ISU President Kim Jae-youl elected to head Winter Olympic Federations
Version 2: New reports from Newsis and Hankook Ilbo add detail: Kim's June ISU re-election in Tenerife for a four-year term was as an unopposed candidate approved unanimously, he has pushed organizational modernization and competition changes through ISU's “Vision 2030”, and Hankook Ilbo says WOF recommended him for the IOC Executive Board seat.
In short
Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union, was elected president of the Winter Olympic Federations (WOF) at a WOF meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, succeeding Ivo Ferriani, the ISU said. WOF groups the international federations of seven winter Olympic sports: skating, skiing, luge, ice hockey, curling, bobsleigh and skeleton, and biathlon. Kim, 58, became the ISU's first non-European president in 2022, was re-elected in June and was elected to the IOC Executive Board in February, according to the reports.
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Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union, was elected president of the Winter Olympic Federations at a WOF meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, the ISU announced on 5 October, Korea time. He succeeds Ivo Ferriani, the ISU said, adding that Kim's passion and dedication to winter sports and his willingness to strengthen cooperation among international sports federations were recognized. Hankook Ilbo reported that Ferriani is 66 and Italian. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 ]
WOF is a consultative body of the international federations of seven winter Olympic sports: skating, skiing, luge, ice hockey, curling, bobsleigh and skeleton, and biathlon, according to Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily, Chosun Ilbo, Newsis and Hankook Ilbo. Hankook Ilbo said the body was formed for exchange and cooperation among winter Olympic international federations and for their joint development, listing ski and snowboard together among the member sports. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 ]
Kim said through the ISU: “I will stand in solidarity with WOF members to raise the standing of winter sports,” adding that he was honoured to serve as WOF president and would work to help everyone. Newsis quoted him saying that sports on snow and ice have a special appeal and that he wants to work with all WOF member federations to raise the standing of winter sports in modern society. Hankook Ilbo quoted him saying he would cooperate with all stakeholders for joint development. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Kim, 58 according to Dong-A Ilbo, previously served as president of the Korea Skating Union, vice president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and a member of the ISU executive committee. In 2022 he was elected the ISU's first non-European president in its 130-year history, and outlets said he drew praise for marketing innovation and organizational reform. He was elected an IOC member as an international federation representative in October 2023 and was elected to the IOC Executive Board at the 145th IOC Session in February, held in Milan, Italy, according to Newsis. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
In June, Kim won re-election as ISU president at a congress in Tenerife, Spain, for a four-year term, Newsis reported, adding that he ran as the sole candidate and was unanimously re-approved. Hankook Ilbo said he was elected to the IOC Executive Board in February on WOF's recommendation, a link other documents do not mention. With the WOF post, Kim now also heads the consultative body covering major winter Olympic international federations. Newsis said he has pursued modernization of the ISU's operations and changes to skating disciplines and competition formats through its “Vision 2030”. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
The reports gave no vote count and did not say whether the WOF election was contested, nor did they state the length of the WOF term. Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo also carried the same ISU statement in shorter feed summaries. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
Why it matters
Kim now heads both the ISU and a consultative body of seven winter Olympic international federations, extending a Korean administrator's role in international winter sports governance. The documents do not describe what the WOF presidency entails, how long the term runs or how the vote was decided, so the practical consequences beyond the appointment are not spelled out.
Key facts
- Kim Jae-youl was elected president of the Winter Olympic Federations (WOF) at a WOF meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, succeeding Ivo Ferriani, the ISU said. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- WOF's members are the international federations for skating, skiing and snowboarding, luge, ice hockey, curling, bobsleigh and skeleton, and biathlon. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 ]
- Kim has led the ISU since 2022, when he became its first non-European president, and was re-elected in June at an ISU congress in Tenerife, Spain. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- He was elected to the IOC Executive Board at the 145th IOC Session in February, held in Milan, Italy, according to Newsis and Hankook Ilbo. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Kim said he would stand with all WOF member federations to raise the standing of winter sports and work with all stakeholders. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reported that Kim is 58 and first entered winter sports administration in 2011 as president of the Korea Skating Union. [ 5 ]
- Newsis reported that Kim's ISU re-election in June came as a sole candidate and was approved unanimously by the congress. [ 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kim Jae-youl was elected WOF president at a WOF meeting in Lausanne, succeeding Ivo Ferriani, as announced by the ISU. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- The ISU said Kim's passion and dedication to winter sports and his will to strengthen cooperation among international sports federations were recognized. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- WOF includes the international federations of seven winter Olympic sports: skating, skiing, luge, ice hockey, curling, bobsleigh and skeleton, and biathlon. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 ]
- Kim became the ISU's first non-European president in 2022 and was re-elected as ISU president in June. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Kim was elected to the IOC Executive Board at the 145th IOC Session in February. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- The number of votes cast and whether the WOF presidency was contested. No document gives a vote count or names any other candidate for the post.
- The length and start date of Kim's WOF term. The documents describe the election but do not state the term of office for the WOF post.
- The local Swiss date and time of the WOF meeting in Lausanne. Documents date the announcement to 5 October Korea time and do not give the meeting's local schedule.
- Details of Kim's earlier posts, such as his 2011 start as Korea Skating Union president and his October 2023 election as an IOC member. These details appear in only one document, Dong-A Ilbo.
- Whether the WOF recommended Kim for the IOC Executive Board seat. Only Hankook Ilbo states this; other documents attribute his IOC Executive Board election to the February session without mentioning a WOF recommendation.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap publishes the ISU announcement that Kim Jae-youl was elected WOF president, succeeding Ivo Ferriani at the meeting in Lausanne. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily carries the same ISU statement and Kim's comments. [ 2 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports the election and lists WOF's seven member international federations. [ 3 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo repeats the ISU statement, Kim's quote and his career background. [ 4 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports that Kim, 58, was elected, adding his 2011 Korea Skating Union presidency and his October 2023 IOC membership. [ 5 ]
- Chosun Ilbo's Sports Chosun publishes a further report on the election. [ 6 ]
- Newsis reports the election and adds details of Kim's June re-election as ISU president in Tenerife and ISU's “Vision 2030”. [ 7 ]
- Hankook Ilbo publishes a full report describing WOF's purpose and Kim's expanded roles in international sports bodies. [ 8 ]