News Update

Extraordinary Congress finalised last steps to full IOC recognition with Statutes change

The International Federation Icestocksport (IFI) would like to announce that it has held an Extraordinary Congress on 20 March 2021. The main topic of this Congress were amendments to the IFI Statutes and Rules of Financing resulting from consultations with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as part of the full recognition process 2021 and recommendations made by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) pertaining to the WADA Code Compliance Questionnaire (CCQ) procedures.

The 34 delegates from 19 IFI member National Federations (NFs) approved unanimously the changes to the Statutes and Rules of Financing which can be summarized as follows, particularly finalising the last steps on the way to full International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition after the provisional recognition period:

Finalisation of the foundation of Continental Associations: IFI in an effort to strengthen continental representation on decision-making level has set up Continental Associations for Africa, America, Asia- Oceania and Europe. The Continental Associations (CAs) of Icestocksport serve as IFI branch in the respective territory and their members are the IFI member National Federations on such continent.

Strengthen Athletes’ representation: To improve and strengthen Athletes’ representation in the decision- making processes IFI has added the formal position of a permanent voting Athletes’ representative to all IFI Commissions and to the Executive Committees of all Continental Associations.

Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions: IFI has adopted by reference the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions. These Regulations specifically prohibit betting in relation to a Competition in which the Participant is directly participating; or the Participant’s sport; and any event of a multisport Competition in which he/she is a participant.

Non-discrimination and athlete safeguarding policy: To safeguard the participants in IFI events and activities and the Integrity of the competitions IFI has set up a Non-discrimination and athlete safeguarding policy and anchored the policy in its Statutes.

Gender Equality Policy: In order to promote gender equality in Icestocksport IFI has established a Gender Equality Policy to support the equal representation of all genders at a volunteer and professional level within the IFI structures and anchored the policy in its Statutes.

Based on the recommendations made by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), IFI has clarified in its rules that Membership in IFI entails explicit acceptance by each member of the IFI Anti-Doping rules in their current version and the IFI membership accepts IFI as testing, results management and disciplinary Authority on their territory when and where there is no national Anti-Doping Authority actively fighting against Doping in sport.

“IFI in a strong move towards making the last steps to full IOC recognition which we applied for to the IOC and hope to get during the IOC Session in July 2021 in Tokyo has considered a range of recommendations made by the IOC and WADA throughout their respective processes. We uphold our values of universality, sustainability, credibility, integrity and youth appeal of Icestocksport as always and have even improved our efforts focusing on an International Federation which is worthy to be considered for the Olympic Winter Games,” stated IFI President Christian Lindner, looking at the results of the Extraordinary Congress.

The International Federation Icestocksport (IFI) is proud to announce that we have joined the UNAOC One Humanity Campaign, which calls for solidarity, compassion and unity in the face of discrimination and divisiveness. The International Federations which sign up to the initiative have pledged their commitment to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations’ (UNAOC) campaign. The campaign will see signatory sports champion One Humanity by demonstrating their commitment to peaceful and inclusive societies through a range of initiatives and projects that will be featured on a dedicated online platform in future to increase the visibility of this important campaign.

“IFI strongly supports the values promoted by the UNAOC One Humanity Campaign and aims to help the worldwide community to friendship, teamwork and non-discrimination,” stated IFI President Christian Lindner.

“IFI will promote the campaign of the United Nations in the Icestocksport family to contribute to peace through sport and human rights and further the cause of a better global society,” added IFI Secretary General Silke Bernardi.

“UNAOC, as the leading United Nations initiative to advance understanding, cooperation, and dialogue among nations and peoples across all cultures, has recognized the ability of sport to further its call for promoting diversity and positive social change. Through the One Humanity campaign in particular, sport, together with the Alliance, will promote diversity as an advantage rather than a threat,” stated Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UNAOC High Representative.

Under the agreement, IFI commits to promote the “Alliance Of Civilizations” platform by means of a set of activities to be implemented directly by IFI or indirectly through its network of partners by the following actions:

• Conceptualization, production and edition of a video featuring IFI’s athletes and personalities under the motto: “One Humanity.”
• Displaying the UNAOC Promotional video in IFI’s own and third parties media channels and platforms that IFI will be able to provide for the aim of this action.
• Under the same platform of “Alliance Of Civilizations,” IFI will propose at its discretion other promotional activities or projects that the parties may consider relevant to accomplish the objectives and purposes of UNAOC.

Information about the Alliance of Civilizations can be found at https://www.unaoc.org/who-we-are/

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