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IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby Havre » Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:00 pm

Whatever you think of IKO it would make sense for them to follow their own guidelines?

Assuming the claim in the OP is correct.

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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby tautologies » Wed Nov 16, 2022 10:55 pm

I won an IKO certificate in poker. LOL. I have used it exactly 0 times.

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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby Saltyman » Thu Nov 17, 2022 2:29 am

To instruct the IKO course. You get 70% of the money. So good incentive to teach students.

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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby CaptainKook » Sun Nov 20, 2022 10:26 am

Seems to be a few separate issues based on 'non-evidenced' allegations.

Whether school is authorized to teach at said location? Would imagine they need work permits/trading licence/business registration number etc to operate.

Whether or not they are paying taxes would be down to the normal checks by local Govt Officials, Mayor, Representatives, Police etc. Not our place to police any of this on here.

Would assume they need work permits and Insurance in place to operate vs risk end up in jail if there is an accident.

Whether or not IKO are legally allowed to teach in DR is a completely different, international issue, which is at a much higher level and is a discussion we could have.

What gives a 'Teaching Body' the right/authorisation to teach in each country? Whether it's Para Gliding, Scuba Diving, Mountain Climbing, Kitesurfing.

Would imagine each individual country has rules/standards/licences of who can set up shop there and teach. Don't know enough about this but it will be at a pretty high level and be different for each country. Maybe IKO have applied to relevant DR Govt Dept and are authorized to teach there via there registered, insured, Member Instructors.

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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby leeuwen » Sun Nov 20, 2022 11:21 am

I see IKO as a franchise:
You pay them some money and then you are allowed to use their name.
Their name or stamps don’t carry any legal status it’s just recognized by a lot of parties so eg it makes it easier to rent gear.

I think their legal exposure in any country is just if taxes are payed on any income they have there (they would be stupid if they get more involved except for allowing use of name).

So I think it’s most likely that IKO is doing what is legally required. If they should do more checks on schools using their name is fair criticism.
Would be interesting to send them a message about it and check their response.
However I would expect something like: “we expect/trust the parties we work with to be within the law and please reach out to local law enforcement if you think they do not”
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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby pippiwithwings » Mon Nov 21, 2022 9:27 pm

Iko....the ruin of this sport
[/quote]

I do not agree, on avg the difference between a seasoned IKO instructor and a non-certified instructor is pretty big after even one season in terms of teaching effectiveness. Overall I think more people learning kiting just need to find an experienced instructor, as they tend to be dangerous when taught by friends who always seem to skip body dragging and self rescue.
Last edited by pippiwithwings on Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby pippiwithwings » Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:37 pm

Establishing basics for teaching is ok.

The problem is that Iko itself is not working by the rules of residing country, not legal and they approve other illegal schools by granting Pro status.
As a licensing organization, they have no values and are not following the rules.

Iko charges big bucks with their own insurance to give PRO status, but it is not about quality of a school just about paying the money; the schools are not even legal/ registered to operate, neither have teaching area, operate in non-existing school, have no instructors in proper advanced level and so on…. Dangerous for others around.
At this point Iko establishing these schools that have no experience and are not doing things correct are causing problems to established and experienced schools.
Schools actually do not need Iko for anything, Iko is causing problems to make money only.

Is it just financial problems in Iko or is it a planned malpractice for profit?

"Iko maffia" (Iko people talking among themselves how they will take diplomas away from schools and instructors deciding who to eliminate to set up their operation as IKO Pro school for making courses for instructors. IKO own people/ examiners participating.

To the Pro schools the Quality department writes to take down pictures from Instagram that show teaching in some way they find incorrect (based on Instagram photos - figure this!!!), the schools who don’t pay PRO money, are suspended without warning. Or if they will reevaluate make them pay more money to be reevaluated.
Interesting are cases when they suspend based on pictures where a student just has a conversation with an instructor on the beach and it is assumed to be a kite class.

Is it only Dominican Republic or any experiences from other places as well?

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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby Soleas » Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:09 pm

Eh it's everywhere. IKO is a fluke and still goes on after all these years. What I see, over here, is none of the IKO instructors are teaching any of the safety stuff, right of way or self rescue and all these kind of stuff. They are teaching only some flying skills and straight into the water. Nobody checks them so they do what ever they want. Easy money.
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Re: IKO working illegally in Dominican Republic

Postby CaptainKook » Wed Nov 23, 2022 7:11 am

So you are telling us that the IKO is the FIFA of kite surfing
:cool2: :cool2:


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