Fistball World Tour starts with 29 tournaments world-wide and more than 120 clubs

The IFA Fistball World Tour celebrates its first small anniversary in 2023 and enters its fifth season. 29 tournaments on five continents and more than 120 teams will participate in the World Tour again in 2023. The season opener will take place in Curitiba at Clube Merces in Brazil next weekend on 4/5 March. The Major tournaments in Elgg (SUI), Stammheim (GER), Jona (SUI), Widnau (SUI) and Porto Alegre (BRA) will again be the highlights of the season.

With Guatambú in Argentina, Flanders in the USA, Moita in Portugal and Haslach in Austria four new tournament organizers make their debut on the tour calendar for the new season of the IFA Fistball World Tour.

This year again more than 120 teams have the possibility to participate in 29 tournaments world-wide. ”In the fifth year of the Fistball World Tour almost 50% of all participating teams are female teams, I’m very happy of this gender balance in our World Tour series. The Fistball World Tour is constantly evolving. We are very glad that the World Tour will be carried out on five continents. It is particularly great to see that we have again World Tour hosts in the USA, in India and in Australia in addition to the proven World Tour events and major tournaments in South America and Europe,” says IFA President Jörn Verleger.

The tournament series starts and ends in South America in 2023. The new season begins on 4 March with an IFA 500 tournament of Clube Merces in Curitiba (BRA) and ends in Chile with an IFA 250 tournament on 18/19 November in Llanquihue.

Englert: “Excited who will be at the top of the ranking”

“In 2023 we will again see many exciting tournaments around the world and the best teams will fight for the World Cup title at the World Tour Finals. I’m very happy to see new tournaments on our tour and I am excited to see which teams can place themselves at the top of the world ranking this year”, says Gastao Englert, chairman of IFA Sports Commission.

IFA 2023 Fistball World Tour with 5 Major tournaments

Five tournaments achieved the quality criteria for the highest category, the major category, in which 1000 points are awarded. 18 tournaments are held in the second tour category with 500 points each, whereas the 250 category consists of six tournaments. When taking part in the World Tour clubs can secure a wildcard for the World Tour Finals – the former World Cup. In addition to the six continental winners from Europe, North and South America, Australia, Africa and Asia, the two teams ranked best in the World Tour qualify for the World Tour Final. The women’s team from SOGIPA (BRA) and the men’s team from TSV Pfungstadt (GER) won the last edition of the IFA World Tour Finals in 2022 and are qualified for the Finals automatically. IFA is currently in final negotiations with a host for this year’s final event.

Congrats IFA 2022 Award winners!

The IFA Awards were launched in 2019, and the latest edition included 15 categories including best player, best picture, media work and a lifetime achievement award.
More than 280 proposals sports were made by individuals, clubs or associations for the 15 categories.

Tanja Bognar from Switzerland is IFA 2022 FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

Tanja won the Swiss Women’s Field Championship for the third time in a row with SVD Diepoldsau-Schmitter in 2022, also won the 2022 Swiss Women’s Indoor Championship for the third time in a row with SVD Diepoldsau-Schmitter, came second with the Swiss women’s national team at the 2022 World Games and is actively involved in Diepoldsau’s youth teams.

Tanja is the outstanding player of her club team as well as the national team, but is also extremely team-oriented. She interprets her leadership role with great social competence and, for example, always thanks the organisers, the live stream team, etc. for their commitment. In addition to her sporting career, she takes on responsibility in the youth sector.

Patrick Thomas from Germany is the IFA 2022 MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR .

Patrick is The World Games 2022 champion with Germany, European Champion with Team Germany, as well as IFA World Tour Finals Champion, German Champion Indoor & Outdoor and European Champion Indoor and finally European Vice-Champion Outdoors with his team TSV Pfungstadt. As the main striker from Germany and TSV Pfungstadt Patrick only lost 1 crucial game this year. He won 6 out of 7 gold medal matches in a very full calendar year.

The IFA 2022 FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Award goes to Amber Nicole Rauh (USA). The year the Award Committee not only focused on sporting issues, but also took into consideration speed of development, activities of court and overall performance.

Amber played in World Games and Pan American games. She made the US team with less than 6 months of training. At the Pan American Fistball Games she was the captain of team USA with just over 1 year playing. Furthermore, she was featured on the World Games Takeover Tuesday on instagram.

The IFA 2022 MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Award goes to Matthias Spornberger from SSV Bozen in Italy

Matthias played at the European Championships in Vaihingen in both the male U18 and the male U21 teams and took part in The World Games. He has been in the Italian junior team for years and plays the role of playmaker. He has improved from year to year and always gives a good performance against the “strong nations”.

