IOC President Kirsty Coventry today opened the IF Forum with a keynote address in which she called on all International Federations (IFs) to work together, in partnership with the IOC, for the betterment of the Olympic family.
Addressing delegates at the IF Forum for the first time as IOC President, President Coventry said:
“We all have the same purpose to ensure our sports remain relevant, to create platforms for athletes to realise their hopes and dreams and live those dreams and hopes. We have a lot of turbulent times happening in our world; we are faced with many challenges and obstacles. We can only overcome them if we work together.
“We need to strengthen our policies on the protection of athletes. Protecting our principles and values – finding new and innovative ways of strengthening those principles and values. It is not always going to be easy. But just like a family we would always be making decisions for the betterment of our family.”
SportAccord President Prof. Dr. Ugur Erdener reiterated the importance of collaboration among IFs stating:
“The IF Forum 2025 comes at a critical moment when sport is entering a transformative era. The new global reality in sport brings global challenges that we all must face. But we also believe this era creates significant opportunities for growth.
“Collaboration and dialogue serve to strengthen sport. This is a belief we at Sportaccord share with the IOC. This Forum has become a key moment for the IFs; a special place for leaders to meet, share their knowledge and learn from each other. This year it serves as timely reminder that our response to challenges is always stronger when we face them together.”
The opening concluded with a fireside chat with ASOIF President Ingmar de Vos under the title ‘View from the bridge’ – The challenges and opportunities facing IFs in this changing world. During the open and engaging conversation, the ASOIF President covered a number of topics from the future of the Olympic programme and athlete quotas to Olympic revenue share.
Emilie Moeschler, Conseillère Municipale, Ville de Lausanne welcomed delegates and thanked SportAccord for their trust and the opportunity to host the prestigious event.
