A lot can happen in 365 days. From the inaugural women’s competitions at the World Games to the first World Tour Finals in South America to momentum building for Mannheim 2023 – this year was packed with amazing achievements and historic firsts. IFA President Joern and SG Chris look back on 2022 and together with special guest Sönke Spille, CEO of the World Champs 2023 share some insides of the upcoming event.

Many thanks for more than 5,000 downloads of our podcast “Fistball Inside”.

“Fistball Inside” is the podcast magazine of the International Fistball Association. IFA President Joern Verleger and Secretary Chris Oberlehner analyze the latest news from the world of Fistball. The first edition of the podcast was recorded end of July 2020. All editions are also available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast and Amazon Music.

We are looking for your feedback to podcast@ifa-fistball.com.

Some editions are also available on the IFA Youtube Channel.

Episode #50:
Fistball tournaments are important for us. They bring us together and connect our Fistball family. This episode was recorded at the Widnau tournament already in August with team Belgium featuring the new Belgium star Fabi Sagstetter. Off course Fabi is also talking about his recent success at The World Games in Birmingham (Alabama/USA).

Episode #49:
Fistball made history at The World Games 2022. Germany won the first ever, inaugural Fistball Women´s event and for the third time in a row wins the men’s gold medal at #TWG2022 in Birmingham (Alabama/USA). Leaving Alabama IFA President Joern Verleger and SG Chris Oberlehner analyze the event and give you a look behind the scenes. Only teamwork made the dream work.

Episode #48:
The upcoming German Championships on 12/13 March in Hagen is the focus of our issue #48 with Ole Schachtsiek and Philipp Müller. Remaining tickets are still available at the box office. The episode was recorded on 4 March.

Episode #47:
The second episode of 2022 was recorded on 22 of February 2022 just after the national championships weekend in Austria and Switzerland. Additional topics are the World Fistball Day 2022 and preparation of The World Games 2022.

Episode #46:
In the first episode of 2022 our special guest is German national player Stephanie Dannecker, who performed her last match last weekend celebrating the silver medal at the EFA 2022 Women´s Fistball Indoor Champions Cup with her club team of TSV Calw. She looks back on her Fistball carrier and what the future brings missing the inaugural women´s event at The World Games 2022 in July in Birmingham. The episode was recorded on 9th of January in Pfungstadt on the morning of the final day at the EFA 2022 Fistball Men´s Champions Cup.

Episode #45:
The Fistball Year 2021 analysed by IFA President Joern Verleger and Secretary General Chris Oberlehner in episode #45 recorded on 29th of December 2021. The episode is also available as video with additional video footage on Youtube

Episode #44:
David Galbaugh, Vice President of Sports Sales & Marketing from the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau is our special guest in eepisode #44. Talking with Joern and Chris after the Competion Manager Meeting David gave insides about his city and what to expect next year at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama. Also available as video with additional video footage on https://youtu.be/S1kTIi1cYIA #roadtoBHM

Episode #43:
IFA has had two extremely efficient and constructive days with at the Competition Managers in Birmingham, Alabama! On the way back to the airport Chris and Joern report about the results.

Episode #42:
President Jörn Verleger and Secretary General Chris Oberlehner, hosts of the IFA podcast “Fistball Inside”, will participate in the Competition Managers Meeting for the World Games 2022 on November 29 and 30 in Birmingham/Alabama. Before that, they are on a promotional tour through Alabama. In episode #42 they talk about their first days in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, a destination definitely worth to be visited before or after TWG2022. Did you know that Alabama has beaches like Florida just a few hours south of BHM? Also available as video with additional video footage on https://youtu.be/xcqo_rBKGRU

Episode #41:
This episode was recorded after the IFA Board of Directors meeting on 16 of October 2022 together with special guest Katharina Lackinger, chairwomen of the IFA Athletes Commission Chair, who will take over the management of the Fistball Performance Center Linz in a few days. Topics are past and future events like The World Games 2022 and the signing of an MoU with United through Sports as well as a call for action for the World Fistball Day on 30 of January 2022.

Episode #40:
Joern and Chris analyze the latest fistball event from September including the 2×2 Fistball STAR in Leipzig and Nuremberg, the European Nations Cup in Schneverdingen and the Austrian Final3.
Please excuse the poor sound quality … please turn very loud to hear Chris!

