Sporting for All – Bringing sports to everyone

“BE PATIENT AND THINK POSITIVE”: AN INSPIRING MESSAGE FROM OLYMPIC MARATHON CHAMPION ELIUD KIPCHOGE http://www.olympic.org/news/-be-patient-and-think-positive-an-inspiring-message-from-olympic-marathon-champion-eliud-kipchoge

World Draughts Federation: Federation Mondiale Du Jeu De Dames, or in short FMJD, was founded in 1947 by 4 federations and has grown into a world recognised sport and organisation with 74 member federations. FMJD is a respectable member of Sportaccord and AIMS, both IOC recognised umbrella organisations. Former President, Harry Otten and current President, Janek Maggi have worked tirelessly to promote this ancient sport for all, into the modern times and arenas. Draughts is one of the most popular sports in the mind games. We have all played Draughts in our life but to familiarise us even more, take a look at the rules and regulations and tonight join the live competition between Belarus and the Netherlands. Draughts is truly a sport and healthy lifestyle for all. Link to see information on the live competition: https://results.fmjd.org/tournaments/2020/fd_406/

THE OLYMPIC REFUGE FOUNDATION (ORF) TODAY HIGHLIGHTED HOW SPORT CAN HELP BUILD RESILIENCE AND BOOST THE MENTAL HEALTH OF FORCIBLY DISPLACED YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE COVID‐19 PANDEMIC.                                            The ORF Chair and IOC President, Thomas Bach, and the Vice-Chair, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, warned of the growing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of refugees and others uprooted by war, violence and persecution around the world, compounding already very challenging circumstances. Refugees are among the most vulnerable to the consequences of the pandemic – often residing in overcrowded camps, settlements and urban areas in cramped conditions with inadequate access to fresh water and hygiene supplies. Mental health conditions amongst people affected by conflict are already two or three times higher than in the general population, with one in five people experiencing mental health challenges. Meeting remotely today, the ORF Board agreed on a number of initiatives to boost the protection of forcibly displaced young people and help improve their mental health through sport. As an example, the ORF is launching a pilot project […]

The International University Sports Federation (FISU)  rolled out its Healthy Campus project to all universities, to help foster a healthy lifestyle amongst millions of university students across the globe.   https://gaisf.sport/fisu-opens-healthy-campus-project-to-universities-worldwide/

Peace and Sport thanks AIMS for its effort in mobilizing members, athletes and fans. 6th April, White Card Campaign

Montreal, 6 May 2020 – Following on from its COVID-19 guidance of 20 March, today the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued updated guidance for Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) focused on the resumption of athlete testing as deconfinement leads to the restart or return to normal of doping control programs in a number of countries around the world. WADA developed the guidance following consultation with a group of National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) to determine how the anti-doping community can best operate their testing programs in this challenging environment. The guidance follows globally recommended health and hygiene procedures and is in line with the International Standard for Testing and Investigations. The guidance has been refined to reflect the evolving nature of the pandemic, its effect on the global testing program and the fact that some parts of the world that had suspended or significantly reduced testing are getting back to normal as restrictions begin to be lifted. It covers a number of areas, concentrating in particular on what procedures should be employed by ADOs and their sample collection personnel when conducting testing during this period. WADA President Witold Bańka said: “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WADA has been keeping in close contact with Anti-Doping Organizations in order to provide leadership and […]

The AIMS President thanked all AIMS members, Athletes and Coaches for participating in the ITA Webinar this past Tuesday on The Anti-Doping Landscape and Athlete Perspective. A special thanks to the International Testing Agency for putting together this wonderful seminar and educating athletes about Clean Sport, the Anti-doping process and promoting education. The protection of clean athletes in our unified stance against doping is top priority in any IOC recognized sport and organization. We all stand united with zero tolerance for doping and we must really thank ITA for all their work, their mission and vision and we must continue with extensive educational efforts involving all stake holders in the sport movement which is a clear investment towards the future of sport and integrity and the pillar of fair-play. AIMS Members pride themselves on being fully compliant World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) signatories and many are partner of the International Testing Agency (ITA), collaborating on initiatives to keep our sport clean and to protect our clean athletes. AIMS has a zero-tolerance policy against doping violations. The protection of the clean athlete is one of AIMS’s main missions based on the pillar of fair play. Education is key and this is why […]

