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 (10) 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 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 Executive Committee and Board of Directors 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 Athlete 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.
Thomas Konietzko was elected president of the International Canoe Federation at the 2021 Congress in Rome on November 6, receiving more than 90 per cent of the vote. At the 2024 ICF Congress in Antalya, he was re-elected unopposed until 2028. He has been an ICF board member since 2014, and a vice-president since 2017. The former canoe sprint coach was president of the German Canoe Federation from 2009 until his first election as ICF President, and was also a member of the German Olympic Sports Assembly’s high performance board from 2011 until 2015.
- Thomas Konietzko (GER) President
- Cecilia Farias (ARG) Vice President
- Lluis Rabaneda i Caselles (ESP) Vice President
- Luciano Buonfiglio (ITA) Vice President
- Li Xin (CHN) Treasurer
- Richard Pettit (GBR) Secretary General
- Maree Burnett (NZL) Oceania Canoe Association President
- Joao Manual Da Costa Alegre Afonso (STP) Confederation of African Canoeing President
- Chainarong Charoenruk (THA) Asian Canoe Confederation President
- Jean Zoungrana (FRA) European Canoe Association President
- Sebastian Gomez (URU) Pan American Canoe Federation President
- Toshi Furuya (JPN) Canoe Sprint Chair
- Richard Fox (AUS) Canoe Slalom Chair
- John Edwards (CAN) Paracanoe Chair
- Bridgitte Hartley (RSA) Athlete Committee Chair
* All members of the Executive sit on the ICF Board of Directors
- Chainarong Charoenruk (THA) President
- Shao Yaping (CHN) Continental Representative
- Budiman Setiawan (INA) Continental Representative
Confederation of African Canoeing
- Joao Manuel Da Costa Alegre (STP) President
- Ola Oluode (NGR) Continental Representative
- Ahmed Mahamoud Abdoulkader (DJI) Continental Representative
- Jean Zoungrana (FRA) 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
- Sebastian Gomez (URU) President
- Victor G. Ruiz (PUR) Continental Representative
- Martha Hernandez Sanches (MEX) Continental Representative
ICF Standing Committee Board Members
- Toshi Furuya (JPN) Canoe Sprint
- Richard Fox (AUS) Canoe Slalom
- John Edwards (CAN) Paracanoe
- Ruud Heijselaar (NED) Canoe Marathon
- Manuela Gawehn (GER) Wildwater Canoeing
- Marian Sarbu (BEL) Canoe Ocean Racing
- Greg Smale (GBR) Canoe Polo
- Terry Best (GBR) Canoe Freestyle
- Noemi Horvath (HUN) Stand Up Paddling
- Jane Gibson (GBR) Medical and Anti-Doping
- Bridgitte Hartley (RSA) Athletes' Committee
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- Toshi Furuya (JPN) Chair
- Dr Jens Kahl (GER) Member
- Alison Harris (NZL) Member
- Charles Luckman (USA) Member
- Botond Storcz (HUN) Member
- Jolanta Rzepka (POL) Advisor
- Beatriz Gomes (POR) Advisor
- Ekaitz Saies Sistiaga (ESP) Advisor
- Richard Fox (AUS) Chair
- Meritxell Rodriguez Cadena (ESP) Member
- Daniele Molmenti (ITA) Member
- Alena Maskova (CZE) Member
- Eunsuk (Jake) Kim (KOR) Member
- Sue Natoli (AUS) Advisor
- Hans-Peter WEISS (GER) Advisor
- John Edwards (CAN) Chair
- Diego Doga (ITA) Member
- Julie Gray (GBR) Member
- Ismael Uali Rojo (ESP) Member
- Botond Hajdu (HUN) Member
- Khaled Mohamed Samir (EGY) Advisor
- Yann LeCarrer (FRA) Advisor
ICF Wildwater Canoeing Committee - Duties
- Manuela Gawehn (GER) Chair
- Annalena Kuttenberger (SUI) Member
- Alexandra Plachtova (CZE) Member