Episode #39:
After a small break and the World Champs in Grieskirchen – which by the way marked also the end of podcast season 1 with 38 episodes including four World Cup specials – Joern and Chris return back for the second season of “Fistball Inside”, the podcast magazine of the International Fistball Association haveing a look on:
– the events in Grieskirchen including the IFA 2021 Youth Congress and the election of the U18 representatives to the IFA Youth Commission
– the European Champions Cup events
– and the new 2×2 Fistball STAR event series.

Episode #38:
After placement match position #7 of the IFA 2021 Fistball Women´s World Championships we taked in episode #38 to the team managers from Danmark Thore Naujeck and and Belgium Sander Koyen.

Episode #37:
Matchday 2 of the IFA 2021 Fistball World Championships in Grieskirchen and the performance of team Belgium analyzed with team captain Eline Pollentier and assistant coach Sander Koyen.

Episode #36:
On the eve of the IFA 2021 Fistball World Championships in Grieskirchen we talk in episode #36 with Florencia Schwaner from Chile together with Mateus Blos Jung and Gabriel Petry Heck from Brazil.

Episode #35:
Episode #35 with special guests Manuella Poltroniere Rissi and Bianca Suffert from Team Brazil was recorded at the start of the week of the international Fistball RESTART at the IFA Fistball 2021 World Championships in Grieskirchen (Austria) from 28 July to 1 August with the Women’s World Championship, the U-18 World Championships and U-21 European Championship.

Episode #34:
In episode #34 which was recorded on 13 of July Jörn and Chris talk about Fistball als Sport for All, the registration for the Fistball Amateurs World Championship and the INTERACT Consultation Workshop and partners meeting, hosted by IFA and TAFISA in Linz, Austria on 28 – 29 June 2021. The workshop gathered some 24 International Sport Organisations that shared their Sport for All initiatives and experiences with each other. The episode includes an interessting quote from TAFISA Secretary General Wolfgang Baumann, highlighting Fistball as perfect Sport for All.

Episode #33:
In episode #33 which was recorded on 15 of June Jörn and Chris talk about the IFA board meeting from last Saturday including an update of the IFA World Games Selection and Qualification Criteria, the preparation of the events in Grieskirchen including the IFA 2021 Youth Congress invitation and the IFA nomination for a election of the Alliance of Independent recognised Members of Sport (AIMS) Secretary General.

Episode #32:
The breaking news of this episode #32, which was recorded on 31 of May is: a new host for the Women´s World Championship was announced but Joern and Chris also talk about the virtual meetings IF Forum and the IWGA GA als well as the Bundesliga in Austria and the re-start in Switzerland.

Episode #31:
A new regional association in Asia, a big press conference in Mannheim and news concerning the IFA Women´s World Champs 2021, these are the topics Joern and Chris talk about in this episode #31, which was recorded on May 17th, 2021.
IFA is pleased to announce the foundation of the Asia Fistball Association (AFA). Currently IFA has 13 member federations in Asia. Some of them are very active like Japan, that participated in the latest World Championships in Switzerland or the 2019 founded member federation in Hongkong, China or the Fistball Federation Of India, which participated in the U18 World Championships 2017 in Germany. Elected as President was Cheng Tsz-man (Ewing) from Hongkong, China.

Episode #30:
The IFA Board of Directors has approved in its latest meeting an updated version of its Strategic Plan for the period 2019-2023. Joern and Chris talk about IFA´s roadmap for the upcoming two years, that reflects the COVID-19 crises as well as the recently approved IOC Agenda 2020+5. Furthermore, they attended and talk about several other meetings about safeguarding athletes, human rights in sports, the national convetion of the German member association and with sports service providers. The episode was recorded on 28 of April 2021.

Episode #29:
The 2nd IFA Athletes Forum on the main topic “Women in Fistball” is in the middle of episode #29 recorded right after the forum together with the IFA Athletes´ Commission chairwomen Katharina Lackinger listening to and talking about several statements from athletes during the forum. Furthermore, IFA presented in this forum its first ever Gender Equity Toolkit, that provides information about gender equity, as well as ideas / strategies especially for Fistball event organizers for consideration in order to stage events that are more gender equitable.