                     The Youth Giving us Hope and More Reasons to Smile  Over the last 4 weeks, IFMA started a unifying initiative, #MuaythaiConnects, to bring the IFMA Youth even closer together in line with IFMA’s policy to do our best to contribute towards the best possible future for our youth and as such, to listen, guide and continue to nurture our youth towards their future. We believe that Muaythai and certainly, sport in general plays an important part for social cohesion and community building. We must combine sporting, cultural and educational exchange and there is no doubt, no better avenue than to be inspired by our youth. We have received hundreds of posts where our mission was to bring these components together and the impact has been remarkable! We can be proud of our children, of our youth and they inspire us even more to ensure our unified effort towards a better tomorrow post-pandemic. Today we will share with you one of our truly outstanding talents, 6 year old, Bassam Murthasa, a Muaythai practitioner from Sri Lanka. Today he invites us to his country to talk about Covid-19 and why we must take […]

        IOC PRESIDENT BACH WRITES TO OLYMPIC MOVEMENT: OLYMPISM AND CORONA   IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH TODAY SENT A LETTER TO THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT ENTITLED “OLYMPISM AND CORONA”  TO INITIATE A COMPREHENSIVE DEBATE ON “THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING AND THE POTENTIAL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE.”                                                            OLYMPISM AND CORONA With the global COVID-19 pandemic, we are all living in much uncertainty. At this point in time, this uncertainty is far from subsiding. We are all only beginning to understand the far-reaching consequences of the coronavirus crisis around the world. What is certain, however, is that this pandemic has affected and will affect all areas of society, including all of us in the world of sport, significantly. The global spread of the virus has meant that the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 have had to be postponed to 2021, a historic decision that was taken in order to safeguard the health of the athletes and the hundreds of thousands of people involved in the Games. In this respect, please […]

Today, we will take you to a sport which has a cult status, especially in Asia. It has spread its wings from South East Asia around the world and is one of the most popular sports in the Asian Games and South East Asian Games. Sepaktakraw is an indoor and outdoor sport and is also a very popular beach sport included in the Asian Beach Games. The flagship events are the ISTAF World Cup and the ISTAF Super Series. It has record figures on Asian TV, Euro Sports and many others. ISTAF is a proud member of the GAISF family and a driving member of AIMS since its inauguration and has been represented at every Sportaccord. The President of Sepaktakraw, Major General. Charouck Arirachakaran, is the Vice President of the OCA and National Olympic Committee of Thailand. The General Secretary, Dato Halim, is one of the driving forces of Sepaktakraw. Today, we see the amazing skills of the Sepaktakraw athletes Fight Gravity. Enjoy the contribution of the ISTAF Family.

https://unitedthroughsports.com/2020/04/02/uts-gfp-and-joc-sign-a-historical-memorandum-of-understanding-during-jordans-olympic-boxing-qualifier-event/

Aikido, is a Japanese martial art which represents a potent distillation of centuries of Japanese martial arts knowledge. Aikido is more than just a martial art, is a way of self-development. Aikido’s origin was founded by Morihei Ueshiba. It has spread its wings from Japan, all over the world as a martial art that focuses on harmonising with your opponent, to bring peaceful resolutions to situations involving conflict. The current President Moriteru Ueshiba is the head of the Aikido Doshu in Japan and its Chairman, Kei Izawa, is also the Treasurer of AIMS and a Council Member. Aikido is a member of GAISF and the International World Games Association and is truly a sport for all ages and abilities. Today the General Secretary of Aikido, Mr. Wilko Vriesman, will teach us to be in harmony with ourselves. Please enjoy this small exercise. In aims we believe that diversity leads to harmony.    

Savate is a martial art and a combat sports based on ancient traditions and values. The values are ethics, aesthetics, education and effectiveness. It also follows the Olympic values of participation, fair play, respect for rules and others, and personal development. It is an aesthetics sport that values precision and artistry. Savate is a pound member of GAISF and AIMS and the President of Savate Dr. Julie Gabriel is an AIMS council member. In these challenging times Savate has established an online teaching system and today the President of the Ireland Savate federation, Martin O’Malley, will introduce you to Savate. Please take this opportunity to follow the Savate’s Facebook for a daily workout. Savate is truly a sport for everybody and has grown immensely under the leadership of Dr Julie Gabriel. Click here to see the Savate’s Facebook Page  

  Sport Community, Where do we stand currently? We are all affected by this pandemic. We know that the Corona virus does not acknowledge borders, religion or nationalities. Many people across the world have lost loved ones, many have contracted the virus, whilst others are living in quarantine or under daily life altering restrictions. However, this virus is already encouraging societies around the world to make beneficial life-changing adjustments. The world as we know it has been understandably occupied by the Covid-19 pandemic which has uprooted all areas of life and our sports world is no exception. The distancing measures to limit the spread of the virus have affected all sport events for the athletes, to the spectators and the media. Global sport events have been cancelled from small events to the pinnacle, including the 2020 Olympic Games which has been postponed for 2021 to safeguard everybody involved in the Olympic Games movement and the International Community. We could not agree more with IOC President Thomas Bach, when he stated “The Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel” which is where the world finds itself at […]

