The ICF President on behalf of the ICF Board of Directors would like to invite your National Federation to the ICF Congress 2021 to be held in Rome, Italy 4th to 6th November 2021.

As you will be aware the ICF Congress was postponed on two occasions in 2020 due to COVID pandemic. The ICF Board of Directors agreed that where possible the ICF should hold a Congress where people could meet face to face when it was suitable to do so.

The ICF understands that in 2021 travel restrictions due to COVID are very likely still to be in force and not everyone can attend a Congress in person.  The ICF Board of Directors have agreed to hold a Hybrid version of the ICF Congress that allows everyone to participate either in person or virtually.

The ICF would like to provide you with some more information relating to the Congress and how it will work.

The ICF Congress will be held in Rome, Italy on 4th to 6th November 2021. 

As per the ICF Statutes, each eligible National Federation that has paid its membership fees and all debts owed to the ICF 30 days prior to the Congress (4th October 18h00 CET) can attend and participate in the Congress with upto three delegates.  If the National Federation has 3 delegates one of them must be of the other gender. 

The participation of the three persons from the National Federation at the ICF Congress can be virtually or in person or a combination of both options (For example, two people attend the Congress in Rome and one person participates virtually by computer).

Due to the limitations of virtual Congresses in terms of interactions the length of each session will be reduced and the Agenda focused on topics that require ICF Congress to vote upon to ensure the ICF can continue to function.   A complete ICF Technical Congress is expected to be held in 2022 in Thailand.

ICF Congress Schedule

The Schedule for Rome Congress is:

4th November – Starting 13h00 (Central European Time) concluding 16h00). 

Agenda topics: President’s Opening, Secretary General report, Chairs and Vice President reports and ICF Financial Affairs. 

5th November – Starting 13h00 (CET) concluding 16h00.

Agenda topics – ICF Statutes and Competition rule changes

6th November - Starting 13h00 (CET) concluding 17h00.

Agenda topics – ICF Elections and ICF Awards

The ICF is trying to secure that the Congress will be simultaneously translated in English, French, Spanish and Russian.

For the Secretary General, Chairs’ reports and the Vice Presidents’ reports these will be pre-recorded and at the disposal of the delegates to watch in advance of the Congress.  This will reduce the amount of time of presentations significantly for the Congress.

Questions or comments from the delegates relating to the presentations will be requested before the Congress starts and any questions that come up during the Congress will be collected by the ICF in written form. 

The respective Chair or Vice President will answer the questions live during the Congress.   The goal of this is to reduce the time of the Congress that is virtual.  The final logistical operations for this will be communicated closer to the Congress.

The ICF is in the process of selecting a virtual voting system that is independent, secure and usable both virtually and in person.  Only one delegate can vote per National Federation and a special security code will be sent to this person when nominated to secure the voting rights.

ICF Elections

For ICF Elections the positions that are available are:

ICF President

3 ICF Vice President (Both genders must be represented)

Treasurer

Canoe Sprint Chair

Canoe Slalom Chair

Canoe Marathon Chair

Paracanoe Chair

Canoe Freestyle Chair

Canoe Ocean Racing Chair

Wildwater Canoeing Chair

Canoe Polo Chair

Medical and Anti-Doping Chair

Applications and a short CV for these positions should be sent to the ICF Secretary General simon.toulson@canoeicf.com no later than 3rd August 2021 at 18h00 (CET).

In addition the ICF is looking for candidates to be on the Technical Committees from the disciplines and Medical committee listed above.  There are still a number of places available.  Please send applications and a short CV for these positions to the ICF Secretary General simon.toulson@canoeicf.com no later than 3rd August 2021 at 18h00 (CET).

Candidates for the ICF Elections will be allowed to pre-record a 5 minute video promoting their candidature and these will be available for Congress delegates to view in advance of the Congress.  Delegates online will have the opportunity to pose questions to the candidates during the Congress in written form.

Due to the hybrid nature of the Congress proxy voting will not be required for the 2021 ICF Congress.

Accommodation, accreditation and logistical arrangements for those delegates that will attend the ICF Congress in Rome will be communicated shortly from the ICF and the Italian Canoe Federation.

The final date for confirmation of attendance both virtually and in person for the 2021 ICF Congress will be 4th October at 18h00 (CET).