Dropping In - September 29. 2015 World Skateboarding Federation News
- Published in Action Sports with Leigh Roche
(Kimberley, South Africa -- September 28, 2015) Today, the Tokyo Olympic Committee announced that they are proposing that skateboarding will be one of two new sports to be added to the 2020 Olympics Games. The following is a statement from Tim McFerran, president of World Skateboarding Federation regarding today’s announcement:
“WSF is pleased about the exciting and positive news coming out of Tokyo to include Skateboarding in the 2020 Olympics and we are hopeful that it will win final approval by the IOC next year. WSF has been active around the world promoting and organizing skateboarding and highlighting the positives that skateboarding brings to communities. World Skateboarding Federation has grown from the idea of providing social development and leadership to skateboarders and governments on a global basis, to an organization with almost 4000 members representing 92 countries and sanctioning over 60 contests in all disciplines of skateboarding including Street, Vert, Bowl, Slalom, Park, Downhill and Freestyle.
In the short time since our establishment, we have been overwhelmed by the continuous stream of applications we are getting to join our group on a daily basis. We have received praise from numerous governmental and private organizations in countries from all over the world about the positive impact WSF has had in the lives of youth. We have had constant contact and very positive conversations with members of the IOC about how skateboarding can have a positive impact on the 2020 Olympic games and the youth of the world and are extremely grateful to be invited to take part in this process. WSF is actively working with many national federations and government agencies around the world to provide leadership and guidance to ensure a very positive experience for all skateboarders and their fans at the games.
We want to thank the Tokyo 2020 committee for their recommendation and hope the IOC will give skateboarding this opportunity when they bring it to a final vote next year. I have personally been involved in the biggest contests in skateboarding since 2008 and I am pleased that this news comes out just prior to the Skateboarding World Championships (7-10 October), where the best skateboarders in the world will compete in Kimberley, South Africa, for the largest prize purse in skateboarding. Many of these competitors will likely represent their countries in the 2020 Olympics if it gets voted in by the IOC and WSF is proud to have played a role in the process.”
About World Skateboarding Federation (WSF)
World Skateboarding Federation a governing body of skateboarding and the leader in providing skateboarders around the world with funds to help pay for travel expenses to attend international contests. The WSF Board of Directors are: Tim McFerran, WSF Board President, Sasha Steinhorst, United States; Maga McWhinnie, Peru; Paco Manzanares, Mexico; Stefan Lilis Akesson, Sweden; Kevin Harris, Canada; Cyrille Harnay, France; Felix Arguelles, United States; Tim Gavin, United States; Jani Söderhäll, France; and Hans Koraeus, Sweden.
WSF actively donates skateboards to youth in poverty stricken areas and supports worthwhile skateboarding organizations like Skateistan in South Africa. WSF is currently working with a number of countries, providing leadership and expertise, to help them form national federations. The mission of the World Skateboarding Federation is to promote skateboarding around the world; to grow and connect relevant skateboarders, organizations, brands and manufacturers for the further expansion of skateboarding; to assist in building quality skateparks; to provide financial assistance to top skateboarders to attend international skateboarding contests; to create a centralized judging and scoring system; and to provide a platform to create national, regional and local contests. World Skateboarding federation is a USA incorporated nonprofit 501-c-3 organization.