AIMS will continue through all its members as an IOC Recognised Umbrella Organisation to contribute towards a better tomorrow, promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle, without any discrimination in the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. https://gaisf.sport/gaisf-members-help-forge-global-solidarity-through-sport/

Enjoy this Special Edition of IDBF, including advice and information on Covid19 DSN Mar 2020

April 6th is United Nations’ symbolic day for sport development and peace. We all believe that sport has a unique power. In football, the yellow and the red card as part of the game in order to keep the game fair. On April 6th each year however, the white card is the sign of commitment to peace. AIMS is proud of its long-time partnership with Peace & Sport under the high patronage of his serene highness Prince Albert the second.   AIMS believes strongly in the Olympic values and above all in Olympic humanity. We are living in challenging times and today more than ever, with the current pandemic we need to stand together in unity. We must nurture the values of solidarity across the world, stand for equality, inclusion, and continue to foster and promote the positive values of sport. We need to stand together for a better world and a better tomorrow.   In normal circumstances, it is the practice of sport which has brought us together physically. Now more than ever, this year’s white card campaign has spread a message of physically distant connectivity throughout the world of sport. The world has come together in solidarity, sharing their […]

Press Release 30 / 03 / 2020 Postponement of the International Aikido Summit 2020     The International Aikido Federation (IAF) has been in close contact with the Aikikai World Headquarters monitoring the Covid-19 situation in Japan and the rest of the world in order to decide whether to host the International Aikido Summit as scheduled or not in Sep/Oct 2020. We also took into reference the situation of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo that last week was rescheduled to a date beyond 2020, but no later than summer 2021. Furthermore, we have inquired select IAF member federations from different continents on their opinions.   Based on the above, IAF held an online Directing Committee meeting last Wednesday the 25th of March and we agreed to recommend a postponement of the International Aikido Summit to Doshu, which he consented. IAF’s decision to postpone the Summit to 2021 and beyond has been taken in close consultation with Doshu and the Aikikai.   On behalf of IAF, Aikikai will enter into negotiations with the related parties in Japan to cancel many of the facility and service arrangements that had been made. We will await the announcement of the rescheduling […]

GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli: We must all work as a team

Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) responded to athlete queries concerning anti-doping in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by publishing a Question and Answer (Q&A) document that it developed in consultation with its Athlete Committee. This follows on from WADA’s COVID-19 guidance that was issued on 20 March to Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) worldwide. WADA President Witold Bańka said: “WADA and the global anti-doping community are prioritizing public health, safety and social responsibility. As we continue to meet the challenges of this pandemic, the health of athletes and all those involved in clean sport, will continue to be front-of-mind. “WADA acknowledges how difficult this situation has been and will continue to be for athletes as they deal with the strict measures that have been put in place around the world, which are disrupting their training programs and creating uncertainty as to what is in store for their upcoming competitions. The anti-doping community has banded together to adjust its daily operations by suspending or reducing some of its programs, including testing and other activities. As difficult as this is for everyone, we must stay strong. We will get through this situation and everyone hopes that we can return the global anti-doping system to full power as […]

The beautiful city of Amman and the Jordan Olympic Committee were honoured with the rights to host the 2nd leg of boxing’s “Road to Tokyo” series, the Asian-Oceania qualifying event. The best boxers of Asia and Oceania convened in Amman to compete to qualify in the 13 weight categories to book their tickets, and 63 proud athletes made it. HRH Prince Feisal, the President of the Jordanian Olympic Committee invited AIMS President, Stephan Fox, to be part of this event and the AIMS President congratulated His Highness and the Jordan Olympic Committee for the execution and quality of the world-class event. Athletes from 35 counties competed and 14 of them finished on the podium, China finishing on top, followed by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. India and Kazakhstan won the highest number of quota spots and Jordan made history claiming a record number of 5 Olympic births and also winning their first-ever Asian gold medal in the men’s welter division. Congratulations must go to all athletes and to organisers. Mr. Fox was welcomed by the Chairman of the IOC Boxing Task Force and IOC member, Mr. Morinari Watanabe; Mr. Fox commended Mr. Watanabe for his outstanding work. Mr. Fox praised all involved […]

