Ceremony to mark FIL’s 60th birthday: “FIL can rely on the IOC”

Constanţa (RWH) The International Luge Federation (FIL) has held an impressive ceremony to mark its 60th birthday. “The FIL is expanding”, explained President Josef Fendt from Germany in his speech at the 65th Congress in Constanţa, Romania. In June 1994, Fendt was elected to succeed founding President Bert Isatitsch, who passed away in February that year. The newly elected president compared the FIL to a ship.

More than twenty years later, Fendt gave a glowing review of the innovations, finances and reputation of his international association, the “Fédération de Luge de Course” which was founded by delegates from 13 nations in 1957 in Davos (SUI). Fendt referred to the inclusion of the team relay in the Olympic Winter Games, the federation’s solid reserves, and broad media recognition. 

This view was confirmed by Irina Gladkikh, Head of Winter Sports for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). “The FIL can always rely on the IOC, we are always at your side,” the Russian said in her welcome message to delegates from 35 national associations. In addition to the IOC representative, the Romanian sports minster Marius Alexandru Dunca, and the President of the National Olympic Committee of Romania, Mihai Covaliu, also attended the FIL ceremony and presented gifts.

The ceremony concluded with a multimedia presentation about the highlights of the FIL’s history which was compiled by Herbert Wurzer (AUT).