Now the situation has been reversed, courtesy of the ISAF annual conference in Dublin, but only just. ISAF deemed that 75 per cent of the conference had to vote in favour of revisiting the May vote. Only 68.1 per cent did, so ISAF cosily presumed that would be the end of it.
However windsurfing tabled a move at the general assembly later in the week. It got over the line with 51.3 per cent. Black eyes all around the ISAF top table.
Its president, Goran Petersson, oversaw the mid-year shambles when delegates claimed they weren't aware of the finality of the vote, or precisely what they were voting for. He is off to put his feet underneath the International Olympic Committee table. The ISAF leadership has passed to Italian Carlo Croce.
Windsurfers are jubilant, but their international association will be derelict in their responsibilities if they fail to take heed of a desperately close call. They were perceived as having taken their place on the Olympic programme somewhat for granted. The upstart kiteboarders had played a strong hand. Windsurfing received a serious shot across the bow.
There was a call for kites to be included on the World Cup circuit from next year, with a view to stepping up, perhaps for the 2020 Olympics, or at least be brought closer to the bosom of the sailing family. They didn't even get that. They're back where they started. Maybe the right Rio decision was arrived at in the end, but no thanks to a clumsy, inept governing body.