There could not have been a more appropriate venue than the Olympic museum for the coming together in celebration of the achievements of the UIM athletes. GAISF, SportAccord and UIM President, Raffaele Chiulli, welcomed the elite Powerboat Racing competitors as well as the UIM executive board. AIMS President, Stephan Fox, was there to represent the AIMS family. IOC Executive Board Member, Nenad Lalovic, ASOIF President, Francesco Ricci Bitti, World Taekwondo President, Chungwon Choue, and many others were there to show respect to the elite competitors of the UIM family. AIMS President Fox who was in attendance first hand at the championships in Kuwait thanked President Chiulli for the opportunity to have been inspired by the athletes and the excitement of the sport. The AIMS President stated that he was particularly inspired by the young UIM junior driver of the year from Estonia, Ander-Hubert Lauri, and also on the environmental work UIM is doing. All in attendance were touched by the special award given to the President of World Taekwondo, Chungwon Choue for his humanitarian efforts, using the power of sports towards a better tomorrow. President Fox congratulated all the outstanding athletes and congratulated President Chiulli on all his work promoting […]

It was an honour for the AIMS President to be invited by GAISF/SportAccord President, Raffaele Chiulli, who is also the President of UIM, to the opening round of 2020 Aquabike Pro World Championship in Kuwait. AIMS President would like to thank Mr. Chiulli for the invitation to this breathtaking event sanctioned by UIM promoted by H2O racing held at the beautiful Marina beach, Kuwait city, an amazing venue with a great atmosphere with athletes from over 20 countries. It was also an honour of the president to meet the General Secretary of Kuwait National Olympic Committee. The President would like to congratulate UIM’s effort in their environmental responsibilities in which over 4,000 trees have been planted around the world. Congratulations on this initiative must go to President Chiulli and the UIM family. Once again, it was a great pleasure for the President to join the event and UIM has certainly gained a fan!

An important meeting took place between AIMS President, Mr. Stephan Fox, and AIMS Vice President, Panagiotis Theorodopoulos, to discuss important AIMS issues, upcoming General Assembly and Elections. Strategical plans had been discussed between President, Vice President and General Secretary including the Council in regards to the next step after AIMS full recognition by the IOC.

The GAISF Council convened in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland this weekend, to consider a range of topics important to the overall sport landscape and the organisation’s future. The historic United World Wrestling (UWW) headquarters was a dynamic and inspiring location, which took Council Members out of the GAISF office and into the heart of one its Members’ decision-making hubs. The Fédération Internationale de Teqball (FITEQ) was granted Observer Status by the Council, and becomes the 13th current observer. The Council also approved the renewal of Observer Status for both the International Padel Federation (FIPA) and International Rugby League (RLIF). Observer Status is an opportunity for new and emerging International Federations (IFs) to join and learn from the wider sports movement, with guidelines set out by the Membership Commission which help each IF to develop and grow. Teqball is a new football-based sport, which is suitable for professional footballers as well as amateur enthusiasts whose ambition is to develop their technical skills, concentration and stamina on a specially designed curved board, resembling a table tennis table. Teqball also recently featured as part of the cultural programme for the highly successful GAISF World Urban Games in Budapest last year. The GAISF Council Meeting also reviewed […]

  As the festivities of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games drew to a magnificent conclusion at the Closing Ceremony in the Olympic Capital last night, GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli reflected on the success of an inspirational youth event. The eyes of the sports world looked on in great anticipation as Lausanne 2020 provided a blueprint for major event hosting. Cross-border cooperation between Lausanne and neighbouring country France in order to utilise existing infrastructure, two “waves” of athletes utilising the venue accommodation, and using public transport to get athletes from one venue to another are just three examples of the innovative methods that organisers have implemented, and key stakeholders of the Olympic Movement have been quick to praise the successful delivery of the Games. “I had a very productive trip to Lausanne during these momentous Youth Olympic Games,” President Chiulli said. “I would like to congratulate Lausanne 2020 Organising Committee President Virginie Faivre, her team and the tireless effort of the 3,800 volunteers, without whom this event would not have been possible. “There has been a real buzz in the city of Lausanne and it was a privilege to watch the young athletes of tomorrow, our future elite sportsmen […]

An Important meeting took place in Lausanne during the Youth Olympics 2020, where the AIMS President met Thailand’s Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Governor of the Sport Authority, Kongsak Yodmanee, Thailand’s honourable IOC Member, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul and notable officials which included the Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, Charoen Wattanasin. SportAccord and GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli made a presentation to the delegation and a crucial presentation was made to the Governor regarding the SportAccord Convention. The Thai delegation also had the opportunity to visit the President of the IOC, Thomas Bach where fruitful discussions were held. AIMS President and GAISF Vice President, Mr. Stephan Fox, thanked the Royal Thai Government for the unforgettable SportAccord Convention 2018 and looks forward to a continued cooperation using sport to the benefit of society.

