IFA invites all members to ITA’s upcoming webinar, dedicated to the topic of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs). This session, part of ITA’s monthly education series, will take place on Tuesday, 25 February, from 14:00 to 15:00 CET and will feature Ayesha Talpade, ITA Senior Legal Counsel.
The webinar will provide an in-depth look at the different types of Anti-Doping Rule Violations, their implications, and real-world applications. It will be an excellent opportunity for participants to engage directly with an expert and gain valuable insights into the latest legal and procedural aspects of anti-doping.
To ensure the session is as informative as possible, participants are encouraged to submit their questions in advance via the registration link below. ITA will address as many questions as possible during the live session, with additional time reserved for real-time Q&A.
This webinar will be conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation available in Arabic (العربية), Spanish (español), French (français), and Russian (русский).
Webinar Details
Date: Tuesday, 25 February
Time: 14:00 – 15:00 CET
Expert Speaker: Ayesha Talpade, ITA Senior Legal Counsel
Moderator: Mairi Irvine, ITA Education Team
Registration link: Click to Register
We encourage all members to take advantage of this valuable learning opportunity and engage in the discussion on anti-doping best practices.
For more information, visit ITA’s website. We look forward to your participation!
The Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS), in which the International Fistball Association is member, introduced its Good Governance Project during the 2024 General Assembly at the Olympic House. Led by Dr. Julie Gabriel, AIMS Council Member and President of FISav, in cooperation with the CSCF Sport Integrity Group, this initiative is designed to enhance governance standards, transparency, and ethical practices across AIMS’ member federations. The project reflects AIMS’ commitment to fostering integrity and accountability within international sports.
CSCF works to protect sport from negative aspects including manipulations in sport, safeguarding issues, discrimination, and racism worldwide.
Online Survey is being conducted
As part of this project to protect the sports integrity of all federations within the Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS), an online survey is being conducted to gather information and assess the current state of sports integrity within the concerned federations.
The survey is very simple, and we ask you to fill it in as honestly as possible. It is anonymous, so we will not know who filled in the survey, but your answers will be very helpful to us.
Change at the top of the International Fistball Association (IFA): Gastão Englert from Brazil will take over the role as the new President of the Fistball World Federation in the course of 2025. This was decided by the IFA Board of Directors at its most recent meeting. Englert will take over from current President Jörn Verleger, who announced at the meeting that he would be stepping down at the end of August. Until he takes office as President, the 59-year-old will act as the new Vice President. Roger Willen was also appointed as the new Vice President at the meeting.
The International Fistball Association is set for changes this summer. Jörn Verleger announced his departure as IFA President on August 30, 2025 after the World Games in Chengdu (China) during the Board of Directors meeting on February 8. At this meeting, the Board of Directors agreed on how to proceed in the coming months – and set the course for the future. The Board of Directors appointed Gastão Englert (Brazil), Chairman of the Sports Commission, and Roger Willen (Switzerland), previously a member of the Board of Directors, as new Vice Presidents. Together with Giana Hexsel (Brazil), who was elected at the 2023 Congress in Mannheim (Germany), there are now three IFA Vice Presidents.
With his appointment on Saturday, Gastão Englert will act as First Vice President to President Jörn Verleger with immediate effect. This also makes him the designated IFA President from the end of August and the first Brazilian President in the history of the International Fistball Association. His role as Chairman of the Sports Commission will remain unaffected by his appointment as Vice President, as will Roger Willen’s role as IFA Development Director.
“For 10 years at the helm of the IFA, I have been able to play a key role in shaping the fortunes of the association and look back on many outstanding developments and events during this time. The World Games 2025 in Chengdu in mid-August are an ideal time to hand over the reins of the association after this labor-intensive period. I would like to thank all my colleagues who have supported me in my efforts to raise the profile and popularity of fistball and will remain involved in the topics of sustainability, para-fistball and anti-doping and as chairman of a fistball support association for the sport and the IFA Board of Directors beyond August,” said Jörn Verleger.
Jörn Verleger – Farewell as IFA President
Jörn Verleger has been President of the International Fistball Association (IFA) since August 2019 and is the first German to hold this position. Previously, he was Secretary General of the IFA from 2015 to 2019 and headed the Future Development Working Group. From April 2022 to the end of 2023, he was also President of the German Fistball League (DFBL) and Chairman of the Board of Faustball Deutschland. Due to a change of statues in 2023 with a maximum term of eight years being adopted, Verleger had to step down in 2027 anyway.
