From the beginning of next year, the headquarters of the International Canoe Federation (ICF) will be in Budapest, the Hungarian Canoe Federation announced on its website.
The proposal to move the headquarters was overwhelmingly supported at the ICF Congress in Antalya, Türkiye, they write. “This is a decisive moment for our sport,” said ICF President Thomas Konietzko, “It is a new opportunity to further professionalize our sport administration and accelerate our plans to promote the sport globally.
With Hungary’s support, we have everything in place to drive the next phase of our organization’s growth,”
he added. The ICF statement stressed the prominent role of the Hungarian government in promoting the sport of kayaking and canoeing, healthy lifestyles and recreational sports.
“We are honored and delighted that the International Canoe Federation has chosen Budapest as its new home. We are grateful for the trust of the decision makers and consider this a significant success of our sports diplomacy. Kayaking and canoeing is a national treasure in our country, and the achievements of our competitors have left unforgettable memories in the minds of generations of sport lovers.
The location of the headquarters of the international federation in Hungary represents a huge potential not only for kayaking and canoeing, but for the entire sporting life of our country. I am sure that we will benefit from this on many levels,”
said State Secretary for Sport Ádám Schmidt.
In its statement, ICF underlined Hungary’s commitment to the sport, that is reflected in the fact that it hosts prestigious international canoeing events every year. Among these is the 2027 World Championships, that is of great importance for qualification for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Kovács Tamás
