About the International Canoe Federation
The ICFs biennial congress, which is comprised of voting delegates from each of the NFs, is the supreme authority and is where rules, governance decisions and elections for the President, Vice Presidents (3), Treasurer (1) and Standing Committee Chairs (11) take place. The term for each of the ICF elected positions is four years.
The appointed President is the chairperson for the Congress, Board of Directors and Executive Committee. The Board of Directors is collectively responsible for the strategic direction of the sport, whilst the five (5) members of the Executive Committee ensure the decisions of the Congress and Board of Directors are implemented.
The five continents (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania) are also represented on the ICF Board with each electing Continental Representatives and a President during their respective Continental Congress.
In addition to the ICF Board of Directors, the nine (9) disciplines each have technical committees responsible for rules and international competition delivery – for example world championships and world cups. There is also an Athletes' Committee and Medical and Anti-Doping Committee. These committees are collectively referred to as Standing Committees(11).
For additional information regarding the ICF structure, please refer to the organogram. Roles and responsibilities are outlined in the ICF Statutes.
ICF President José Perurena (ESP) developed a passion for canoeing from a young age and has raced kayaks at every level. A fierce competitor he made his mark in the K1M, K2M, K4M events receiving the accolade of national champion in each of those categories. It was in the K2M 1000m that he excelled in claiming first place in the K2M 500m and K4M 1000m at the International Regatta Milan, Italy. The highlight of his sporting career was undoubtedly making the Spanish Olympic K4M 1000m team for the 1968 Olympic Games.
After retiring from elite sport Perurena entered the emerging market of Information Technology, however, he still maintained a strong link to the sport, often in voluntary positions within the Spanish Canoe Federation. A qualified Canoe Sprint coach; Perurena also chaired the Athletes Commission of the Spanish Olympic Committee and became the Vice President (1976-1884) and then President of the Federation (1984-2000). Following his success at the national level he gained a position on the international scene as the ICF Technical Delegate for Canoe Sprint and Canoe Slalom at the Atlanta and Sydney Games.
After the Sydney Games Perurena joined the ICF as Secretary General (2000-2004) and after the Beijing Games became ICF President (2008). Since taking over the ICF he has overseen several key initiatives such as the inclusion of Paracanoeing into the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games as well as the TV and Broadcasting deals that have enabled the sport to progress globally.
Most recently, Perurena won a third term as ICF President following a vote of confidence at the XXXVI ICF Congress in Baku, Azerbijan late November 2016.
The Spaniard, who stood unopposed, spoke passionately about his vision for the future of the sport and demonstrated his ability to deliver organisational change with his proposed new governance structure gaining the backing of his peers. (read more)
In 2011 Perurena also became an International Olympic Commitee (IOC) Member and has been active on several key committees – Women and Sport (2012-2014), Entourage (2014-2015), Olympic Programme (2014-) and Member of the Board of Directors of Olympic Channel Services (2015-). His position as one of the world’s top sports administrators was further underlined in 2014 when he was elected as President of the International World Games Association (IWGA).
– Letter of congratulations from IOC President Thomas Bach following confirmation of third-term at the 2016 ICF Congress in Baku, Azerbaijan (download)
- José Perurena (ESP) President
- Cecilia Farias (ARG) Vice President
- Tony Estanguet OLY (FRA) Vice President
- Thomas Konietzko (GER) Vice President
- Luciano Buonfiglio (ITA) Treasurer
- Simon Toulson (GBR) Secretary General
- Maree Burnett (NZL) Oceania Canoe Association President
- Joao Manual Da Costa Alegre Afonso (STP) Confederation of African Canoeing President
- Shoken Narita (JPN) Asian Canoe Confederation President
- Albert Woods (GBR) European Canoe Association President
- Dwight Corbin (CAN) Pan American Canoe Federation Interim President
- Frank Garner (CAN) Canoe Sprint Chair
- Jean-Michel Prono (FRA) Canoe Slalom Chair
- Tim Lodge (GBR) Athlete Commitee Chair
