2019 FISA Ordinary Congress elects Svensson as Chair of the Athletes Commission

Frida Svensson of Sweden was elected FISA’s new Athletes Commission Chair. The 2010 World Champion and two-time Olympian will join the FISA Council on 1 January 2020. Current Athletes Commission Chair Dr. Lenka Dienstbach-Wech of Germany, who reached the term limit of 12 years after her last World Championship or Olympic Games, will continue on the Council from 1 January 2020 as a co-opted Council member in recognition of her outstanding contributions to anti-doping, safeguarding and protection of athletes’ health.

Eva Szanto of Hungary, current Chair of the FISA Events Commission, was elected to fill the position on the FISA Executive Committee vacated by Dienstbach-Wech from 1 January 2020. Szanto, a former World Championship rower, is well known in the sports management world, most recently serving as CEO of the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.

Other members of the Council were re-elected to four-year terms; Guin Batten of Great Britain was re-elected as Chair of the Rowing for All Commission, Algirdas Raslanas of Lithuania was re-elected as Chair of the Youth Rowing Commission, Dr. Juergen Steinacker of Germany was re-elected as Chair of the Sports Medicine Commission, Paul Fuchs of the United States was re-elected as Chair of the Equipment and Technology Commission, and Dr. Jacomine Ravensbergen of the Netherlands was re-elected Chair of the Women’s Rowing Commission.

In addition, retiring African Continental Representative Khaled Zain El Din of Egypt was honoured by FISA Honorary President Denis Oswald. During El Din’s 20 years in his position, the number of FISA member federations in Africa went from six to 31, a remarkable achievement. The Council has appointed Mehdi Garidi of Algeria to complete El Din’s current term which ends on 31 December 2020.

The Congress attributed the following events according to the FISA Strategic Event Attribution Process (SEAP), launched in 2017 and ending with attribution at the 2019 Ordinary Congress. The SEAP was developed to recognise the significant investment by government authorities in facilities for the sport of rowing and offers them a chance to take a more strategic approach to staging international events.

The Congress attributed:
– 2023 World Rowing Championships to Ada Ciganlija Park in Belgrade, Sebia
– 2024 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Junior Championships to St. Catharines, Canada.

The Australian Rowing Federation is awaiting a final decision by their government authorities before finalising a bid for the 2025 World Rowing Championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith (Sydney), Australia. The Congress allowed additional time for this to be finalised and delegated authority to the FISA Council to attribute the 2025 Championships to Sydney if the required funding is approved by the government authorities. 

Other events attributed according to the SEAP are the following:

• 2021 World Rowing Junior Championships: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
• 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships (were already attributed to Racice, Czech Republic)
• 2022 World Rowing Under 23 and Junior Combined Championships: Varese, Italy
• 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships: Plovdiv, Bulgaria

World Rowing Cup regattas:

• 2021 World Rowing Cup 1 to Zagreb, Croatia
• 2021 World Rowing Cup 2 to Trakai, Lithuania
• 2021 World Rowing Cup 3 to Lucerne, Switzerland
• 2022 World Rowing Cup 1 to Belgrade, Serbia
• 2022 World Rowing Cup 2 to Poznan, Poland
• 2022 World Rowing Cup 3 to Lucerne, Switzerland
• 2023World Rowing Cup 1 to Zagreb, Croatia
• 2023 World Rowing Cup 2 to Varese, Italy
• 2023 World Rowing Cup 3 to Lucerne, Switzerland
• 2024 World Rowing Cup 1 is open for bids
• 2024 World Rowing Cup 2 to Munich, Germany
• 2024 World Rowing Cup 3 to Lucerne, Switzerland

World Rowing Masters regattas:

• 2021 World Rowing Masters Regatta to Banyoles, Spain
• 2022 World Rowing Masters Regatta to Libourne, France
• 2023 World Rowing Masters Regatta to Pretoria, South Africa (first World Rowing event in Africa)
• 2024 World Rowing Masters Regatta to Brandenburg, Germany

The 2024 World Rowing Cup 1 remains open and is a part of the “Repechage” round which has now opened and a decision on attribution will be made by the FISA Council on 1 February 2020. 

In other Congress news, Dominica was welcomed as the 156^th FISA member federation and the European Rowing Confederation was recognised by the Congress as the recognised confederation for Europe. 

On the Sunday, 1 September 2019, the European Rowing Confederation Extraordinary General Assembly attributed events according to the SEAP as follows:

• 2021 European Rowing Championships to Varese, Italy
• 2022 European Rowing Championships to Munich, Germany (attribution confirmed)
• 2023 European Rowing Championships to Bled, Slovenia
• 2021 European Rowing Junior Championships to Munich, Germany
• 2022 European Rowing Junior Championships to Sabaudia, Italy
• 2023 European Rowing Junior Championships to Brive-la-Gaillarde, France
• 2024 European Rowing Junior Championships to Minsk, Belarus
• 2022 European Rowing Under 23 Championships to Hazewinkel, Belgium
• 2023 European Rowing Under 23 Championships to Rostov-on-Don, Russia
• 2024 European Rowing Under 23 Championships to Duisburg, Germany 

The 2021 European Rowing Under 23 Championships and the 2024 European Rowing Championships remain open and bidding has opened for the “Repechage” round leading to a decision on attribution on 1 February 2020 by the European Rowing Board.

Please contact FISA in Lausanne for any additional information.