Paddle Worldwide

Paddle Worldwide
AbbreviationPW
Formation19 January 1924; 102 years ago (1924-01-19)
TypeSports federation
HeadquartersLausanne, Switzerland
Region served
Worldwide
President
Thomas Konietzko [de]
Main organ
Congress
AffiliationsInternational Olympic Committee
Website
Formerly called
Internationale Repräsentantenschaft Kanusport (IRK)
(19 January 1924–1946)

Paddle Worldwide (PW), formally known as the International Canoe Federation (ICF), is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and administers all aspects of canoe sport worldwide. 175 countries are affiliated with Paddle Worldwide as of 2026.

History

On 19 January 1924, six months before the Opening Ceremony in the French capital, the representatives of four National Federations - Austria, Denmark, Germany and Sweden - met in Copenhagen, Denmark and created the “Internationale Representantschaft für Kanusport” (IRK). With the intention to become the global governing body of canoeing, they chose Franz Reinicke from Germany as the first IRK President. It was renamed to the International Canoe Federation in 1946.

In light of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ICF suspended athletes from Russia and Belarus from competing at any International Canoe Federation events, and suspended all officials from Russia and Belarus from officiating at any event sanctioned by ICF, and from attending or taking part in any ICF meetings, committees, and forums. In March 2023, the Russian Canoe Federation sent a letter addressing the ISF and urging them to reverse the decision and allow Russian athletes to compete at ISF events. The RCF's statement included claims that the war was actually started by Ukraine and that "Russia defends peace". In May 2023, the International Canoe Federation reinstated Russian and Belarusian athletes, shortly after a Russian missile attack forced cancellation of a canoe event in Ukraine.

The ICF announced its rebranding as Paddle Worldwide with a press release on 26 July 2026.

Disciplines

Flatwater
Ocean
Whitewater / Wildwater
Flatwater and Ocean

Executive Committee

All members of the Executive Committee sit on the ICF Board of Directors.

Membership

Continental associations

There are five continental associations affiliated with the ICF. These associations are responsible for organizing continental championships, providing support for their member federations and communicating their interests at the ICF Board meetings.

National members

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "About Paddle Worldwide". PaddleWorldwide.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2026. Retrieved 1 September 2026. Paddle Worldwide (PW) serves as the global authority for canoe and kayak paddling sports, overseeing 10 disciplines worldwide, recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
  2. 1 2 "Paddle Worldwide's Structure". PaddleWorldwide.com. Retrieved 1 September 2026. Paddle Worldwide, formally called the International Canoe Federation (ICF)
  3. ↑ "National Federations". PaddleWorldwide.com. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "What happened in canoeing when Paris hosted Olympics 100 years ago". CanoeICF.com. 26 July 2024. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  5. ↑ "ICF suspends Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials". CanoeICF.com. March 2022. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  6. ↑ Weinreich, Jens (12 March 2023). "Russland bei Olympia: Usmanows FIE beglückt das IOC mit Hilfe des Deutschen Fechter-Bundes" [Russia at the Olympics: Usmanov’s FIE delights the IOC with the help of the German Fencing Federation]. JensWeinreich.de (in German). Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  7. ↑ Burke, Patrick (30 April 2023). "ICF rules Russians can return to competition just day after missile attack forces cancellation of canoe event in Ukraine". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  8. ↑ "A New Era". PaddleWorldwide.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2026. Retrieved 27 July 2026. The International Canoe Federation has relaunched as Paddle Worldwide, a shared identity designed to inspire a global movement for paddlesport.
  9. ↑ "International Canoe Federation - Paracanoe". CanoeICF.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "International Canoe Federation - Va'a". CanoeICF.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015.
  11. ↑ "International Surfski Paddling Association Launched". surfski.info. 28 January 2010. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  12. ↑ "Germany's "Lost Mills" Becomes First SUP Race to Be Sanctioned by the International Canoe Federation (ICF)". SUP Racer. 28 March 2016. Archived from the original on 1 November 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Surfing and canoeing in row over stand up paddle boarding ownership". BBC. 5 April 2017. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  14. ↑ "Surf's up at SportAccord: An interview with Fernando Aguerre". SportsPro. 5 April 2017. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  15. ↑ "Surf and canoe bosses in Olympic battle over stand-up paddleboarding". NZ Herald. 6 April 2017.[dead link]
  16. ↑ "Continental Associations". CanoeICF.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012.