IFAF and ISSF join forces

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Two of the youngest federations within the Olympic Movement, the International Federation of American Football and the Shooting Sport Federation, have signed an innovative agreement to optimise the use of resources by both organisations.

This memorandum of understanding reflects a shared commitment to progressive sports governance, in line with the priorities of the International Olympic Committee's Agenda 2020+. Both organisations have already agreed to co-fund the attendance of legal delegates at the IOC medical conference and the 2025 workshop on the prevention of competition manipulation, and the agreement is now in effect.

The collaboration is built on three key pillars: shared resources, exploring opportunities for co-funding and mutual support; knowledge transfer through regular experience and best practice sharing; and joint promotional initiatives aimed at raising the profile of sports and athletes ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Following the inclusion of flag football in the programme for the LA28, IFAF was granted full IOC recognition in 2023 and admitted as an associate member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations at the 2024 general assembly.

Flag football, a variant of American football, will make its Olympic debut under the oversight of the IFAF, which will ensure that it adheres to international rules and standards.

American football's significant media appeal in the United States means this faster-paced version of the sport is establishing itself as a major attraction at the Los Angeles Games. It will be held in a prominent city centre location and feature NFL stars who have recently been authorised to compete.

Shooting has been part of the Olympic programme since the first modern Games, and has been governed internationally by the ISSF since its foundation in 1907. The ISSF aims to boost the sport's popularity further in North America by capitalising on two competition venues at LA Clays and the Long Beach Convention Centre, positioning shooting at the heart of the Games' layout.

Pierre Trochet, President of the International Federation of American Football, stated, "We are pleased to strengthen our cooperation with the ISSF, a federation that shares our commitment to exemplary and progressive governance and innovative approaches to optimising costs and impact."

After signing the agreement, Trochet said the partnership "is fundamental to the growth of IFAF, as demonstrated by our transformative partnerships with professional leagues". He expressed confidence that "IFAF, as a young and ambitious federation determined to apply best practices, can benefit greatly from the extensive experience of our well-established colleagues."

Luciano Rossi, president of the ISSF, also expressed his satisfaction with the new opportunities arising from this alliance. "We look forward to working together in areas of mutual interest, and I am confident that through creative collaboration, we can become more efficient individually, as well as contribute fresh ideas in support of the Olympic Movement," he said.