Innsbruck (RWH) Back to square one: When the International Luge Federation (FIL) stages its 62nd Congress at Tyrol’s capital of Innsbruck on June 20-21, 2014, the international federation will return to the place where the sport of luge made its Olympic debut 50 years ago.

This is why the anniversary “50 years of Luge at Olympic Games” will take center stage during the Congress. The festivities for this important milestone in FIL history kicked off on February 12 with a reception during the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. During the Congress in Innsbruck the festivities will reach a climax with a ceremonial act on Saturday (June 21, 2014). Invited are all medal winners of the very first Olympic luge events on the former natural track at the foot of the Patscherkofel Mountain as well as the luge gold medal winners at all ensuing Olympic Winter Games.

The past and future will be omnipresent at the upcoming Congress in Innsbruck as the annual meeting of all national federations will also mark a turning point with regard to the FIL Executive Board. At the Congress in Innsbruck the new rules and regulations will become effective that were decided at the annual congress in Riga (LAT) two years ago. Starting with the new legislative period, the FIL Executive Board will only have 11 members instead of 16. The more “streamlined” management structure shall result in more effective procedures of the “FIL Cabinet”.

FIL President Josef Fendt, who was elected to succeed the late founding president Bert Isatitsch at the 43rd FIL Congress in Rome (June 23-26, 1994), will run for his sixth term of office on June 21, 2014 – almost 20 years to the day of his first election. Secretary General Svein Romstad (USA) and Vice President of Finance Harald Steyrer (AUT) will be without rival candidates – the same holds true for Einars Fogelis (LAT / Vice President Technical Matters Artificial Track), Claire DelNegro (USA / Vice President Sport Artificial Track), Jae Ho Chung (KOR / Regional Vice President Asia) and Geoff Balme (NZL / Regional Vice President Oceania).

Italy’s Alfred Jud and Peter Knauseder of Austria will run for Vice President Natural Track.

The hosts of the upcoming FIL Championships will be determined during the FIL Congress in Innsbruck. In natural track these are mainly hosts of European Championships. The venues for the World Championships in 2015 (Sigulda/Latvia), 2016 (Koenigssee/Germany) and 2017 (Innsbruck-Igls/Austria) were already determined.

The 2018 Olympic Winter Games will be carried out in Pyeongchang (South Korea). During the upcoming FIL Congress in Innsbruck the Olympic host city will inform about the current state of affairs. Next year Pyeongchang will welcome the FIL for the 63rd Congress. The host of the 2016 FIL Congress will be determined in Innsbruck-Igls.