The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) is the international governing body of the sport of orienteering. The IOF head office is located in Karlstad, Sweden.[1] The IOF governs four orienteering disciplines: foot orienteering, mountain bike orienteering, ski orienteering, and trail orienteering.[2]
 | |
| Abbreviation | IOF |
|---|---|
| Formation | May 21, 1961 |
| Type | Federation of national sports associations |
| Headquarters | Drottninggatan 47 SE-65225 Karlstad Sweden |
Region served | Worldwide |
Membership | 78 national federations |
President | Tom Hollowell |
CEO | Henrik Eliasson |
Secretary General | Sondre Sande Gullord |
| Affiliations | International Olympic Committee |
| Website | orienteering |
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Orienteering Federation suspended the membership of the Russian Orienteering Federation.[3] The IOF also disallowed Russian orienteering athletes from participating in IOF events, even as neutral athletes, cancelled all organising rights for IOF events and activities in Russia, and suspended all Russian members appointed to IOF official bodies.[3]
History
editThe IOF was founded on 21 May 1961 at a Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark by the orienteering national federations of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.[4] By 1969, the IOF represented 16 countries, including its first two non-European member federations representing Japan and Canada,[5] and in 1977 the IOF was recognised by the International Olympic Committee.[4]
After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Orienteering Federation suspended the membership of the Russian Orienteering Federation.[3] The IOF also disallowed Russian orienteering athletes from participating in IOF events, even as neutral athletes, cancelled all organising rights for IOF events and activities in Russia, and suspended all Russian members appointed to IOF official bodies.[3]
Events
editGlobal
edit- World Foot Orienteering Championships since 1966.
- World Ski Orienteering Championships since 1975.
- World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships since 2002.
- World Trail Orienteering Championships since 2004.
- Junior World Orienteering Championships since 1990.
- World Masters Orienteering Championships since 1983.
- World University Orienteering Championships since 1978.
- Junior World Ski Orienteering Championships since 1994.
- Orienteering at the World Games since 2001.
- Orienteering World Cup since 1986.
- World Cup in Ski Orienteering since 1989.
Continental
edit- European Orienteering Championships since 1962-1964 and 2000.
- European Youth Orienteering Championships since 2002.
- European University Orienteering Championships
- North American Orienteering Championships since 1971.
- Asian Orienteering Championships (Seniors and Masters and Junior and Youth and Trail) since 2008.
- Southeast Asian Orienteering Championships
- African Orienteering Championships
- Ocean Orienteering Championships
Open
edit- Tiomila since 1945 in Sweden.
- Jukola relay since 1949 in Finland.
- O-Ringen since 1965 in Sweden.
- Kainuu Orienteering Week since 1967 in Finland.
- Jan Kjellström International Festival of Orienteering since 1967 in United Kingdom.
- Thailand International Orienteering Championships
Membership
edit
As of January 2016, the membership of the IOF comprised 80 national orienteering federations, of which 56 were members, 24 were provisional members,[6] divided into six geographical regions.[7]
Africa
edit6 Members, 1 Provisional Member
Asia
edit17 Members, 1 Provisional Member
Europe
edit40 Members (2 currently suspended), 1 Provisional Member
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North America
edit5 Members
Oceania
edit2 Members
South America
edit9 Members
Governance structure
editThe IOF is governed by an elected Council consisting of a President, a Senior Vice President, two Vice Presidents, and seven other Council members.[9] Day-to-day operations of the IOF are the responsibility of the IOF Secretary General.[1] Several standing commissions of the IOF are responsible for the development of the sport worldwide. These commissions include: Foot Orienteering, MTB Orienteering, Ski Orienteering, Trail Orienteering, Environment, IT, Map, Medical, and Rules.
Presidents
edit- Erik Tobé (1961—1975)
- Lasse Heideman (1975—1982)
- Bengt Saltin (1982—1988)
- Heinz Tschudin (1988—1994)
- Sue Harvey (1994—2004)
- Åke Jacobson (2004—2012)
- Brian Porteous (2012—2016)
- Leho Haldna (2016—)
Affiliations
editSince 1977, the IOF has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee.[4]
The IOF is also a member of the following organisations:[4]
Publications
editThe IOF used to publish a wide variety of journals and reference works related to the sport. These include Orienteering World, an annual magazine, The Scientific Journal of Orienteering, the OZine.[12] Official editions of the rules of IOF sanctioned orienteering[13] and specifications for orienteering maps[14] are still published at regular intervals.
References
edit- ^ a b "Secretariat". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 2011-06-26. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ "About the IOF". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ a b c d "The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) suspends the membership of its Russian member due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. | International Orienteering Federation".
- ^ a b c d "History". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ Dandenong Ranges Orienteering Club. "Orienteering History". Momentech Software Services. Archived from the original on 2006-01-08. Retrieved 2006-02-19.
- ^ "National Federations". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ "Regions". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ "lof.lv". Archived from the original on 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
- ^ "Council". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ "Past and present Councils". IOF. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ^ "Leho Haldna from Estonia is the new IOF President". IOF. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
- ^ "Publications". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ "Rules". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ "Mapping". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 2011-08-17. Retrieved 2011-08-02.