SCUBA Dive Training Agencies Focus on Positive Growth
SDI/TDI SCUBA Training Agency Loses Appeal on Dismissal of Court Case against competition. (Read It)
In an effort to slow its competition, ITI Holding Inc., the parent company of the scuba training course brands Scuba Diving International (SDI) and Technical Diving International (TDI), had legal papers served on Joe Keiser on the floor of the DEMA Show on 5 October, 2005. This was in disregard to the rules of the DEMA Show and its organizers, and also contrary to efforts to further build up the public’s positive perception of Scuba Diving as a leisure time activity, countering the demand slump from which the industry has been negatively impacted.
The details of the original lawsuit can be seen at various industry news sites, such as the Cyber Diver News Network (http://www.cdnn.info) or Dive News Wire (http://www.divenewswire.com). Both of these news agencies were very quick to pick up on the negative news of the lawsuit. (Will they be just as quick to pick up on the corrective outcome?)
On 31 January, 2006, after only 4 months from the case’s initiation, David M Cohen, United States Magistrate Judge, dismissed the case. Details of the dismissal can be viewed at Magistrate’s Decision . Two months later, on the 9 March, 2006, George Z Singal, United States District Court Judge, reaffirmed the Magistrate’s decision and this can be viewed at District Court Judge Reaffirms Magistrate’s Decision. Not being enough, the case was then taken to the United States Court of Appeals. Yesterday, more than 1 year after the case was filed, 3 senior appeals court judges have reaffirmed the original decisions.
Thus, it is now hoped that this saga is now finally over. We feel that this is the very type of behavior which certainly has no place in an industry such as ours, bringing the joy of safe scuba diving to people throughout the world. And we now hope that our membership, and all dive professionals, around the globe can return to conducting their business in the professional and supportive framework provided by all of the scuba diving training agencies.