Episode #28:
Information about the IFA Policy Forum, news from the IFA 2021 World Championships in Austria and Switzerland as well as from the CSIT World Sport Games and the upcoming IFA Athletes Forum are the topics of this episode. The episode was recorded on April 6, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

Episode #27:
IFA Fistball World Tour coordinator Mathias Karafiat explains why the World Tour Season 2021 was cancelled. Furthermore, Joern and Chris talk about the upcoming IFA Policy Forum on 30 March, the cancellation of the EURO 2021 in Italy and the need of a calender co-ordination meeting for Fistball events. The episode was recorded on the 26 of March.

Episode #26:
Our special guest for this episode is Kristof Lerch, the new elected President of the Fistball Association of Namibia. On the eve of the first match day of the 2021 Bank Windhoek Fistball League season in Cohen the Fistball Association of Namibia elected 28-year-old from Windhoek as its new President. The episode was recorded on the 19 of March.

Episode #25:
The anniversary episode starts with sad news. It is with greatest sadness that we have learnt that our IFA Honorary President Ernesto Dohnalek passed away at the age of 70. As special guest for the topics Fistball World Tour Final and the Fistball World Tour 2021 we are welcoming the chairman of the IFA Sports Commission Winni Kronsteiner for an update. IFA President Jörn Verleger and SG Chris Oberlehner recorded this episode on the 2 of March.

Episode #24:
Jörn and Chris talk about the IFA Board of Directors meeting on 20 of February and the “Fistball Bubble” in Austria. The Board of Directors received reports on upcoming Fistball events, the inaugural World Fistball Day and approved several guidelines and regulations concerning Anti-Doping and financial matters. Furthermore, the board approved the 2020 Annual report of the President as well as the Financial Report 2020 and welcomed Morocco as 67th member federation.

Episode #23:
Jörn and Chris talk in this episode which was recorded on the 16 of February about the “Fistball Bubble” weekend in Austria and the restart in Namibia. Even if nearly the entire Fistball sport is still on ice in many parts, Fistball fans could have watched their favorite sport live again: In Austria measure the best women’s teams in the “Fistball Bubble”. The Austrian Women’s Indoor Fistball championship kicked off. Furthermore, the 2021 Bank Windhoek Fistball League started at the Swakopmund Fistball Club (SFC) following a three-month break.

Episode #22:
Jörn and Chris evaluate the first World Fistball Dayon 30th of January, which was a great success for the International Fistball Association. Listen to Leif’s challenge to Australia when it comes to the history of Fistball in South Africa and what several member federation presidents say about the current situation in their countries.

Episode #21:
Chris and Jörn talk about the program of the inaugural World Fistball Day on 30 of January including an IFA Entourage Workshop on Safe Sport and Anti-Doping. One thing you definitely should not miss is the facebook Premiere “The Mighty Fist documentary” on that day about the first South African team, which was established in 2014 by Leif Petersen, who was looking for an alternative sport to play as a way to make his mark representing his country. And finally the action “Fistball Clean Out” or in German “Miste deinen Faustball-Kleiderschrank aus!” for the benefit of the IFA Development Program.

Episode #20:
IFA President Jörn and SG Chris talk about the IFA 2020 Awards presented on 9 January and a very powerful statement made by Karin Kempinger within the Athletes´ Forum. Listen to what the Austrian said.

Episode #19:
Lockdown. Training ban. Hygiene concepts everywhere. No spectators in the venues. Canceled championships. Broken dreams. COVID-19 has confronted sport with unprecedented challenges.
But what was the best thing about the sporting year of 2020? Why will 2021 definitely be better?
We talk about the lesson learned that health is more important than anything else. But also that even in times of crisis, there can be further developments and positive as well as sustainable changes. Listen to the last episode of the year 2020.

Episode #18;
The first ever “Fistball inside” episode lasting more than 30 minutes with IFA Development Director Roger Willen reporing about Switzerland, China, Portugal, Jona and a big inside story about the fistball discovery of USA in 1995 in which he was involved in. Listen to an interesting story in our Christmas episode.