After the historic recognition of AIMS by the International Olympic Committee, the AIMS council convened at the Maison du Sport in the Olympic city, Lausanne. The AIMS council meeting took place to discuss the steps ahead, the council discussed many points on the steps forward, the strategic plans for the future of AIMS as an IOC recognised umbrella organisation, the upcoming General Assembly in Beijing and the sports festival in Beijing as part of the SportAccord Convention 2020 under the theme “United through Diversity”. AIMS will continue to be a credible, responsible member of the Olympic family and an organisation for the members through the members for the benefits of the next generation, integrating the sport with no discrimination a better tomorrow.

History was made as a unanimous vote was passed for the full recognition of AIMS and where they now become a fully recognised IOC umbrella group. The Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport was founded in 2009 by the Non-IOC recognised members of GAISF, where AIMS established itself as one of the five International Federation umbrella groups in the IOC and GAISF family. AIMS is a proud member of the Olympic family and as history has marked, they were granted provisional recognition by the IOC in 2015. With the key mission of the IOC to protect and promote the Olympic values of friendship, respect, excellence, determination, inspiration, courage and equality, AIMS has proven united towards honouring these values. The ethos of AIMS is to strengthen each individual sport, combine expertise, share knowledge along with protection of the members and close cooperation with the IOC, GAISF, SportAccord and WADA. In the last three years, six AIMS members have been given individual recognition by the IOC and where AIMS has held a memorandum of understanding since 2016. In October 2019, the IOC Executive Board put forward AIMS for full recognition into the IOC session, based on their incorporation and contribution towards […]

It has been a great opportunity to help International Federations to bring together stakeholders and organisations to help develop their sport in the region. The theme of the conference is “A United Approach to the International Sports Landscape in the Americas”. was a fantastic choice highlighted by Sportaccord and GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli who stated that this is a great opportunity to build bridges between IFs and National Olympic Committees from Pan American region and other stakeholders. The keynote address was delivered from the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations Executive Director, Andrew Ryan, focusing on “The Changing Landscape of the International Sports World”. Over 60 International federations participated in the event.

A special meeting took place at the highest level during the Sports Forum in Russia to discuss sporting cooperation. The AIMS President who is a highly respected member of the recognised sporting world in his capacity as the Vice President of GAISF and IFMA General Secretary had many meetings with the leaders of sport in Russia, most importantly the first Vice President of the Russian Olympic Committee, Igor Levitin and the Minister of Sports, Pavel Kolobkov. A special invitation was given to Mr Fox by the President of the Russian Federation Mr Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin is highly regarded in the world of sports especially combat sports in his position as honorary President of the International Judo Federation and the Honorary President of FIAS, the world recognised Sambo Federation in which President Putin holds many degrees. Mr Fox thanked Mr Putin for his invitation and the important fruitful discussions for the betterment of sport and society.

AIMS Vice President and President of International Jujitsu Federation Panagiotis Theodoropoulos welcomed the SportAccord and GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli and AIMS President Stephan Fox to the Jujitsu World Championships 2019 in Abu Dhabi. The President and Vice President had the opportunity to speak at the JJIF and AIMS Conference, discussing with the world leaders of JJIF the close cooperation between GAISF, AIMS and the JJIF family. The GAISF and AIMS President then had the opportunity to honour the Jujitsu family at a special gala dinner and most importantly witness world-class Jujitsu athletes in action competing for honour. The AIMS President praised the respectful standards of the Jujitsu family off, as well as on the field of play and was honoured to give the medals to the bronze, silver and gold winners of the competition. It was truly a memorable JJIF World Championships and seeing the Jujitsu world family stand united for the future of their sport was truly memorable for all.

IPF President Gaston Parage and the IPF family invited AIMS President Stephan Fox to Dubai for the United Through Sports; United in Powerlifting Forum as a guest speaker. Mr Fox was also invited to the IPF Championships where he congratulated Mr Parage for his re-election as IPF President and for the newly elected board. President Fox then congratulated the IPF family for their outstanding work as a credible and valuable member of the AIMS family. He went on to honour three key IPF figures, President Gaston, IPF Secretary General Robert Keller and IPF General Manager Emanuel Scheiber. Mr Fox thanked SportAccord and GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli for honouring IPF with his presence and shared his support of Mr Chiulli for his leadership. Mr Chiulli congratulated IPF President for his re-election and for the continued progress IPF is making to especially put all the athletes at the heart of their work. The President highlighted IPF’s fantastic work towards sport for all and their strong cooperation with the Special Olympics. Mr Fox was proud and honoured to be part and witness the pride and joy of these outstanding athletes. He encouraged IPF to continue their great work towards inclusivity.

