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About the International Canoe Federation

ICF Structure

The International Canoe Federation (ICF) is a membership organisation that is responsible for the global sport of canoeing and comprises of five Continental Associations (CA) and 171 National Federations (NF). The ICF is the recognised international body for paddle sport and has representatives for nine (9) disciplines on its Board.

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).
 
One official discipline has a commission, where their chair does not sit on the Board of Directors. There are also commissions for diversity and inclusion in sport, ethics and finance.
 
The position of Honorary President was awarded to Jose Perurena by the national federations at the ICF Congress in November 2021, on his departure as ICF President. Perurena's commitment to the sport and dedication to the ICF, through his role as Secretary General (2000-2004) and President (2008-2021) were recognised by the entire Congress. ICF Honorary Presidents and Honorary Members awarded by the ICF Congress are listed here. 

For additional information regarding the ICF structure, please refer to the organogram. Roles and responsibilities are outlined in the ICF Statutes.
ICF President - Thomas Konietzko (GER)

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.

ICF Board of Directors and Executive Committee

* All members of the Executive sit on the ICF Board of Directors

ICF Board of Directors

Asian Canoe Confederation

Confederation of African Canoeing

European Canoe Association

Oceania Canoe Association

Pan American Canoe Federation

ICF Standing Committee Board Members

ICF Standing Committees


ICF Canoe Sprint Committee

  • 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

    ICF Canoe Slalom Committee

    ICF Paracanoe Committee

    • 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

    ICF Canoe Marathon Committee

    • 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

    ICF Canoe Polo Committee

      ICF Canoe Freestyle Committee

      • 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

      ICF Ocean Racing Committee

      • Marian Sarbu (BEL) Chair
      • Mackenzie Hynard (AUS) Member
      • Alejandro Aguera (ESP) Member
      • David Szlachta (FRA) Member
      • Raymond Ho-Yin Lo (HKG) Advisor

        ICF SUP Committee

        • 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

        ICF Athlete Committee

        Note: The athlete committee will select the chair of the committee once all members are appointed

        ICF Dragon Boat Commission       

        • 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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          ICF Staff

          • 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

          View the new National Federations page