Verleger is committed to international networking and recognition of the sport. He played a key role in organizing major events, including the IFA 2018 Women’s World Championship in Linz and the IFA 2023 Men’s World Championship in Mannheim, where finals were held in an indoor arena on natural grass for the first time.
The topics of fistball’s global presence, sustainability in sport and the fight against doping are close to his heart. Through his networking in the national and international sports world and his involvement in social media, Jörn Verleger contributes to the awareness and popularity of fistball.
Gastão Englert – Full-blooded fistball enthusiast as designated IFA President
Brazilian Gastão Englert has gotten to know the sport of fistball from many different angles – first as a player, then as a coach, referee and official on various committees. His passion for fistball began in 1982, when he finally decided to play fistball after a successful time as a volleyball player. As a long-time player and coach at SOGIPA, he managed all of the club’s youth teams and later coached the main team for eleven years. In 1999, he began his impressive career as head coach of the Brazilian men’s national team.
He led the men’s national team to two world championship titles and a World Games victory. He also won a world championship with the women’s national team. His club teams won numerous titles, including seven World Cup victories. He is the only coach in the history of fistball to win major titles in all categories for men and women: World Championships, World Games and World Cups.
In addition to his sporting career, Englert studied sports science at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and specialized at the German Sport University Cologne. For over 20 years, he managed a non-profit tennis foundation that shaped the lives of over 2,000 children and young people.
His international importance for the sport of fistball is reflected in numerous leadership roles within the International Fistball Association (IFA). As Chairman of the Sports Commission, Director of Olympic Education and Head of the International Referees Commission, he drives the worldwide development of the sport. He is also President of the Pan American Fistball Association (PAFA) and is actively involved in Olympic education committees. Gastão Englert was honored with the “Pierre de Coubertin 150th Anniversary Medal” for his achievements.
Roger Willen – Swiss fistball enthusiast becomes new Vice President
Roger Willen has been playing fistball since 1978 at TSV Jona, one of the major Swiss clubs and organizer of the Raiffeisen Obersee-Masters, one of the IFA World Tour Major tournaments.
From 2001 to 2023, he was a board member of the “Club Freunde der Faustball-Nationalmannschaften CFFN”, the most important patrons’ association of all Swiss national fistball teams, where he was responsible for marketing and membership recruitment.
Willen joined the IFA Board of Directors in 2015 and was responsible for the IFA’s first professional website. At the end of 2018, he took over the Development Program from Alwin Oberkersch and has since been able to support the founding of various new national associations. He was also the “midwife” of the Asia Fistball Association, the Asian continental association based in Hong Kong.
The Swiss sees his role as Development Director as supporting individuals and organizations in establishing new association structures and game operations in countries and regions around the world, as well as supporting existing organizations in their further development
Roger Willen worked as a sales and marketing manager in the IT industry until his retirement last summer. He has a degree in business administration and studied at INSEAD in Paris. He is still co-owner of a Swiss IT company and a board member of a non-profit organization that supports IT projects based on open source software and open data worldwide.
The International World Games Association (IWGA) announced the winners of The World Games Athlete of the Year 2024, as determined by thousands of passionate fans from around the globe.
The final standings of the competition are as follows:
The World Games Athlete of the Year 2024:
Veddriq Leonardo (Indonesia) – Sport Climbing – 77,045 votes on the final round
1st runner-up: Kristin Lätt (Estonia) – Flying Disc – 51,338
2nd runner-up: Xin Tong (China) – Wushu – 26,181
Congratulation Fistball star Isabella Lucchin from Brazil for a strong performance in 2024 and a very good result with 13’419 votes. Isabella finished on 7th place of 18 candidates.
The International World Games Association says: “To all ten finalists, you are all champions in the eyes of the IWGA and your supporters. Your performances, passion, and hard work have elevated your sports and inspired millions. We applaud your incredible contributions to The World Games. Your stories inspire all of us!”
This year’s IFA LIFETIME AWARD goes to Victor Mödinger.
He is certainly still known to the older fistball players as a player of his home club Club Gimnástico Alemán Llanquihue and the Chilean national team.
Victor Mödinger is a person who has not always been in the spotlight, but has achieved great things behind the scenes.
