International Korfball Federation Explained

Size:180px
Abbreviation:IKF
Type:Federation of national associations
Headquarters:Utrecht, The Netherlands
Region Served:Worldwide
Membership:72 national associations (June 2024)
Languages:English
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Gabi Kool
Leader Title2:Senior Vice-President
Leader Name2:Jorge Alves
Main Organ:IKF Executive Committee
Leader Title4:Secretary General
Leader Name4:Joana Faria
Affiliations:Global Association of International Sports Federations, ARISF, IWGA

The International Korfball Federation (IKF) is the governing body of korfball. IKF is responsible for the organisation of korfball's major international tournaments, notably the IKF World Korfball Championship.

The IKF was founded on 11 June 1933 in Antwerp, Belgium as a continuation of the International Korfball Bureau established in 1924 by the Dutch and Belgian Associations. The headquarters is in Utrecht, Netherlands, since December 2020, moving from Zeist.[1] The IKF is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1993 and is affiliated to SportAccord, the Association of the IOC Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF) and the International World Games Association (IWGA).

The IKF aims to spread korfball around the globe and increase the level of play in the affiliated countries. The IKF has 69 member countries. It provides the affiliated countries via five Continental Confederations (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania) with financial, material and structural support to achieve the goals. It has established a network of contacts in many countries and is constantly expanding this network.[2] IKF actively promotes the game by transferring knowledge internationally by exchange programs and inviting selected korfball players, coaches and administrators to its training courses in order to assist in the creation of a stable local organization and structure in all the affiliated countries.[3]

In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, on 1 March 2022, the International Korfball Federation announced that the Russian Korfball Federation would not be invited until further notice to any international korfball competition.[4] This implied effectively that no Russian athletes shall take part in any international korfball event.[5] Furthermore, the Russian Korfball Federation shall not be eligible to bid for the hosting of any IKF event until further notice, and no IKF events were planned in Russia.[6]

Structure

See main article: List of national korfball associations.

The IKF has 72 members at the moment. They are divided over five continental confederations for Europe, Asia, Americas, Africa and Oceanian.

Members by Regions

72 Members:[7]

Number Region Countries
113
215
32
430
512
TotalWorld 72

Presidents

The IKF has had seven presidents until now. All seven have been from the Netherlands.[8]

width=60 Start width=60 Endwidth=140 Namewidth=140 Nationality
19331946Nico Broekhuijsen Netherlands
19461954S.A. Wilson Netherlands
19541964H.J. Venema Netherlands
19641981Herman Duns Netherlands
19811988Jo Roosenschoon Netherlands
19882003Bob de Die Netherlands
20032023Jan Fransoo Netherlands
2023Gabi Kool Netherlands

Council

The Council of the IKF consists of a President, a Secretary General, a Senior Vice-President, three other members of the Executive Committee and up to five Continental Vice-Presidents.

width=200 Council Member width=200 Positionwidth=200 Country
Jan FransooPresident Netherlands
Bjorn ElewautExecutive Committee Member Belgium
Danielle RutsSenior Vice-President Belgium
Gert DijkstraSpecial Delegate for Competitions Netherlands
Anita DerksExecutive Committee Member Netherlands
Joana FariaSecretary General Portugal
Jorge AlvesExecutive Committee Member Portugal
Gabi KoolExecutive Vice-President (coopted) Netherlands
VacancyContinental Vice-President, Africa Africa
Ying-Che HuangContinental Vice-President, Asia Chinese Taipei
Tim MillerContinental Vice-President, Oceania Australia
VacantContinental Vice-President, Europe Europe

IKF structured tournaments

National team tournaments

Club tournaments

National youth team tournaments

University tournaments

Beach Korfball tournaments

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1102373/ikf-move-headquarters-to-utrecht International Korfball Federation moves headquarters to Utrecht
  2. Web site: Chinezen vergapen zich aan flitsende show 'Hollandbal'. 7 November 2011. nrc.nl. 3 April 2016.
  3. Web site: Organisation. ikf.org. 3 April 2016.
  4. Web site: No Russian athletes in international korfball events. March 2022.
  5. Web site: No Russian athletes in international korfball events. March 2022.
  6. Web site: No Russian athletes in international korfball events. March 2022.
  7. Web site: IKF Members.
  8. Web site: Beknopt historisch overzicht korfbal in (K)KNB/KNKV. knkv.nl. 3 April 2016. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060704/http://www.knkv.nl/userfiles/knkv_corporate/KNKV_Vademecum_Historisch_Overzicht.pdf. dead.