The IFA 2021 REFEREE OF THE YEAR Award goes to Marcel Meier from Switzerland.

Marcel has been refereeing international Fistball events such as the European Championships in 2000 and 2004 as well as the 2011 World Championships (including semi-finals) for men for 23 years. In 2022, he was called upon to officials in two international finals.

First, at the Men’s Champions Cup in the 2022 Hall between TSV Pfungstadt and Union Tigers Vöcklabruck, and then in October at the World Tour Finals, where he refereed both the emotional preliminary round match between Pfungstadt and Novo Hamburgo and the final match between the two teams. And he did an outstanding job in both finals.

The IFA 2022 COACH OF THE YEAR Award goes to Anton Lässer from Switzerland

As a coach, Anton led the SVD Diepoldsau-Schmitter women’s team to the national top. In 2022, he won the 3rd consecutive indoor championship title with the women. In addition, the team won 2022 won an international medal for the first time at the EFA Women’s Champions Cup in Calw (3rd place).

For more than 30 years, Toni has spent several days a week on the fistball court or in sports. As a coach, he accompanies the U14s (Swiss champions) and the U16s (Swiss runners-up) to the match days.

In 2015, Anton Lässer took over the Swiss women’s national team. After the two medals (bronze in 2016 and silver in 2018), he coached the young Swiss team to the finals of the 2022 World Games. With his training sessions, tactical guidelines and precise and his precise analysis of the opponents, he optimally prepared the team for the tasks ahead. In the final, Switzerland even took a 2:0 lead against the big favourites from Germany.

On the short list for the IFA 2022 Media Award we have been Klemens Kronsteiner, Hajo Wolff and Sport1 for the broadcasting of the World Games 2022 where the broadcast of the female gold medal matches – as in 2017 – achieved the highest viewing figures of all broadcasts of The World Games sports, Kyle Ejsmont, the fistball.tv commentator and the International World Games Association (IWGA) and host broadcaster ISB for the production of the fistball matches at TWG 2022. The award was dedicated to Ursula Romero representing host broadcaster ISB and The World Games Association.

In the category IFA 2022 Best Picture of the Year IFA received more than 100 proposals. In an joint public and jury voting the Moritz Kaufmann from Germany was elected as winner.

The IFA 2022 ACTIVITY AWARD goes to Fistball Denmark.

For more than a decade, Denmark was an integral part of the fistball community – whether in the men’s or junior men’s game. But after 2007, fistball in Denmark fell into a sleep – from which it was kissed awake in 2017. Since then, thanks to Team Norschleswig, the Danish fistballers have presented themselves as one of the most active fistball associations in the world.

Men and women regularly take part in international fistball events, and great importance is attached to youth development, including participation in national competitions in neighbouring Schleswig-Holstein (Germany).

In addition, the Danish Fistball Association hosted just at the beginning of January 2023 the U19 European Indoor Championships.

The IFA 2022 SCHOOL SPORTS AWARD goes to Federico Fritz, Nancy Adamoli and Pablo Zarate from Argentina with the project Faustball en las esculelas (Fistball in the schools).

The project consists in workshops for school teachers, open classes with teachers and students and presentation of the work and experiences of the program in different physical education conferences. The program runs in association with The Olympic Committee of Argentina, inside the “sport initiation program” in the YOG frame.

The project currently supports over 10 schools and 7 clubs in 5 different cities in Argentina.

FELE present FAUSTBALL as a discipline that due to its technique and facilitated practice characteristics, a significant school body experience that positively impacts the link with the movement culture.

In this way, it promotes an area of inclusion, integration, admits and values diversity, since allows all students to interact in the same class without the gender condition, motor ability and differences are not a difficulty.

The IFA 2022 OLYMPIC EDUCATION IN FISTBALL AWARD goes to José Roberto Vinharski from Federação Paranaense de Punhobol

The Fistball Federation of Paraná – BRA in partnership with the Municipal Education Secretary introduced Fistball in more than 4 cities, 40 schools and over 70 physical Educator Teachers. They also held for the first time ever the “School Fistball Festival”. In total they have more than 300 kids and adolescents. The program promote Fistball as tool of human being development through the practical application of the Olympic Core Values of Respect, Excellence ands Friendship.

Already since 2019 IFA awards a Women in Sport prize.