For many years, he was an important promoter and patron of Chilean fistball.
His support was not only financial, but also of inestimable value due to his personal commitment and numerous contacts in Europe.
Thanks to Victor Mödinger, many important connections have been made and projects have been realized that have had a lasting impact on fistball in Chile.
His generosity and his open ear for the concerns of the sport have contributed significantly to the fact that Chilean fistball is now on a solid foundation and can continue to grow.
Victor has more than earned this award.
His tireless commitment and passion for fistball should be an example to us all.
We thank him from the bottom of our hearts for everything he has done for Chilean and international fistball, and we are delighted to present him with the IFA 2024 Lifetime Award today.
Congratulations, Victor Mödinger!
The winner of the IFA 2024 ACTIVITY AWARD is the Female Fistball Future project an initiative of Faustball Austria that aims to increase the participation and presence of women in Fistball.
Five specific sub-groups have been created under the Female Fistball Future slogan, focusing on different aspects:
young female players,
female coaches,
female referees,
female officials
and top female athletes.
Each subgroup is supervised by an experienced mentor who provides insights into her work throughout the year and acts as a role model.
Two action days will be held for each subgroup, during which special workshops, training sessions or events are taking place.
In addition, each mentor will present her work twice via a social media takeover to generate even more attention.
The project started at the Final3 event in June 2024 and ends with the U21 European Championships in 2025.
And the IFA 2024 BEST PICTURE AWARD goes to Moritz Kaufmann.
What a wonderful picture which captures the great dynamic of the sport of Fistball.
Moritz has already won the award in 2022.
He is our first double decorated award winner in IFA history.
Congratulation Moritz and thanks for your dedication.
The International Fistball Association (IFA) was founded on January 30, 1960 and has had six presidents since then, each of whom has made significant contributions to the development of Fistball:
Erich Petschnek (Austria, 1960-1982): As the first IFA President Petschnek laid the foundation for the international organization of Fistball. Under his leadership, the first Men’s World Championships were held in Austria in 1968.
Hans Beutler (Switzerland, 1982-1986): Beutler took over the office in 1982 and continued the internationalization of the sport. During his term of office, Fistball was included in The World Games for the first time in 1985.
Dr. Hans Kollmann (Austria, 1986-1995): Kollmann led the IFA through a period of growth. In 1990, the federation celebrated its 30th anniversary, and the number of nations participating in world championships reached a new record of 11.
Ernesto Dohnalek (Argentina, 1995-2011): As the first president from South America, Dohnalek promoted the global spread of Fistball. In 1994, the first Women’s World Championship was held in Buenos Aires, a milestone for women’s Fistball.
Karl Weiß (Austria, 2011–2019): Weiß advocated for the recognition of the IFA by the IOC and expanded the IFA’s membership from 27 to 61 nations.
Jörn Verleger (Germany, since 2019): Verleger promotes the global presence of Fistball and is committed to sustainability in sports. Under his leadership, the 2023 Men’s World Championship was awarded to Mannheim, where Gold Medal matches was held in an indoor arena on natural grass for the first time.
Each of these presidents has contributed significantly to the development and internationalization of Fistball.
Time and again, there are doping incidents in sport. Although we have not had a positive doping case in Fistball so far, our athletes are subject to the World Anti-Doping Code of WADA.
IFA President Jörn Verleger, who is also the chair of the IWGA Anti-Doping Panel, answered fundamental questions about doping and anti-doping work in Fistball.
Why is it important to deal intensively with the topic of anti-doping? Verleger: It is of crucial importance to ensure the integrity and fairness of the sport. Through clear guidelines and measures, we want to protect clean athletes and promote a fair competitive environment. Doping undermines these values and endangers trust in the sport.
What exactly is doping? Verleger: Doping refers to the use of substances that produce a non-training-related increase in performance. A comprehensive list of these prohibited substances can be found in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. This list is updated annually and applies to all international and national sports federations worldwide.
How are athletes divided into test pools? Verleger: The IFA has created two testing pools, although there are currently no players in the RTP.
1. ONTP (Other National Team Pool): The associations must provide information on training locations and dates for national team activities. Upon separate request, the associations must also provide regular training activities of the club teams (one regular training session per week during the season) of the league clubs of their country with current national players of their country.
Due to their success at the last championships, the associations of Germany (women & men), Austria (men) and Brazil (women) are in the ONTP in 2025.
