles The Honorable Senate President Toni Jennings
The Honorable Clerk of the House John Phelps
Ms. Joy Matlock, House Administration
Mr. Jimmy Carnes |
Dr. Hyde said he's thankful for Speaker of the House Daniel Webster's foresight in including a chiropractor on the task force. While Dr. Hyde noted his first goal is to bring the Pan American and Olympic Games to Florida, he commented that being on the task force from the beginning "will make it much easier to encourage the host city to recognize chiropractors as official members of the treating health care team."
Dr. Hyde was quick to give credit to the Florida Chiropractic Association (FCA) for his appointment. "A chiropractor was appointed to the task force because of the FCA's lobbying efforts, particularly those of Dr. Ed Williams, the FCA's CEO, his staff and Mr. Jimmy Carnes, the executive director of the Florida Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Mr. Carnes has been extremely supportive of the inclusion of chiropractic services for the care of competing athletes in all types of sporting events."
Chiropractic physicians have long been involved in treating athletes, and have been particularly active in treating the athletes at competitive events. The Federation Internationale de Chiropratique Sportive and the sports councils of the national associations have made chiropractic care a fixture at many amateur athletic competitions. Dr. Thomas Hyde's appointment is another step towards chiropractic being more intimately involved in providing chiropractic at amateur athletic events, and paving the way to greater, official chiropractic involvement at the Pan American Games and the Olympics.
