Outgoing EFRA President Javier Garcia announces complete departure from sport.

Outgoing EFRA President Javier Garcia has announced on social media that he is to completely exit the sport having served with the European governing body since 2015.  The likely Spaniard made the announcement following the EFRA AGM which took place in Belgium over the weekend where long serving EFRA board member Jacqueline Aebi took over as the new President, a role that was filled by Garcia for the last 5-years.  In his message on Facebook, the very amenable figure outlined a lack of progress and interest in change within the organisation and RC Community had led him to loose his passion and motivation.  He also goes on to highlight that major changes are required within EFRA for it to be able to progress – a view that has been widely held for a number of years now.  RedRC first met Javier at the 2016 1:10 Nitro Touring Car World Championships when the late EFRA/IFMAR President Dallas Mathiesen personally told us that he had found someone who could be a huge asset to the sport.  Having tried to work on a number of projects ourselves with EFRA prior to Javier’s arrival within the organisation, we can fully empathise with the frustrations he outlines in his message.  Our sport’s loss is Javier’s family’s gain.  Thank you Javier for your efforts.

Dear friends around the World,
I want to post you my last message as EFRA President & Section Chairman.

Maybe for some of you could be a surprise or you can ask WHY.

Since I got my position as EFRA Section Chairman in 2015 and 3 years later EFRA President 2018, I always tried to do my best for EFRA and for RC Community, doing everything possible to keep EFRA Standards in the Official races and also to push RC Community to move forward into a new era in RC Motorsport. It was a hard work, so many of my free time out of my family and business (don’t forget that this is a volunteer position), so many meetings, so many pressure from everyone, mails, chats, talks, races… But always with motivation and passion and with aim to make something new, fresh and to grow RC. This was reason to make EFRA Development Plan.

But after years, I couldn’t reach the goals I had in mind. Because of lack of interest of the RC Community and lack of progress of the Development Plan, I started to loose passion and motivation. And with those two words nothing really can happen. RC has been always a positive thing in my life since I was a kid. Now, unfortunately, it’s not like this. RC in last year have been negative with so many pressure, so many problems. So, since the beginning of the year I didn’t feel strong enough to continue in my responsibilities in EFRA.

I’m completely sure that next step to progress must be to invest more time, to invest more resources, fresh officials and to change rules, procedures and formats. In one sentence: move everything outside of our “comfortable area”. And one of my mistakes is to think that we can do such a big project without support and clear determination from a big part of the community.

But Ey! No drama. I had the opportunity to met a fantastic people around the World: drivers, Organisers, Manufactures, EFRA, IFMAR and National Federations… I visited a lot of countries (better said: tracks, hotels & airports) and I got in my memories a superb experience in these 7 years.

Thanks to EFRA board, National Federations, Organizers, RC companies, drivers and mechanics to give me the chance to be part of the RC family!

I will never say never but, from now, I’ll be disconnected of the RC for a while in order to rest, to spend time with my family and to keep my concentration in all my business. Let’s see in the future!

Good Luck Jacqueline Aebi as new EFRA President and I wish you all the best!

Big hug for all of you!

Image: Javier Garcia [Facebook]