The IFA 2022 WOMEN IN SPORT AWARD goes to TWG women´s team of the New Zealand Fistball Association

The team reached the 5th position in the final ranking but that is not why the team was nominated.

The team made all the way – a more than 30 hours trip to Birmingham (Alabama/USA) – without any public funding and secured the representation of Fistball teams from three continents at the World Games.

IFA SUSTAINABILITY AWARD goes to TSV Jona from Switzerland.

In 2017 IFA introduced an IFA Sustainability Strategy. With the 2021 established IFA Sustainability Award IFA would like to raise awareness and to promote best practice.

For many years, TSV Jona Faustball is using a  well-coordinated “washing-up crew” ensures that there are always enough clean plates, cups, glasses and cutlery available to feed all hungry and thirsty players and spectators.

In addition, waste is consistently managed: Suppliers are integrated into the waste cycle and take back the transport containers and packs almost without exception. The remaining waste is divided and sorted into plastic, cardboard and paper and general waste.

Ecological action is also a priority in turf maintenance. Since the Grünfeld fistball stadium is located in a groundwater protection area, it goes without saying that only environmentally friendly fertilisers are used that do not pollute the environment. The same applies to the colours used for the field markings – these are harmless to humans, animals and plants.

But what really catches the eye at TSV Jona Faustball is the grandstand roof. Since the beginning of 2018, the integrated photovoltaic system with its 190 square metres has been supplying a lot of electricity.

A total of around 140 megawatt hours (MWh) have already been produced, which corresponds to the energy consumption of around 30 single-family homes in one year. A total of 73 tonnes of CO2 have already been saved.

The IFA 2022 SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AWARD goes to Sociedade de Ginástica de Porto Alegre  in Brazil. The club took Fistball to the favelas of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. An initiative we would like to honor.

The IFA 2022 LIFETIME AWARD goes posthumous to Gerhard Strasser from Austria.

Gerhard Starasser, who founded the  club ASKÖ Seekirchen in 1980 and has been the clubs chairman for over 40 years. He has dedicated his life to bringing people together through fistball, has brought hundreds of kids to enjoy our sport and has encouraged them to give their best on and off court. And he was one of the founders of the “Jugendeuropapokal” now an European Fistball Association (EFA) event.

His ambition and thrive has not only pushed his club Seekirchen but many say has revived fistball in Salzburg as a sport but also as a community.

In December we learned of his sudden death that´s why we honor him today with the IFA 2022 Lifetime Award posthoumously.

The basis for the awards are the IFA Honorary Regulations. The IFA Awards are presented on the basis of a jury decision or public vote appointed by the IFA Board of Directors. The IFA received over 280 proposals from almost 80 individuals/clubs/associations. The jury is composed by members of the board and discussed all proposals in detail.

The award was announced in December on the IFA channels. Proposals with a short justification or a link in the case of photos can be submitted by individuals, clubs and associations.

IFA Fistball World Tour 2023 – registration open now!

The IFA Fistball World Tour turns in its 5th season and the registration process for the upcoming season is open now.
In the last edition, 129 registered club teams and 25 hosts from 5 continents participated.

The regulations for the World Tour season 2023 stays the same as it was in 2022.
As already in 2022 the World Tour consists from 3 different tournament categories: Major – IFA 500 – IFA 250.
And only the best 5 tournament results per team will find their way into the WT ranking.

The quality criteria for the tournament categories in 2023 can also be found in the Tournament registration form below or here: TOURNAMENT CRITERIA 2023

HOST REGISTRATION (until 31 January 2023):
Hosts can register their tournaments from now on until 31 January 2023 by using the following link:
REGISTRATION HOSTING IFA WORLD TOUR TOURNAMENT

CLUB TEAM REGISTRATION (until 15 February 2023):
Club teams can register for the Fistball World Tour season 2020 until 15 February 2023 by using the following link:
CLUB TEAM REGISTRATION

We are looking forward to a great IFA World Tour season in 2023.

Invitation IFA 2023 Congress and membership gathering

IFA sent out the invitation to the IFA 2023 Congress on Thursday 27 July 2023 9.00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. at the Hotel Radisson Blu Hotel, Mannheim Q7 27, 68161 Mannheim.

IFA 2023 Membership Gathering and IFA Policies Forum

Furthermore IFA invited to a virtuall IFA Membership Gathering on World Fistball Day Monday 30 January 2023 9 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. with the topics / zu den Themen:
– annual evaluation of the IFA Strategic Plan 2019 – 2023
– first draft of the IFA Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027
– evaluation of the IFA policies

Please register until 28 January 2023 on https://tinyurl.com/IFA2023membershipgathering

THE WORLD GAMES ATHLETE AND TEAM OF THE YEAR: THE RACE IS ON!

