Terje Haaksonsen and Kjersti Buaas holding the 180
Snowboarding Olympic Charter

Terje Haakonsen - the venerable godfather of modern snowboarding announced yesterday at the Arctic Challenge the 180 Olympic Charter initiative.

Signed by over three dozen top pro snowboarders, the declaration makes demands to the IOC ahead of its decision to add slopestyle to the 2014 Olympics.

The key points are outlined below.

For IOC reaction check out this ESPN interview with IOC's Gerhard Heiberg:

http://espn.go.com/action/snowboarding/news/story?id=6132274&sl

SNOWBOARDING 180 OLYMPIC CHARTER - Snowboarders Should be Run by Snowboarders

- We recognize the Olympics as a potential pinnacle event of snowboarding, but only if our voices are heard.
- All snowboard events and organizations throughout the world must listen to the driving force of our sport: the athletes.
- Snowboarders want a transparent and democratic process in all decision-making systems that have an effect on our daily lives and occupation.
- Snowboarding will never reach its full potential with conflicting dates of major snowboarding events. - We do not want a new world tour for slopestyle qualifications.
- We want an Olympic ranking to reduce the date conflicts of major events.
- We believe the International Olympic Committee has a responsibility to listen to our voices and make way for the unleashing of snowboarding s true potential.
- We want all powers to start a dialogue to find a solution for the better good of the sport.
- Preserving the status quo in snowboarding is not an option.