2. RTP (Registered Testpool): Each athlete in a RTP must report his or her whereabouts via a special WADA online tool (ADAMS), providing his or her daily whereabouts and overnight accommodation, as well as his or her training and competition schedule.
The IFA can assign athletes to the RTP at any time, especially if there are any suspicions. The athletes will be notified in advance.
How are doping controls carried out? Verleger: Unannounced controls with urine or blood samples are carried out on the test pool athletes during training and during a tournament. The IFA commissions specialized companies to carry out the controls. The blood and urine samples are analyzed at WADA-recognized institutes in Germany, such as the Institute of Biochemistry at the German Sport University Cologne and the Institute for Doping Analytics and Sports Biochemistry in Dresden. A doping sample costs about €500-1000.
What are the most common doping offenses? Verleger: The most common doping offenses include, in general, the use of prohibited drugs and substances, such as certain hormones, asthma medications, stimulants and muscle-building hormones such as anabolics and EPO.
This also includes measures to improve endurance, such as the administration of blood products before competitions.
In addition, a repeated reporting violation is considered a doping offense and is sanctioned accordingly.
In Fistball, all controls have so far been without positive findings. We explain this by the fact that there are no professional athletes competing in Fistball or that there are no cash prizes. However, we cannot be sure that banned substances are not used in Fistball either. The best way for us to counter this is to raise awareness of integrity and fairness in sport.
What responsibility does an athlete have with regard to doping controls? Verleger: Every athlete is responsible for what is found in a doping sample. It is important that the WADA’s list of banned substances is also known in the athlete’s environment – including partners, trainers, doctors and physiotherapists – in order to avoid positive test results due to ignorance. If a prohibited substance is necessary for medical reasons, a so-called TUE must be applied for in advance.
As we gear up for the **2024 IFA Award Ceremony**, here’s a look back at the past winners and what to expect this year.
### **A Look Back: Past IFA Award Winners**
Over the years, the IFA Awards have recognized outstanding performances and contributions to the world of Fistball.
### **2024 IFA Award Ceremony**
The highly anticipated **2024 IFA Awards** will take place on **World Fistball Day**, Thursday, **30th January, at 20:00 (European Time)**. Fans and participants can tune in live on the following platforms:
– 🌍 [IFA Fistball on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/IFA.Fistball)
– 📺 [IFA Fistball Channel on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@IFAFistballChannel)
Make sure to mark your calendars and join the live stream to witness the announcement of this year’s winners. Share your predictions in the comments—who do you think will take home the honors?
Stay tuned for more updates and celebrate the spirit of Fistball with us!
Here are some hashtags you can use to boost engagement for your post:
#ifaawards2024
We invite all Fistball enthusiasts to wear their club or national team jerseys, tracksuits, or sports attire throughout the day—whether at work, shopping, university, or school—to showcase and promote the sport we love.
To participate, just put on your Fistball gear on January 30 and share a photo of yourself on social media using the hashtag #WorldFistballDay. Let’s flood the internet with diverse images of people proudly wearing their Fistball outfits, bringing our sport into the spotlight!
This year is particularly special as we gear up for The World Games 2025, set to take place in Chengdu, China, from August 7 to 17, 2025. Your participation in World Fistball Day helps build excitement and visibility for Fistball on the global stage.
Let’s unite and make World Fistball Day 2025 a memorable celebration of our sport!
There will also be two workshops on The World Games 2025 in Chengdu (tinyurl.com/chengdu2025) and the IFA Anti-Doping Testing Pool 2025 (tinyurl.com/antidoping2025), and the IFA Youtube channel will broadcast re-live the Gold Medal Match of The World Games 2005. 20 years ago, Austria and Brazil faced each other in the final in Duisburg.
IFA President Jörn Verleger participated in the SandSI—Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI) 2024 General Assembly. Congrats to re-elected SandSI President Julia Pallé and her team including Vincent Gaillard and Orsolya Tolnay to the excellent work. IFA is a proud member of SandSi.
SandSI, a not-for-profit international organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, leverages the power of sport to encourage mind and behaviour changes towards more responsible conduct, aligning with the Paris Agreement and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030. The mission is to accelerate sustainability in and through sport.
SandSI’s and its members goals for the sport sector are to become Carbon Neutral and Zero Waste by 2030, and to contribute to a 15% reduction in physical inactivity by the same year.
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