Ready, set, go: The International World Games Association (IWGA) has now launched its online votes for the Athlete and Team of the Year 2022. Until 31st January (12 GMT), supporters and friends of The World Games can cast a vote daily for the top athlete and the top team. Voting is available online on the IWGA website: www.theworldgames.org
Cecilia Jaques from Brazil is nominated by IFA as Athlete of the year 2022 and the women’s team of Germany who won the Fistball competition at The World Games is nominated as team of the year 2022. Vote now: VOTING

23 athletes and 12 teams, proposed by their International Federations, are running for the titles Athlete of the Year or Team of the Year. They all took part in the 11th edition of The World Games in Birmingham, USA last summer. On the IWGA website, all candidates are introduced with a short report about their achievements and a video.

Each participant in the voting can cast votes for the candidates – either Athlete or Team of the Year or both – once per 24 hours on The World Games website. Each time, votes must be given to two candidates. Two votes are awarded to the first-choice candidate and one vote to the second-choice candidate.

Fans can vote separately for both the Athlete of the Year and the Team of the Year. The current ranking and the number of votes cast for each candidate will be shown on the IWGA voting page as the voting period progresses.

The first round of the voting opened on 10th January at 12 (GMT) and closes on 22nd January (12 GMT) and will determine the finalists: the 10 athletes and 7 teams with the most votes will go through to the final round. This round lasts until 31st January, when the winners will be announced. The winners will receive trophies and prizes.

2022 IFA Awards – Call for nominations ends 31 December

International Fistball Association (IFA) has the honour to invite all IFA members to submit nominations for the IFA 2022 AWARDS.

The awards will be presented in the following 15 categories:
• IFA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• IFA MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• IFA FEMALE ROOKY OF THE YEAR
• IFA MALE ROOKY OF THE YEAR
• IFA REFEREE OF THE YEAR
• IFA COACH OF THE YEAR
• IFA MEDIA AWARD
• IFA BEST FISTBALL PICTURE OF THE YEAR (public voting)
• IFA ACTIVITY AWARD
• IFA SCHOOL SPORTS AWARD
• IFA WOMEN IN SPORT AWARD
• IFA OLYMPIC EDUCATION IN FISTBALL AWARD
• IFA SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
• IFA SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AWARD
• IFA LIFETIME AWARD

The proposals should be sent by email to office@ifa-fistball.com latest until 31 December 2022.

The Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on the World Fistball Day Monday 30th January 2023.

Furthermore, we would like to invite and pre-inform the Fistball family to support our activities on 30 January 2023.

IFA was founded on 30 January 1960. IFA invites all member federations to develop activities on the World Fistball Day 30 January 2023.

The 63st birthday in 2023 will include:
• a virtual sustainability workshop,
• a virtual safe workshop,
• a virtual IFA Membership Gathering / IFA Policies Forum,
• the virtual IFA 2022 Award Ceremony.

2022 – A YEAR TO REMEMBER

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.
It is as if the sport of Fistball has returned with a lot of strength this year after the difficult pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.
The outstanding performances of our athletes at several event like the Continental Championships and tournament as the World Tour Final in Curitiba showed how events can be excellently organized.
Our women impressed at the premiere of the World Games in Birmingham (Alabama/USA). They made history.
These are just a few examples of the many athletes but also the performances off the court that were outstanding in 2022.

But 2022 was also another year full of challenges
The upcoming Christmas days and holiday season are now a good opportunity to make a break and regain strength for new deeds. After all, 2022 has shown that we can better achieve our goals for Fistball if try to reach them together. Maintaining what has been tried and tested and also to try something new – that is what I and we in the IFA Board of Directors see as the success of the Fistball family.

We wish you a merry Christmas and a good start into a healthy and happy new year.
And see you in Mannheim 2023 at the latest.

A YEAR TO REMEMBER podcast #51

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.

WADA’s 2023 Prohibited List comes into force on 1 January

IFA calls on athletes, entourage, and all stakeholders to note the 2023 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, which was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) during its meeting on 23 September 2022 and enters into force on 1 January 2023.

We also publish:
o the 2023 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes as compared to the 2022 List; and
o the 2023 Monitoring Program, which includes substances that are not on the List, but that WADA wishes to monitor in order to detect potential patterns of misuse in sport.

More info: WADA publishes 2023 Prohibited List | World Anti Doping Agency (wada-ama.org)

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