* All members of the Executive sit on the ICF Board of Directors
- Shoken Narita (JPN) President
- Jonne Go (PHI) Continental Representative
- Ahmad Donyamali (IRI) Continental Representative
Confederation of African Canoeing
- Joao Manuel Da Costa Alegre (STP) President
- Ola Oluode (NGR) Continental Representative
- Albert Woods (GBR) President
- Branko Lovric (CRO) Continental Representative
- Andrej Jelenc (SLO) Continental Representative
- Jovana Stanojevic (SRB) Continental Representative
- Maree Burnett (NZL) President
- Danielle Woodward OAM (AUS) Continental Representative
- Dwight Corbin (CAN) Interim President
- Victor G. Ruiz (PUR) Continental Representative
- Martha Hernandez Sanches (MEX) Continental Representative
ICF Standing Committee Board Members
- Frank Garner (CAN) Canoe Sprint
- Jean-Michel Prono (FRA) Canoe Slalom
- John Edwards (CAN) Paracanoe
- Ruud Heijselaar (NED) Canoe Marathon
- Tomislav Crnkovic (CRO) Wildwater Canoeing
- Mario Santos (POR) Ocean Racing
- Greg Smale (GBR) Canoe Polo
- Lluis Rabaneda i Caselles (ESP) Canoe Freestyle
- Donald McKenzie (CAN) Medical and Anti-Doping
- Tim Lodge (GBR) Athletes' Committee
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- Frank Garner (CAN) Chair
- Dr Jens Kahl (GER) Member
- Alison Harris (NZL) Member
- Charles Luckman (USA) Member
- Toshihiko Furuya (JPN) Member
- Miroslav Haviar (SVK) Advisor
- Narciso Suarez Amador (ESP) Advisor
- John Edwards (CAN) Chair
- Diego Doga (ITA) Member
- Jean Christophe Gonneaud (FRA) Member
- Julie Gray (GBR) Member
- Andrea King (AUS) Member
- Maria de Fatima Fernandes (BRA) Advisor – Head of Classification
- Hassan Taymourtash (IRI) Advisor
- Jean Michel Prono (FRA) Chair
- Sue Natoli (AUS) Member
- Shuji Yamanaka (JPN) Member
- Eric Lokken (USA) Member
- Alena Maskova (CZE) Member
- Meritxell Rodriguez Cadena (ESP) Advisor
- Colin Woodgate (GBR) Advisor
ICF Wildwater Canoeing Committee
- Tomislav Crnkovic (CRO) Chair
- Mathias Gerald (FRA) Member
- Peter Schofield (GBR) Member
- Jakob Marusic (SLO) Member
- Manuela Gawehn (GER) Member
- Nikola Stankovic (BIH) Advisor
- Shaohui Jin (CHN) Advisor
- Ruud Heijselaar (NED) Acting Chair
- Stefan Gustafsson (SWE) Member
- Begoña Rodriguez Costales (ESP) Member
- José Carlos Sousa (POR) Member
- Tim Cornish (RSA) Advisor
- Greg Smale (GBR) Chair
- João Botelho (POR) Member
- Dion Chen (HKG) Member
- Eva Lindmark (SWE) Member
- Mario Perez Lopez (ESP) Member
- Duncan Cochrane (AUS) Advisor
- Jacques Webbers (NED) Advisor
Read here for canoe polo committee roles and contact details
- Dr. Wai-hung Luk (HKG) Chair
- Melinda Patyi (HUN) Member
- Ulrike Schreck (GER) Member
- Elena Iskhakova (RUS) Member
- Dr. Howard Chen (USA) Member
- Lluis Rabaneda I Caselles (ESP) Chair
- Jeremy Blanchard (AUS) Member
- Terry Best (GBR) Member
- Magnus Karlsson (SWE) Member
- Stephanie Viselli (USA) Member
- Ned Poffenberger (USA) Advisor
- Alexandre Conte (FRA) Advisor
- Mario Santos (POR) Chair
- Rob Jenkinson (AUS) Member
- Colin Simpkins (RSA) Member
- Charles Villierme (THI) Member
- Michele Eray (USA) Member
- Rami Zur (USA) Chair
- Thomas Konietzko (GER) Member
- Andrej Kraytor (RUS) Member
- Tim Hornsby (USA) Member
- Olaf Schwarz (GER) Member
- Ernstfried Prade (GER) Member
- Sheila Palermo (ITA) Member
ICF Medical and Anti Doping Committee
- Dr Don McKenzie (CAN) Chair
- Tim Brabants (GBR) Member
- Jane Gibson (GBR) Member
- Bo Berglund (SWE) Member
- Jozsef Toman (HUN) Member
- Tim Lodge (GBR) Chair, Paracanoe Representative
- Jessica Fox (AUS) Canoe Slalom Representative
- Alexander Slafkovsky (SVK) Canoe Slalom Representative
- Krisztina Fazekas (HUN) Canoe Sprint Representative
- Yurii Postrigai (RUS) Canoe Sprint Representative
- Amanda Reynolds (AUS) Paracanoe Representative
- Claire O'Hara (GBR) Freestyle Representative
- Hayley Jo Nixon (RSA) Marathon Representative
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- Simon Toulson (GBR) Secretary General
- Hengameh Ahadpour (IRI) Events Manager
- Catherine Wieser (FRA) Marketing, Branding, Partnerships and Sustainability Manager
- Marine Pergeaux (FRA) Administration & Finance Officer
- Narelle Henderson (AUS) Technology and Member Services Manager
- Ross Solly (AUS) Media and Communication Manager
- Adam Collins (GBR) Digital Media Manager
- Cyril Nivel (FRA) Canoe Slalom and Whitewater Technical Manager
- Martin Marinov OLY (BUL) Canoe Sprint and Calmwater Technical Manager
- Michel Alarcon (FRA) Paracanoe and Anti-Doping Manager
- Hoichan Kwon (KOR) Regional Coordinator
- Sebastian Cuattrin OLY (BRA) Development Manager
National Federations