International Olympic Committee -IOC- President Kirsty Coventry opened the International Federation Forum (IF Forum) with a keynote address urging all International Federations to act in coordination for the benefit of the Olympic community. Coventry stated that “we all share the same purpose: to ensure our sports remain relevant, to create platforms where athletes can realise their hopes and live their dreams.”
The IF Forum is a three-day in-person gathering organised by SportAccord, bringing together international sports federations, the IOC, and high-level speakers. The event takes place in the city of Lausanne and is held exclusively for delegates.
Goals of the IF Forum
In her address, Coventry also highlighted the global challenges facing sport: “We are living in turbulent times; we face many obstacles. We can only overcome them if we work together.” She underlined the need to strengthen policies on athlete protection and to find “new and innovative ways of reinforcing those principles and values.”
The IF Forum is designed to facilitate thematic sessions focused on international federations, offering a space for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration aimed at improving sports governance and management worldwide.
The IF Forum’s role in a transformative era
Uğur Erdener, President of SportAccord, emphasised that the IF Forum “comes at a critical moment when sport is entering a transformative era,” adding that the new global landscape presents both challenges and “opportunities for growth” for federations.
The opening also featured a discussion titled “View from the Bridge – The challenges and opportunities facing International Federations in this changing world,” with Ingmar de Vos, President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations -ASOIF-, addressing issues such as the future of the Olympic programme, athlete quotas, and Olympic revenue sharing.
The annual forum brings together more than 120 international federations and over a hundred sports leaders participating in focused sessions and high-level conferences.
Implications for global sport
The statements by the IOC President and the emphasis on collective cooperation underline that international sports federations are undergoing a period of strategic realignment. The evolution of governance structures, growing demands for transparency, and the drive for innovation are prompting a reassessment of traditional models.
The IF Forum thus serves as a key platform to align agendas, foster collaboration, and strengthen governance across the Olympic movement. The opening ceremony concluded with a welcome address by Emilie Moeschler, Conseillère Municipale of the city of Lausanne, who thanked SportAccord for its trust and for choosing the “Olympic Capital” to host this significant event.
