Dear Floorball friends,

 

It is with joy and pleasure, the International Floorball family starts the journey towards the 2014 WFC in Sweden, in Gothenburg with vital qualifications in Latvia, Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia in Europe, in Canada in the Americas, and in New Zealand in Asia and Oceania. I am pleased with this spreading of qualifications that shows the diversity and growth of our sport Floorball.

 

Our sport has taken a number of important steps forward, in order to reach the Vision laid out for 2020 and a place in the Olympic Games. The next task is to be ready for 2015, when the IOC chooses the contenders for the “short list” of sports that have a possibility to enter the 2024 Olympic Games.

 

The goal of entering a multi-sport event in the coming 5-8 years – requires that we really go public, on all levels and communicate the important values that Floorball possess. It is with joy that we are now, since May 2013, a member of the IWGA who organises the World Games. Since the requirements for participation in the World Games have changed, all sports that are members need to re-apply for the Wroclaw Poland 2017 games, so now we have a real chance to participate in Wroclaw during summer of 2017. SportAccord is also possibly launching the Urban Games (for team sports and “ball” sports) in 2015, and the setting up of the World United Championships in 2017, to be organised in Russia, so the scene with international events looks very promising, but at the same time very challenging.

 

If we can prove to be an asset on a national level, the sport structures will also support us on the international level. Here the responsibility lies primary on the countries participating in this WFC and its qualifications. Therefore the IFF will, starting 2014, as a part of the implementation of the License System, try to find means and forms to strengthen the operations of the IFF members, so that we are ready to take the next steps. The IFF CB evaluated the outcome of the “association’s audit”, in order to determine how IFF on the one hand can help all countries, and how the countries can help one another, with the theme “each one teach one”. A so called shopping was ready for the Associations meeting organised last December in Ostrava during the WFC, with one objective being narrowing the gap between the countries in the development.

 

The development of Floorball also requires that we can increase our brand and media visibility. In order to do that, we need to secure, in one way or the other, a much broader TV visibility, including Internet TV streaming. A good relationship to national TV is essential; in order to grow the sport, but it has to be made on the terms of the sport.

 

The IFF conveys our gratitude to the organising Floorball Associations of Latvia, and the city of Valmiera, the Netherlands and the city of Nijmegen, Poland and the city of Lochow, Slovakia and the city of Bratislava, Canada, to the city of Markham, and to New Zealand and the city of Wellington, for your support and commitment.

 

On behalf of the entire Floorball family, I greet all the participants; athletes, officials, volunteers, spectators, sponsors and co-operating partners and the representatives of media, heartily welcome to the WFCQs.

 

Looking forward to thrilling tournaments,

 

Tomas Eriksson

IFF President