World Rowing Appointed to IPACS Steering Committee as Federation Builds on Strong Governance Record

World Rowing takes a seat on the Steering Committee for the International Partnership Against Corruption in Sport, joining two other International Federations on the global governing group.

World Rowing has been designated as an incoming member of the Steering Committee of the International Partnership against Corruption in Sport (IPACS) for 2027-2028. The decision came at the 9th IPACS Annual General Conference, held earlier this month at Olympic House in Lausanne.

World Rowing joins the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) and World Athletics as the three International Federations on the incoming Committee. Estonian biathlete Johanna Talihärm was named Athletes’ representative. The conference also elected a new IPACS Chair, with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, represented by UK Sport, taking over from Switzerland.

More than 100 representatives of sports organisations, governments and intergovernmental bodies attended the annual conference.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry opened the conference, stressing that integrity and good governance are central to the IOC’s Fit for the Future process, and that partnerships are key to building trust in how sport is governed.

Three panels covered good governance, cooperation between sport and public authorities, and the role of artificial intelligence in anti-corruption work. The AI discussion followed the recent publication of the IPACS Fact Sheet on AI and Corruption in Sport.

World Rowing Joins IPACS Steering Committee: “Integrity risks don’t stop at the boundary of any one sport”

World Rowing’s appointment comes as the federation continues to strengthen its governance framework and embed integrity and transparency across its work.

In the 2025–2026 Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) Governance Review, World Rowing achieved the highest A1 rating, placing it in the review’s top category and reinforcing the organisation’s standing among its peers.

“We are very pleased to be designated to the IPACS Steering Committee. Good governance isn’t something you achieve once and put aside; it’s work we do every day. This role lets us share what we’ve learned and make sure rowing’s voice is heard as future standards take shape,” said Ludovica Caprino, World Rowing’s Governance & Integrity Manager.

“Integrity risks don’t stop at the boundary of any one sport,” added Caprino. “Sitting on the Steering Committee lets us learn from federations, governments and partners facing the same challenges, and work together on the risks we have today and those still to come.”

As one of a limited number of Federations on the Steering Committee, World Rowing will help shape the discussions and initiatives that guide sport governance and anti-corruption efforts and ensure rowing’s voice is heard.

About IPACS: Established in 2017, IPACS is the first global multi-stakeholder initiative combining efforts to fight corruption in sport and promote good governance. The organisation brings together governments, sports organisations and intergovernmental organisations through Task Forces, a Steering Committee and high-level meetings. It has recently begun exploring AI and (anti-)corruption through a dedicated Working Group.