International Orienteering Federation
AbbreviationIOF
FormationMay 21, 1961 (1961-05-21)
TypeFederation of national sports associations
HeadquartersDrottninggatan 47 3-1/2 tr
Karlstad
Sweden
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
76 national federations
President
Leho Haldna
Secretary General
Tom Hollowell
AffiliationsInternational Olympic Committee
Websiteorienteering.sport

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]

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

The 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]

Membership

Map of the members of the IOF according to their region.

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

6 Members, 1 Provisional Member

  • Cameroon Cameroon
  • Egypt Egypt
  • Kenya Kenya
  • Mozambique Mozambique

Asia

17 Members, 1 Provisional Member

  • Indonesia Indonesia
  • Iran Iran
  • Japan Japan
  • Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
  • Malaysia Malaysia
  • Macau Macau
  • Nepal Nepal
  • North Korea North Korea
  • Philippines Philippines
  • South Korea South Korea
  • Singapore Singapore
  • Thailand Thailand

Europe

40 Members, 1 Provisional Member

North America

5 Members

Oceania

2 Members

South America

9 Members

  • Argentina Argentina
  • Brazil Brazil
  • Chile Chile
  • Panama Panama
  • Uruguay Uruguay
  • Venezuela Venezuela

Governance structure

The 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[10][11]

  • 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

Since 1977, the IOF has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee.[4]

The IOF is also a member of the following organisations:[4]

Publications

The IOF publishes 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] and official editions of the rules of IOF sanctioned orienteering[13] and specifications for orienteering maps.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "Secretariat". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 2011-06-26. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  2. ↑ "About the IOF". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) suspends the membership of its Russian member due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. | International Orienteering Federation".
  4. 1 2 3 4 "History". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  5. ↑ Dandenong Ranges Orienteering Club. "Orienteering History". Momentech Software Services. Archived from the original on 2006-01-08. Retrieved 2006-02-19.
  6. ↑ "National Federations". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  7. ↑ "Regions". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  8. ↑ "lof.lv". Archived from the original on 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  9. ↑ "Council". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  10. ↑ "Past and present Councils". IOF. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
  11. ↑ "Leho Haldna from Estonia is the new IOF President". IOF. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  12. ↑ "Publications". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  13. ↑ "Rules". International Orienteering Federation. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  14. ↑ "Mapping". International Orienteering Federation. Archived from the original on 2011-08-17. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
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