Episode #17:
In episode Nr. 17 we focused on the IFA Board of Directors meeting on 12 Deecember and informed about all the decision taken. Listen and learn more about the new IFA Youth Program, the IFA Awards 2020, the approval of our 66th member federation Portugal and the new IFA Safe Sport Policy, which will be presented on the confirmed IFA Athletes Forum (virtual) on 9 January 2021 as well as the 61st birthday of IFA on 30 January 2021, which will be celebrated as new established World Fistball Day every year in the future.

Episode #16:
On the International Volunteers Day we honored the many volunteers in Fistball and talk about Christmas traditions in Europe and abroad. Without volunteering there would be no fistball sport! The International Volunteers Day is an opportunity for us to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.

Episode #15:
What do the female Fistball players think about the decision to host the next Women´s World Championships? Listen to Janine Stoob, captain of Swiss Fistball national team. Honest words also to the question, which value a world championship would have, if not all teams are allowed to travel to Jona next year.

Episode #14:
IFA sent out a powerful signal during worldwide pandemic and published TSV Jona (Switzerland) as new host of 2021 Fistball Women’s World Championship. In this episode Nr. 14, which was recorded on 19th of November Jörn and Chris talk with TSV Jona board member Sebastian “Sebi” Kammer about the current preparation and what teams can expect next year in Jona.

Episode #13:
Our special guest of episode #13 is IFA Honorary President Karl Weiss with whom Jörn and Chris attended the AIMS General Assembly on the day the episode was recorded. Other topics are the annual meetings of IWGA and the IF Forum all held virtually during the last week.

Episode #12:
How is an international sports association like IFA financed? Joern and Chris talking in episode # 12 about the importance of public subsidies for IFA and their meeting with Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport Werner Kogler in Vienna to discuss 2021 subsidies for the IFA headquarters in Linz. The State of Austria for providing a dedicated subsidy since 2017.

Episode #11:
In episode #11 we are talking about the concept for the upcoming Fistball Bundesliga Indoor Season in Austria including COVID-19-tests, the cancelation of the European Champions Cup Indoor at the beginning of January 2021 and the IFA Board of Diretcors meeting on the 10th October 2020.

Episode #10:
In our anniversary episode #10 we are welcoming a special guest: our dear friend Stephan Fox, President of United Through Sports and AIMS, former World Champions of Muaythai and Secretary General of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA).

Episode #09:
We are talking about the rules of the 2×2 Fistball event in Leipzig next year, the United Through Sports virtual Festival and the IFA activities within United Nation´s project “Sports for Climate Action”.

Episode #08:
Joern and Chris analyzing the results of the Austrian Fistball Champs last weekend and discussing some proposal to promote Fistball better. Furthermore, first information about the 2×2 World Champs in Leipzig next year. The episode was recorded on the 18th of September 2020.

Episiode #07:
The results of the German Fistball Champs in Kellinghusen and the Swiss Fistball Champs in Widnau as well as an outlook on the weekend´s finals in Austria.

Episode #06:
This time it is only a very brief update on this week´s activities, the CSIT World Games and an update concerning the Fistball Women´s World Champs next year.

Episode #05:
We are talking about
– the International German Gymnastics Festival next year in Leipzig,
– the United through Sports Virtual Festival and
– in our category Fistball History about the 25th aniversary Fistball Men´s World Championships in Namibia 1995.

Episode #04:
Only 6 days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games 1972 in Munich, the second Men’s Fistball World Championships took place in Germany for the first time. A total of 8.700 spectators watched the 29 matches of the 7 participating nations. We talk in this episode with the 1972 Fistball World Champion Peter Sievers, a former IFA Vice President until 1991 and IFA Honorary Member, who was part of the successful German Team in Schweinfurt.

Episode #03:
U18 national player Leni Schuh from Austria analyses with teammate Philipp Einsiedler, who gave his debute in Team Austria the friendly matches between Swiss and Austria nd we talk the first time about the plans to hopefully host the next year´s Women´s World Championships in Jona (Switzerland).

Episode #02:
With Special Guest Ajith-Deephan Anthony-Fernando from TSV Pfungstadt (Germany), who announced in the week before his retirement from the German Fistball League National Team after 61 international matches and two World Cup, three European Championship and two World Games titles we talk about the re-start in Germany and in Austria.

Episode #01:
The start of a new weekly project with the topics 3rd IFA Youth Congress, IFA Fistball Academy including training modules and latest information about the U18 World Champs 2021.