The AIMS family met recently in Lausanne. An important council meeting took place and all AIMS current and former family members joined together to celebrate the friendship and the success of AIMS. There was a special reason for this celebration as the IOC Executive Board approved the proposal to put forward AIMS to the IOC session in January for full recognition. The AIMS family toasted to the success and the continued cooperation towards a common goal. Congratulations to the AIMS family.

On Tuesday, November 19th, AIMS President, Stephan Fox, joined Right to Play in a powerful panel discussion at the ASEAN Youth Development Workshop for Peace and Leadership. Mr. Fox, a former Muaythai world champion, alongside Right To Play Track and Field Twin Athlete Ambassadors from the UK, Ms. Lina Nielsen and Laviai Nielsen and Ms. Pacharakamon Arkornsakul, a professional badminton athlete and lecturer at Thailand National Sports University Chiangmai Campus spoke on how professional athletes use the power of sport to bring about positive social change to themselves, others and communities. The President spoke about the unique power sport has to change the world, unite, include and give hope against all kinds of discrimination in a world that can be so harsh and cold. He commented that in a world where the leaders of the world cannot shake hands, the youth play together in sport and during the Olympics, the world declares Olympic truth when nations stop to fight. Mr. Fox highlighted the value of alliances and gave an example from his own experience in sport. The President reminded the youth leaders that “The real belt you win is not the physical belt you take from your sport, it is the […]

A new guide has been launched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to provide information on good practice for sports organisations with regard to receiving and handling reports of wrongdoing, including competition manipulation, harassment, doping and corruption. The guide was launched at Olympic House here at the third edition of the International Forum for Sports Integrity (IFSI) which bought together key leaders from governing bodies, intergovernmental agencies such as the Council of Europe, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Interpol and Europol, betting operators and national regulating authorities. They also coincided with the International Federations (IF) Forum, which started here today. The IOC-UNODC Reporting Mechanisms in Sport: A Practical Guide for Development and Implementation was one of a series of initiatives launched design to help combat manipulation in sport. The guide claims to provide information on good practice for sports organisations with regard to receiving and handling reports of wrongdoing, including competition manipulation, harassment, doping and corruption. “In the spirit of this cooperation, we have taken many measures together since the launch of the IFSI in 2015,” IOC President Thomas Bach told delegates. “The most obvious example is the Council of Europe Convention on the manipulation of sports competitions, […]

The WMF Delegates Conference 2019 was held in Zhouzhuang, China on October 20th, 2019. WMF President Dr. Gerhard Zimmermann was re-elected unanimously. After the elections he pointed out, that the focus for the next years will be on youth, development and multisport events. This will be strongly reflected in the upcoming strategic plan 2021-2025. A Presidential Committee inside the Executive Committee has been established to clarify the legal responsibility for decisions and activities of WMF. WMF is becoming more and more solid in financials and Good Governance aspects. Former WMF Finance Manager Peter Joost Middag (NED) is going to transfer the financial duties to his successor Jürgen Elsishans (GER) at the end of the year and promised to ensure smooth transmission. WMF takes its social responsibility and continues with different valuable projects by implementing the Olympic values. The United Through Sports Conference with the slogan “United Through Minigolf – Building Bridges” will take place in Zhouzhuang on October 22nd, 2019 under the patronage of AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport).

Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS) President Stephan Fox has visited the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships in Thailand. He was was welcomed by IWF President Tamás Aján. The pair exchanged gifts and watched the women’s 81 kilograms and men’s 102kg A sessions won by Colombia’s Leidy Yessenia Solis Arboleda – at the expense of defending champion Lidia Valentín of Spain – and Belarus’ Yauheni Tsikhantsou, respectively. Fox also stopped off at the #iLiftClean information booth located on the outskirts of the venue being used for the IWF World Championships. President Fox stated that he enjoyed the competition, which really had me stayed until the last lift and see the Colombian beat the defending champion from Spain, and also a new champion. Fox stated how impressed he was by the widespread of medals at the event, with 30 countries having made at least one podium so far. Stephan Fox, also vice-president of the Global Association of International Sports Federations, stopped off at the #iLiftClean information booth located on the outskirts of the venue being used for the IWF World Championships ©IWF. He also said the visit gave him the chance to receive in-depth information from IWF director […]

Six current and former AIMS member participated in the World Masterships 2019 from the highest level. Aikido, Judo, Kick Boxing, Sambo, Savate, Jiu Jitsu and Muaythai all participated. Leading personalities from the AIMS Council, President Fox, Vice President Panagiotis, Council Members Miguel Buchel, Julie Gabriel, Kei Izawa and former president Espen Lund all contributed to the success of the event. The AIMS family says thank you to Chungju and the World Masterships!

