IFSC Executive Board Teleconference September 2019
The IFSC Executive Board came together this week for their monthly teleconference, one month after the first Sport Climbing athletes qualified for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 at the IFSC Climbing World Championships 2019 in Hachioji, Japan.
Following the recent election of six (6) new members to the IFSC Athletes’ Commission (AC), IFSC President Marco Scolaris welcomed Shauna Coxsey (GBR) as newly elected AC Vice President. Coxsey will now join the IFSC Executive Board alongside AC President Sean McColl (CAN), bridging the gender gap and allowing athletes’ voices to be further represented on the Board.
A vote was then held to approve the minutes of the last Executive Board teleconference in August, before matters of membership were raised, particularly concerning possible new members in Africa. The Administration Department next updated the Board on the IFSC’s relocation to a new office this week in downtown Turin, Italy, as well as discussing December’s Executive Board meeting which will take place within the new headquarters. The Board were then brought up to speed on the expansion of the IFSC staff, with new members joining the team later this year.
Feedback was put forward regarding the IFSC Strategic Planning Workshop held in Arco, Italy, during the IFSC Youth World Championships last month, which informed the IFSC’s Member Federations in attendance of plans moving forward to 2020 and beyond. Further down the line of the strategic plan, preparations for the Climbing Summit, set to take place in December this year, were next debated.
The Sport Department informed the Board of developments to the IFSC Official Sport Equipment Catalogue 2019, which aims to level the playing field across international IFSC events. Action plans for reviewing the Routesetting Guidelines for 2020 and the Official evaluation, selection, nominations and career path were discussed and approved.
IFSC Marketing & Communications Director Anne Fuynel next touched on the 2019 broadcasting report to be released in October, with the 2019 Sport Climbing season having seen the highest level of coverage for the sport to date. Insight was given into the IFSC Commercial Strategy, as well as the IFSC Sustainability Guidelines which are in development. Fuynel subsequently raised preparations for the 2020 season, additionally updating the Board on plans for the 2019 Annual Report and amendments to athlete biographies on the IFSC website.
The Olympic Games were next outlined, with Head of Olympic Coordination Jérôme Meyer outlining developments in plans for the Tokyo 2020 Games, as well as the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and beyond. The Olympic Qualification System and various Olympic principles were also considered.
The next Executive Board teleconference has been confirmed for Wednesday 23rd October at 14.00 CEST.
