The start of Sport Climbing’s Olympic year begins on 25th February at Sender One in sunny Los Angeles, California. Forty-eight athletes from nine countries are competing in the Pan-American Championships for the Continental Olympic quota available.

Key decisions were made during the IFSC Executive Board’s monthly teleconference yesterday, 11^th February 2020, in particular relating to the rescheduling of Sport Climbing events in China due to the ongoing Coronavirus epidemic. Further points raised concerned ongoing legal issues and preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games.

President of the IFSC Marco Maria Scolaris travelled to Tokyo, Japan, this week alongside Jérôme Meyer, IFSC Head of Olympic Coordination, to meet with the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG) less than six months ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

On Tuesday 4^th February, IFSC President Marco Maria Scolaris was presented with the Piedmontese Sports Director of the Year award for 2019.

On 24^th January, the sports community worldwide celebrated the six-month countdown until the start of the Olympic Games. Sport Climbing will make its inaugural Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020 on the 11^th day of the Games, just six months from today.

Friday 31^st January to Saturday 1^st February 2020 saw the third edition of the Milan Climbing Expo take place in the Urban Wall of Milan, Italy. IFSC President Marco Maria Scolaris was invited to attend the expo as guest of honour, to discuss the development of climbing alongside President of the Federazione Arrampicata Sportiva Italiana (FASI), Davide Battistella.

The International Federation of Sport Climbing wishes to express its support for the people of China in dealing with the current Coronavirus emergency. As such, the IFSC has shipped 10,000 breathing masks to the Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA), also encouraging its Member Federations to join the initiative.

At the beginning of the year in which Sport Climbing will make its Summer Olympic debut, the IFSC is delighted to announce the nomination of officials for the 2020 World Cup season. With now less than 200 days to go until the Olympic Games begin, the IFSC is also pleased to unveil the list of nominated officials for the Tokyo 2020 Sport Climbing events.

On Thursday 16^th January, the President and representatives of the Federazione Arrampicata Sportiva Italiana (FASI), IFSC Member Federation, met with IFSC President Marco Scolaris, General Director Piero Rebaudengo and IFSC Sport Director Silvia Verdolini at the IFSC Headquarters in Turin, Italy.

The online registration platform is now open for media to gain accreditation for the 2020 IFSC Sport Climbing season.

Last year, Sport Climbing’s first Olympic qualified athletes were determined, now the Olympics are here. This season will be busy with all eyes on both the regular IFSC World Cup season and on Tokyo 2020.

On Friday 17^th January, Vertical Life Product Manager Ben Lepesant and Software Developers Saulius Astromskis and Emanuela Calabi met with IFSC Sport Director Silvia Verdolini and the IFSC team in Turin, Italy, to present and fully install the new database and results system ahead of the 2020 Sport Climbing season.