Excitement is rising as we count down just one week until the spotlight shines bright on the World Urban Games. Over 50 cities approached GAISF the Global Associations of International Sports Federations, the key pillar of the wider sports movement with 125 members, associate members and observers including both Olympic and Non-Olympic sports. One of Europe’s most elegant and cosmopolitan cities is the Hungarian capital of Budapest, one of the major sporting capitals in Europe. Budapest will be the host of this significant event and without a doubt the ultimate global platform for the new generation of urban sports. 3×3 Basketball, BMX freestyle and Breaking, are set for inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 with Paris 2024 Olympic programs on the horizon. The International Olympic Committee welcomed the partnership between GAISF and Budapest stating it’s a great opportunity to test innovations that will bring the sports closer to the youth.  GAISF President, Raffaele Chiulli, stated that “WUG and Budapest 2019 will witness some of the most inspirational urban athletes travelling from around the world where the games comprise a diverse program of competitions and showcase urban sports, complemented by a festival of youth-focused music, art and culture. GAISF is grateful for […]

AIMS congratulates Mike Thomas on his re-election as IDBF President, at the occasion of the IDBF General Assembly in Pattaya, Thailand. Mike’s re-election goes to your enthusiasm and dedication which is highlighted in the 14th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Pattaya. It was an honour for the AIMS President to be invited and speak at the IDBF General Assembly and AIMS is looking forward to continuing the close cooperation between AIMS and IDBF as a valuable member of the AIMS family.

AIMS President followed an invitation by the Ju-Jitsu International Federation to visit the Ju-Jutsu Gand Prix held in Bangkok, Thailand. JJIF Director-General, Joachim Thumfart, welcomed the President and gave him a full tour through the venue. The AIMS President was not only impressed with the quality of the competition but also the number of participants and the inclusion of the social projects as part of the event. A special ceremony took place in which competition uniforms were being donated towards JJIF social projects and United Through Sports initiative. The AIMS President stated that Ju-Jitsu is an important member of the GAISF and AIMS family and the growth of the sport around the world speaks for itself.

The final attended by AIMS President Stephan Fox and AIMS Secretary General Gerhard Zimmermann as well as by GAISF Director Philippe Gueisbuhler, Andrew Hofer from the IOC Sports Department, IWGA board members Lukas Hinder, Volker Bernardi and IWGA CEO Achim Gossow was a demonstration of strength: With a 4-0 victory (11:4, 11:4, 11:9, 11:5) against Austria, the German Fistball team in Winterthur (Switzerland) won the world championship title. With an impressive performance in all positions, the defending champion in front of 5,819 spectators in the Schützenwiese stadium did not give the challenger from the neighbouring country the slightest chance and celebrated the third world title in a row after less than 50 minutes of playing time. Jörn Verleger from Munich, Germany was elected the sixth president in the history of the International Fistball Association (IFA). The 47-year-old sports manager succeeds Karl Weiss (Austria). Karl Weiss did not run for re-election after serving eight years as president of the Association. Weiss, who has led the IFA from 27 member nations to 61 national associations in the last eight years, has been elected Honorary President by the Congress. Vice Presidents elected Giana Hexsel (Brazil), Vikki Buston (New Zealand) and Steve Schmutzler (Germany). At […]

WINTERTHUR. Every four years the Men’s Fistball world championships take place. This year they are being held in Winterthur, Switzerland. From 11 to 17 August, 18 of the world’s best men’s fistball teams are playing for the coveted World Championship title. The event is also Qualifier for The World Games 2023. Furthermore, IFA will elect a new President and Board of Directors as IFA President Karl Weiss in not running again. New standards on the Schützenwiese The main games are being held in a fistball stadium that has been built within the football stadium Schützenwiese. The stadium has a seating capacity of 7,500. For the semi-finals and finals, the stadium should be a sell out and pre-sales have sold 11,000 tickets. The national teams from Germany, Brazil, Austria and Switzerland are the main contenders for the Gold Medal. The entire field of participants covers five continents and teams from New Zealand, Japan and Argentina will also be playing in Winterthur. All teams want to overthrow top seed Germany With eleven titles won out of the previous 14 World Championships, Germany is the favourite at the upcoming event. The team of national coach Olaf Neuenfeld currently holds all the titles up for […]

GAISF President Raffaele Chiulli and GAISF Vice President Stefan Fox visited the Star Judo Club in Naples last week to meet its founder Gianni Maddaloni, a man who credits judo with keeping him on the right path and out of trouble. And now Maddaloni is committed to doing the same for the young people in his community. As part of the International Judo Federation’s (IJF) ‘Judo for the World’ initiative, the International Federation commissioned a series of videos which showcase individuals who have dedicated their time to changing the lives of others in their community through judo. Based in Scampia, near Naples, one of the most dangerous suburbs in Italy, Maddaloni opened the Star Judo Club in 1992 as a place to care of and inspire local people. After his son Giuseppe won the gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Maddaloni was able to develop his idea. His mission was to give the community the opportunity to practice a sport, something they had not had beforehand. Many of the young people visiting his gym have no family support network and come from all walks of life. “Scampia was full of criminals, my own brother died in a prison […]

