ipsc and irf join gaisf observer programme as council meets in lausanne

The International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) and the International Rafting Federation (IRF) were officially granted observer status by the GAISF Council when it convened earlier this week.

Meeting ahead of the 2019 IF Forum, the Council discussed a number of key topics, with the applications of the two new observers high on the agenda.

Practical shooting is a set of shooting sports where competitors must unite the three fundamental principles of precision, power and speed, aiming to score as many points as possible in the shortest amount of time. The IRF is recognised as the world governing body for rafting sport and is responsible for governing international rafting competition at all levels.

As well as accepting the IPSC and the IRF, the Council also approved applications for the six existing observers to renew their status, with clear guidelines and expectations for each of the IFs in question.

The six observers extended are the World Dodgeball Association (WDA), the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG), the International Union of Kettlebell Lifting (IUKL), the International Federation of Match Poker (IFMP), the International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF), and the International Table Soccer Federation (ITSF).

In recent months, GAISF has continued to build strong institutional relationships, both with stakeholders throughout the sports movement, as well as with non-sporting governing bodies, such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe. The Council heard more of GAISF’s activity in protecting and promoting the good work of its Members, as well as ensuring efficiency and raising the profile of International Federations worldwide.

Chairman of the World Urban Games Budapest 2019 Local Organising Committee, Mr Balázs Fürjes, gave an executive summary on the outcomes of the first edition, which attracted more than 50,000 spectators over three days of action. The Games was also a chance for young people to take part and try new sports, and the Festival-style event showcased the best of music, art, culture and sport. Preparations for the second edition are ongoing and more is to be announced at the GAISF General Assembly in Beijing next year.

To see more of the inaugural World Urban Games Budapest 2019, click here.

Progress for the World Combat Games, which is due to be held in 2021 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, is also on track, with the formation of the Local Organising Committee and the engagement of International Federations in creating the event.

Finally, the Council was updated on various projects, including the GAISF Sustainability Award, .sport, and the upcoming SportAccord Regional, which is due to take place in Fort Lauderdale from 10-12 December, 2019.