- German Jimenez Prats (ESP) Member
- Giulia Formenton (ITA) Member
- Peter Schofield (GBR) Advisor
- Rafael Girotto (BRA) Advisor
- Tim Novak (SLO) Advisor
- Ruud Heijselaar (NED) Chair
- Stien Verlinden (BEL) Member
- Brian Chapman (GBR) Member
- Andras Faludy (HUN) Member
- Delia Merayo Lopez (ESP) Member
- Tim Cornish (RSA) Advisor
- Stefan Gustafsson (SWE) Advisor
- Jerry Dunn (AUS) Advisor
- Greg Smale (GBR) Chair
- João Botelho (POR) Member
- Eva Lindmark (SWE) Member
- Mario Perez Lopez (ESP) Member
- Virginie Brackez (FRA) Member
- Pawel Teleman (POL) Advisor
- Evan Kong (SGP) Advisor
- Charlotte Bakkes (NED) Advisor
- Terry Best (GBR) Chair
- Anne Sommerauer (GER) Member
- Jez Jezz (AUS) Member
- Alexandre Conte (FRA) Member
- Mason Hargrove (USA) Member
- Ned Poffenberger (USA) Advisor
- Tanya Neilson (GBR) Advisor
- Marian Sarbu (BEL) Chair
- Mackenzie Hynard (AUS) Member
- Alejandro Aguera (ESP) Member
- David Szlachta (FRA) Member
- Raymond Ho-Yin Lo (HKG) Advisor
- Noemi Horvath (HUN) Chair
- Aure Medina Amorrotu (ESP) Member
- Sam Rutt (GBR) Member
- Kristin Thomas (USA) Member
- Emilie Fournel (CAN) Member
- Sotirios Notas (GRE) Advisor
- Rui Duarte Cristino Lacerda (POR) Advisor
ICF Medical and Anti Doping Committee
- Jane Gibson (GBR) Chair
- Michael Cassel (GER) Member
- Henny Tantono (INA) Member
- Chris Norbury (USA) Member
- Ahmed AA Elgamel (SUD) Member
- Enrique Peces Garcia (ESP) Advisor
- Miran Sebestien (SLO) Advisor
- Bridgitte Hartley (RSA) Chair, Canoe Sprint Representative
- Sandor Totka (HUN) Canoe Sprint Representative
- Jiri Prskavec (CZE) Canoe Slalom Representative
- Eilidh Gibson (GBR) Canoe Slalom Representative
- Amanda Jennings (AUS) Paracanoe Representative
- Dane Jackson (USA) Non-Olympic Disciplines Representative
- Anna Bruno (USA) Non-Olympic Disciplines Representative
Note: The athlete committee will select the chair of the committee once all members are appointed
- Dr. Wai-Hung Luk (HKG) Chair
- Ulrike Schreck (GER) Member
- Elena Iskhakova (RUS) Member currently suspended
- Dr Howard Chen (USA) Member
- Carole Cheviet (FRA) Member
Finance Commission
- Maree Burnett (NZL) Chair
- Suzanne Britt (USA) Member
- Farhad Aliyev (AZE) Member
- Nick Donald (GBR) Member
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- Richard Pettit (GBR) Secretary General
- Alessia Cirillo (SUI) Executive Office Assistant
- Cyril Nivel (FRA) Global Director of Operations
- Narelle Henderson (AUS) Global Lead: Membership and Governance
Stakeholder Relations & Sustainable Development
- Michel Alarcon (FRA) Head of Sport Development & Games Operations
- Sebastian Cuattrin OLY (BRA) Global Lead: Flatwater
- Thomas Rosset (FRA) Global Lead: Whitewater
International Events
- Bálint Vékássy (HUN) Global Director of Events
- Dávid Bugár (HUN) Event Operations Manager
- Hoichan Kwon (KOR) Event Operations Manager
Growth and Communications
- Stuart Roach (GBR) Global Director of Growth and Communications
- Geoff Berkeley (GBR) Global Lead: Communications
- Adam Collins (GBR) Global Lead: Digital Platforms and Social Content
- Ross Solly (AUS) Global Lead: Editorial & Event Communications
- Guang Yang "Nicolas" (CHN) Global Lead: International Relations & Distribution
ICF Hangzhou Office Staff
- Chenglong Jin (CHN) Chief Representative
- Kina Yuxin Zhou (CHN) International Affairs Manager
- Qianbei Chen (CHN) Adminstrative Manager
- Vimal Sankar (IND) Global Lead: Editorial & Public Relations
- Yutao Li (CHN) Sustainability and Administration Coordinator
National Federations