AusLeisure

Ivo Ferriani, the newly elected President of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), has announced has intention to see the body cease operations next year.

The influential GAISF, the umbrella organisation for all Olympic and non-Olympic international sports federations, has more than 100 members and has observer status on International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board.

With GAISF’s Presidency held in rotation, Ferriani, representing the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF), replaced longstanding GAISF President, Dr Raffaele Chiulli, last week.

He then immediately advised his intention to wind up the organisation the news in a letter to GAISF members, saying they will have a motion to dissolve on its agenda at their general assembly in Yekaterinburg, Russia next May.

The motion is expected to be approved.

Ferriani brings with him a wealth of experience in sports administration, having served as AIOWF President since 2020, and President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation since 2010. He has also been an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board Member since 2018.

In the lead up to the election, Ferriani shared his plans for the future of GAISF, underlining his commitment to bringing the global sports community closer together for the benefit sport.

He praised GAISF for its tireless efforts to promote sustainability in sport and underlined how he will use his role as a Member of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission to build on this progress.

The winding up of the GAISF would serve the IOC’s plans to streamline international sport administration.

However, if the dissolution goes ahead it is uncertain what would happen to its events such as the World Combat Games and the World Urban Games, first held in Budapest in 2019 and the SportAccord international convention, held on the Gold Coast in 2019.

Saudi Arabia has been awarded the 2023 World Combat Games, last staged in 2013, and meetings between the country and the GAISF to discuss preparations for the event were held earlier this month.

Image: New GAISF President Ivo Ferriani. Credit: GAISF.

Related Articles

12th November 2021 - Beijing ice sports venue to operate at one-fifth capacity during Winter Olympics

22nd October 2021 - Costs already on the rise for Brisbane Olympics

8th October 2021 - Second edition of United Through Sports World Virtual Youth Festival hosted by Saudi Arabia

24th August 2021 - GAISF launches host city selection process for various world multi-sport events

6th August 2021 - SportAccord postpones World Sport and Business Summit in Ekaterinburg to May 2022

31st May 2021 - Saudi Arabia secures World Combat Games 2023

12th May 2021 - SportAccord announces World Health Organization Director-General as Keynote Speaker

3rd May 2021 - SportAccord’s virtual IF Forum 2021 to focus on lessons emerging from a crisis

23rd April 2021 - Australian delegates join representatives from more than 50 countries in registering for SportAccord 2021 in Ekaterinburg

17th December 2020 - Inaugural ArtAccord to launch at 2021 SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit

6th November 2020 - International Sports Federations seek to play a key role in global pandemic recovery

8th July 2020 - SportAccord announces long-term Silver Partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland

24th March 2020 - Uncertainty over Olympics postponement

14th March 2020 - SportAccord 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19 ban on large-scale events

14th February 2020 - SportAccord convention to relocate from Beijing

13th May 2019 - Sport Australia misses opportunity at remarkable SportAccord Gold Coast

11th May 2019 - Sensational SportAccord closes on the Gold Coast

8th May 2019 - Olympic sport federations call for clarity on management of Tokyo Games

8th May 2019 - International sporting federations need to offer more to host venues and cities

20th April 2018 - GAISF unveils details for inaugural World Urban Games