POSTED: Saturday July 2nd 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FITA becomes World Archery Federation
The 49th FITA Congress was historical: the Fédération Internationale de Tir à l’Arc (FITA) will be called World Archery Federation (WA) in the future!
KIM Soo-Nyung (KOR) and Darell PACE (USA) have been named Athletes of the Century! Archery Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games are sold out!
Celebrating the 80th anniversary of FITA, the delegates took some key decisions looking at the future of the organisation and bid farewell to two outstanding personalities in the archery community: Honorary President Francesco GNECCHI RUSCONE (ITA) and 1st Vice President Paul PAULSEN (NOR).
Former President from 1977 to 1989, the Honorary President Francesco GNECCHI RUSCONE (ITA) has decided to retire as the Chairman of the Board of Justice and Ethics after more than 20 years of service in this position. He received a heartfelt standing ovation from the Congress and the title of Honorary Chairman of the Board of Justice and Ethics. The 1st Vice President Paul PAULSEN (NOR) is also stepping down from his position after 18 years of service in the Council. Paul PAULSEN, who is international friendliness personified, was named Honorary 1st Vice President and was awarded a gold Plaquette with another standing ovation. Council Member and EMAU President Mario SCARZELLA (ITA) was brilliantly elected by the 83 voting members of the Congress in Turin as the 1st Vice President.
Continuing its trend of becoming a modern, internationally recognised and important Olympic sport, the Congress voted at a very large majority (88%) to change the organisation name: from FITA to World Archery Federation (WA). This decision allows the sport to align itself with the dynamic World Archery brand that has been launched two years ago and to have a name that will be easily understood worldwide.
The World Archery Federation President Prof Dr Ugur ERDENER said, "I am delighted by the Congress decision and the large support this proposal has received. Let me first reassure you that we are not denying our history. We have a wonderful heritage on which we are building our future. Archery is of course one of the most ancient sports and has played a key role in human society. As a federation we have had a strong development in our 140 member federations. We have had intense competitions and superb events. I would like to sincerely thank all the people who have helped us arriving so far and we just want to make sure that gives our people and our sport the best platform, the best look and the best chance to be known worldwide. We want to be recognized as dynamic, attractive and important Olympic sport!"
The upcoming world championships and Olympic Games until 2016 were given the chance to present their events. London Olympic and Paralympic Games Competition Manager Chris MARSH gave an update on the archery preparation for the 2012 Games. Along the superb venue design he presented for Lords Cricket Ground and the Royal Artillery Barracks for Para Archery, he came with great news: in principle the 63,000 archery tickets for the Games are sold out! LOCOG will however monitor in the coming months if more archery tickets become available.
The World Archery Plan 2007-2012, involving people at all level of the archery community and experts outsiders of the sport, has led to the launch of the World Archery brand in 2009. The brand wants to be intense, dynamic and bringing together all the archery activities in the world. Today's renaming of FITA to World Archery Federation is a logical step in the continuation of the plan. The plan will now focus in expansion through the development of the Members Federation, for instance in sharing best practices. A World Archery management seminar will be held in November as the continuation of the plan.
Last but not least, it was fitting to have some celebration at the Congress: the 150 years of Archery GB, the 150 years of the German Archery Federation, the 50 years of the Italian Archery Federation and the 80 years of FITA/World Archery. Each association chose two athletes that they wanted to celebrate as the most iconic archers in a celebration poster: Alison WILLIAMSON and Simon TERRY for Great Britain, Cornellia PFOHL and Franz BAUM for Germany, Paola FANTATO and Giancarlo FERRARI for Italy as well as KIM Soo-Nyung (KOR) and Darrell PACE (USA) for FITA/World Archery.
World Archery Secretary General Tom DIELEN concluded: "A recent survey in Great Britain showed that among all the Olympic sports teenagers wanted to try out archery as their No. 1 choice. This is ahead of football, athletics, etc. This is in a country where most sports originated. This is also in a country where the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held next year. I think this simply shows all the efforts FITA and World Archery have been doing, all the efforts the people in this Congress room have been doing and all the rights decisions they have taken. Such survey, such celebration and such a day show that our sport is in a great shape!"
At this effect President ERDENER concluded the Congress by giving a little Plaquette to all the Delegates. It says:
By sharing with each other
By learning with each other
By supporting each other
Together we can!
World Archery certainly wants to share this motto with the Congress Delegates and all the people involved in archery worldwide.
All the Congress elections and decisions will come officially into effect on 1st April 2012. For more information and reports about the Congress please log on to www.worldarchery.org.
Didier MIEVILLE
World Archery Communication
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Keywords · FITA · Archery · World Archery · Congress · Olympic Games London · World Archery Plan 2007-2012
Name: World Archery Communication
Organization: FITA - International Archery Federation
Email:
Phone: +41 (0)21 614 3050
URL: http://www.worldarchery.org
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