[Source: GAISF] The Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) General Assembly today elected Ivo Ferriani as its President representing the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).

Mr Ferriani begins his term as President immediately and will serve a two-year mandate, as per the GAISF Statutes and its stakeholder rotational principle where the nomination comes from the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).

Mr Ferriani brings with him a wealth of experience in sports administration, having served as AIOWF President since 2020, and President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation since 2010. He has also been an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board Member since 2018.

In the lead up to the election, Mr Ferriani shared his plans for the future of GAISF, underlining his commitment to bringing the global sports community closer together for the benefit sport. Mr Ferriani praised GAISF for its tireless efforts to promote sustainability in sport and underlined how he will use his role as a Member of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission to build on this progress.

As a Member of the IOC Women in Sport Commission, Mr Ferriani is committed to helping promote equal opportunities for girls and women in the global sports community to participate in, and benefit from, sport. Moreover, Mr Ferriani pledged to use his experience as a Member of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission to introduce new initiatives directly involving and benefitting athletes. 

GAISF President Ferriani said: “I am very honoured to have been elected as President of GAISF. The COVID-19 pandemic has truly demonstrated how sport is a force for good. I am therefore proud to have this opportunity to work with the global sports community to promote the power of sport and to achieve our common goal of a better world through sport. I am very much looking forward to bringing my sporting experience to serve all GAISF’s Members, Associate Members and Observers, and to support them over the next two years.”

Following Mr Ferriani’s election, outgoing President of GAISF, Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, said: “My heartfelt congratulations go to Ivo Ferriani on his election as the new President of GAISF. I have no doubt he will continue to serve GAISF’s Members and all of sport to a high-level, and I can think of no better representative from the AIOWF family to lead GAISF for the next two years.”

“As the President of ARISF, and the representative of ARISF on the GAISF Council, I will have the pleasure of continuing to work closely with GAISF and its new President in the years ahead.”

There were a number of key updates delivered at the General Assembly, including on financial matters with the budget 2021 and audited accounts 2020 all being unanimously approved. Moreover, the GAISF family welcomed one new full Member, the International Practical Shooting Confederation, and two new Associate Members, the Association of Pan American Sports Confederations and World Martial Arts Masterships Committee, which all had their applications approved by the voting members.