The second round of the Bangkok Urban Tournament took place last weekend with youth teams meeting again to compete in futsal, 3X3 basketball, sepak takraw, badminton and muaythai. The Bangkok Urban Youth Tournament is the continuation of the legacy left in the wake of the SportAccord Convention 2018 in Bangkok where charity, social and sports organisations such as United Through Sports, EXtreme Sports and Right To Play united to launch a multi-sports event to bring kids from different socio-economic backgrounds on to a shared field of play. All hands were on deck with officials and coaches from the Badminton Association of Thailand, International Federation of Muaythai Amateur, Sepak Takraw Association of Thailand, Thailand Basketball Association, Thailand Department of Physical Education and the Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand volunteering their time to provide the various sports for the youths to partake. IFMA President Dr Sakchye Tapsuwan was representing Thailand, Khun Paisan Rangsikitpho from the Badminton Association of Thailand represented the Chair of the event Khun Ying Patama, Vice President of the World Badminton Federation and IOC Member. GAISF was represented by Vice President Stephan Fox and Right To Play by Asia Director Niamh De Loughry. One of the highlights of the events was the fact that a team […]

The 8th General Secretary of the United Nations was the keynote speaker at the 2019 AIMS General Assembly. Mr. Ban Ki-moon earned the highest respect for his work for peace, justice and human rights and he also chairs the IOC Ethical Commission. Mr. Ban Ki-moon spoke about the unifying power of sport. He spoke about the ability to unite, inclusivity, equality and the power of sport towards social change. He gave grace to the AIMS family for their initiative, United Through Sports, and this year’s United Through Sports Youth Festival as part of the Sport Accord Convention on the Gold Coast. The initiative which started in Bangkok at the convention is a perfect example of what can be accomplished by working together, sharing the same vision for the future and the youth of the world. The initiative, which again is patronized by the IOC, outlines the Olympic values and Olympic humanity and Mr. Ban Ki-moon thanked all the AIMS members council and the UTS team under the leadership of President Stephan Fox and he encouraged everyone to continue this inspiring initiative.

The Sports Ministry of Kazakhstan invited the GAISF leadership to the Capital City, Nursultan,  which has been awarded the 2021 World Combat games. The two day visit included an important conference in which over 500 delegates of various combat sports and martial arts came together for the forum. The former Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Security Committee Karim Massimov who is also the President of the Kazakhstan Martial Art Federation, did a welcome speech to the President of GAISF and SportAccord , Raffaele Chiulli, GAISF Vice President, Stephan Fox and the Director of GAISF, Philippe Gueisbuhler. Mr. Massimov outlined the unique power of sport, especially martial arts and the importance of GAISF as the umbrella body for recognized international sports federations. Many other important personalities were included: Mr. Muhamediuly Arystanbek, Minister of Culture and Sports, Mr. Dauren Abayev, Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Saken Mussaibekov, Kazakhstan NOC Secretary General and Mr. Anuar Sadykulov, Head of the State of Security Service. President Mr.  Chiulli thanked on behalf of GAISF for the invitation, highlighting again, the importance of Kazakhstan in the world of sport and the importance Kazakhstan gives to sport and active society. Stephan Fox, the Chair of the Multi-sport Games […]

As done in previous years, at the start of the SportAccord Convention, the 60 members of the ARISF & AIMS family came together for a night between friends. Many VIP delegates from the IOC, Queensland Government joined the surprise party including the 8th Secretary General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr Ban Ki Moon. Three buses and many VIP cars whisked the delegates off to the surprise venue the Warner Bros. Movie World Theme Park. Delegates were welcomed by none other than Ms Marilyn Monroe at the Fountain of Fame after walking the red carpet. GAISF/SportAccord and ARISF President Raffaele Chiulli and AIMS President Stephan Fox made their welcome speech and everyone toasted to sport and friendship. The function kicked into high gear as the DC Roller Coaster opened up for the private function where all delegates including Mr Ban Ki Moon took a ride (or two!) on the thrilling ride. After the adrenaline rush, the guests were led to the Star Pavillion through a vibrant street setting and a live performance by Ms Monroe. The lights went out and Bat Man arrived on his Bat Mobile to the delight of all the young-hearted delegates experiencing the first welcome dinner of […]