Liberec. The preparations for the coming Olympic season, the 2012 Youth Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck (AUT) and the election of the host of the 44th FIL World Championships 2013 will be the main items on the agenda of the 57th Congress of the International Luge Federation (FIL). The Congress will be held in Liberec on June 19/20, and it will be the first FIL Congress ever hosted by the Czech national federation. FIL President Josef Fendt, who was elected as successor to the departed founding President Bert Isatitsch at the 43rd FIL Congress in Rome (June 24/25, 1994), will at the same time celebrate his 15th anniversary as FIL President.
The „Whistler Sliding Center“, next season’s venue of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver (CAN), is the only track bidding for the World Championships in four years. The 2011 World Championships will take place in Cesana, the 2006 Olympic track near Turin, followed by Altenberg in 2012.
Representatives from both Cesana and Altenberg will be at the Congress in order to report on the current status of preparations. During the two meeting days, the delegates of the national federations will also hear more about the 2010 Olympic Winter Games (February 12–28, 2010) and the 2012 Youth Olympic Winter Games. In accordance with the FIL Statutes, changes to the International Luge Regulations (IRO) will not be on the agenda of the 57th FIL Congress.
Immediately after the FIL Congress, the regular meeting of FIL together with the organizers of FIL competitions artificial track will take place. For the first time, this meeting will be held over two days.
With its 104,000 inhabitants, Liberec is the largest and most significant city of North Bohemia, and was the host of the Nordic World Ski Championships this past winter.
