Dear Floorball friends,

 

The Floorball family has a busy week ahead with three simultaneously organised European Qualifications going on at the same time in Valmiera in Latvia, in Nitra in Slovakia, and in Poland this for the first time in Poznan. All teams are striving for the final round in Finland, Tampere, later in December this year. It will a very good opportunity for Latvia, Slovakia and Poland to seek the opportunity to further promote and boost Floorball in these regions.

 

Floorball has taken important steps forward, in order to reach our Vision 2020 and a place in the Olympic Games. The next task is to be ready later this year, when the IOC chooses the contenders for the “short list” of sports that have a possibility to enter the 2024 Olympic Games. With the new IOC President, Mr Thomas Bach, we see in his vision “Olympic Agenda 2020”, a lot of initiatives, including possible rotations of sports on the Olympic program, and hence the “upgrading” of the World Games.

 

Concerning multi-sport events Floorball is successfully now on the World Games in July 2017 in Poland, in the city of Wroclaw. We are also on the Urban Games, in 2016 or 2017, and we will play either 3 versus 3 or 4 versus 4. Taking part in these multi-sports events requires that we really go public, on all levels and communicate the important values that Floorball possess, showcasing Floorball with many spectators, and a good youth oriented atmosphere, continuously having all matches streamed on the internet, because if we can prove to be an asset on an international level, the sport structures will also support us on the national level.

 

Later in June 2015 Floorball will again appear on the SEA Games in Singapore, and after the full success in Myanmar in 2013, this is a vital step towards the entry in Asian Games and or Asian Indoor and Martial art Games. It will be very challenging for the Floorball Community to grow in Asia and in Oceania, in order to make entry possible in these Games in Asia and in Oceania.

 

The Floorball family is launching the EOTO project, “each one teach one”, a mentor mentee project, where we are right now launching a number of mentor mentee projects, and this will in the long run enable us to meet one important objective, that is “closing the gap” between the Floorball countries and hence give more quality to our sport. The EOTO is a very challenging project, where to my knowledge Floorball is maybe the first sport to encounter this path.

 

The IFF conveys our gratitude to the three cities of Valmiera, Nitra and Poznan, and the respective Floorball Associations of Latvia, Slovakia and Poland, with its good management, 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 European Qualifications for the Women´s WFC.

 

Looking forward to thrilling matches

 

Tomas Eriksson
IFF President