IFF President Foreword WFC 2015 – 03.12.2015

Dear Floorball Friends,

The Floorball family has again the pleasure to return to Finland, and to the lovely sporting city of Tampere, for the World Floorball Championships.

Sixteen teams from four continents are, after very prosperous qualifications in both the Americas, in Asia and in Oceania and in Europe, striving for the medals.

Finland as a country, and the Finnish Floorball Federation, have over the years staged a significant number of top Floorball events. Finland has always delivered with high quality and top atmosphere, I am confident we will again have this amazing experience and feeling, once again in Tampere.

Floorball has taken important steps forward, in order to reach our Vision 2020 and a place in the Olympic Games. With the 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 20-30, 2017 in Poland, in the city of Wroclaw. 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. Plans for TWG in 2021 in Birmingham, Alabama USA, are good on its way in good co-operation with Floorball USA. Concerning possible participation for Floorball in the so called sports initiation program, and ultimately in the Youth Olympic Games, the doors are now opening and there is a chance in Buenos Aires in 2018 and in Tokyo in 2020, possibilities that before the Agenda 2020 reforms where not even possible. Rest assure that I as President and my administration in IFF are working hard and dedicated to make this possible soonest.

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 city of Tampere and the Finnish Floorball Federation, for your good management, to the President Mr. Ismo Haaponiemi, and secretary general Mr. Kari Lampinen, 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 World Floorball Championships!

Looking forward to thrilling matches

Tomas Eriksson
IFF President