International Fair Play Committee Explained

The International Fair Play Committee (French: Comité international pour le Fair-Play), abbreviated as the CIFP or the IFPC, is a not for profit international non-governmental organisation which serves to foster sportsmanship in international competition. It presents awards annually at the World Fair Play Awards to recognise acts of fair play carried out by sportspeople or teams. The awards ceremony is held in France and has been broadcast on television in Europe.^[1]

History

The IFPC was established in France in 1963 by members of UNESCO, (ISPA), ICSSPE, FIFA, FIBA, FILA and the International Rugby Board.^[2] The committee presented its first award two years later: Eugenio Monti, an Italian bobsleigher, was the recipient. The spare part Monti had given to rival Tony Nash at the 1964 Winter Olympics had enabled the Briton to go on to win the gold medal.^[3]

Awards

Four types of trophies are given at the World Fair Play Awards in recognition of different achievements.^[4]

• Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy – the "trophy for action", awarded since 1965 for gestures of fair play in which an athlete impedes their performance to aid a fellow competitor
• Jean Borotra World Trophy – the "trophy for the career", awarded since 1973 to recognise athletes who have displayed fair play throughout their careers
• World Trophy – the "trophy for promotion", awarded since 1995 to a person or organisation that has promoted the spirit of fair play
• Jacques Rogge Fair Play Trophy for The Youth – awarded since 2013 (before 2017 the "Youth Fair Play Award")^[5]

Further to these annual trophies, the CIFP gives out diplomas and, since 1977,^[6] letters of congratulations to other sportspeople and organisations who have shown exceptional good sportsmanship.^[7]

Selected awardees

• 1964: Eugenio Monti (Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy)
• 1965: Willye White (Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy)
• 1966: Stevan Horvat (Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy)

• 1972: Stan Smith (Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy), Emiliano Rodríguez (Jean Borotra World Trophy)

• 1994: Francesco Panetta and Justin McDonald (Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy), (Willi Daume World Trophy)

• 2002: Kipchoge Keino (Willi Daume World Trophy)^[8]

• 2008: UEFA (Willi Daume World Trophy)^[9]

• 2017: Jacques Rogge (Jean Borotra World Trophy)
• 2018: The Willi Daume World Trophy was jointly awarded to Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, United Arab Emirates Wrestling and Judo Federation, the International Judo Federation, and EuroNews^[10]
• 2019: Roger Casugay (Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy), Carles Puyol (Jean Borotra World Trophy), Turkish National Olympic Committee (Willi Daume World Trophy), Giovanni Borgonovo (Jacques Rogge Fair Play Trophy for The Youth)
• 2020: AEK Athens F.C. (Pierre de Coubertin World Trophy), Nikita Simonyan (Jean Borotra World Trophy), Maxime Mbanda (Willi Daume World Trophy)^[11]

Presidents

• Jean Borotra, CIFP founder, 1963–1988
• , 1988–1996
• , 1996–1999

Since 2000, Jenő Kamuti has served as the CIFP president.^{[12] [13]}

Honorary Presidents

• Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, past president of the IOC (1974)
• René Maheu, the sixth Director-General of UNESCO (1974)
• Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC (1981)
• Jean Borotra, "Honorary President - Founder" (1988)
• Jacques Rogge, president of the IOC (2003)
• Koïchiro Matsuura, director-general of UNESCO (2005)

See also

• FIFA Fair Play Award
• Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award
• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
• Pierre de Coubertin Medal, awarded by the IOC

References

• Book: IFPC . Fair Play Winners. Trophies et Diplomas awarded by IFPC from 1964 to 2005. . . 2006 .

Notes and References

1. Feldman, Jay (1994-02-07). The World's Fairest. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved on 2010-01-19.
2. Web site: CIFP History . International Fair Play Committee . n.d. . 2021-07-08 .
3. Web site: Seeking nominations for World Fair Play Awards . International Sports Press Association (AIPS) . 2010-01-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110707100555/http://www.aipsmedia.com/index.php?page=news&cod=3903&tp=n . 2011-07-07 .
4. Web site: World Fair Play Trophy . Infoartnet . 6 November 2015 . 13 August 2024.
5. Web site: Jacques Rogge receives lifetime achievement award at World Fair Play Awards . FISU . 22 November 2017 . 14 August 2024.
6. Web site: Award Ceremonies . Infoartnet . 23 October 2023 . 14 August 2024 . In June 1977 it was decided by the CIFP to award "Letters of Congratulations" to individuals who have distinguished themselves by certain humanitarian acts even though such actions did not fully meet the criteria for those gestures of fair play that the CIFP intended to commend..
7. Web site: World Fair Play Award Winners . International Fair Play Committee . n.d. . 2021-08-07 .
8. Web site: Kip Keino receives Fair Play Award in Paris . worldathletics.org . 10 January 2003 . 14 August 2024 . 62-year-old Kipchoge Keino, the 1968 Olympic 1500m and 1972 Olympic Steeplechase champion was presented with the Willi Daume Trophy by IOC President Jacques Rogge and CIFP President Dr. Jeno Kamuti. ... Through its 40-year history, CIFP has been able to honour over 500 commendable acts and careers of fair play. Award winners have included Arthur Ashe, Prince Albert of Monaco, Bobby Charlton, Emil Zatopek, Stefan Edberg, Sergey Bubka, Nelson Mandela, Martina Navratilova, etc..
9. Web site: UEFA wins prestigious Fair Play award . UEFA.com . 29 January 2009 . 14 August 2024.
10. Web site: Willi Daume Trophy was presented at IJF's Abu Dhabi Grand Slam . Infoartnet . 7 November 2019 . hu . 14 August 2024.
11. Web site: World Fair Play Awardees 2019-2020 . Infoartnet . 21 June 2022 . hu . 14 August 2024.
12. Web site: Structure . International Fair Play Committee . n.d. . 2010-01-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100403111924/http://www.fairplayinternational.org/structure.php . 2010-04-03 .
13. Web site: CIFP Executive Committee . International Fair Play Committee . n.d. . 2021-07-08 .