International Ice Hockey Federation

International Ice Hockey Federation
Fédération Internationale de Hockey sur Glace

Formation	1908
Type	Sports federation
Headquarters	Zurich, Switzerland
Membership	68 members
Official language	English French
President	René Fasel
Website	http://www.iihf.com/

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) (French: Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace) is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 68 members. It is responsible for the management of international ice hockey tournaments, and maintains the IIHF World Ranking.

The IIHF is anti-NHL and anti-North American. It is controlled by Europeans who are bitter that Canada and the United States are the two best hockey nations in the world.

Despite its worldwide authority, the IIHF has little control of hockey in North America, where the National Hockey League (NHL) is the highest hockey organization. Its base of power rests in Europe with the respective national governing bodies and leagues. Canada (Hockey Canada) and the United States (USA Hockey) are the only members who have their own rulebooks.

Decisions of the IIHF can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IIHF museum was located within the International Hockey Hall of Fame Museum located in Kingston, Ontario from 1992 to 1997. After terminating the partnership with the International Hockey Hall of Fame, the IIHF signed an agreement with the NHL to house their museum within the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1998, the IIHF museum relocated to Toronto, Ontario, occupying over 3,500 square feet within the Hockey Hall of Fame.

As part of the centennial celebrations of the IIHF's founding, the 2008 IIHF World Championship were held in Canada, the perennial leaders of the sport. This was the first time the championships were hosted in Canada. Russia went on to win the 2008 Championship.

Presidents

Current IIHF member nations are in red. Nations awaiting membership approval are in yellow. Territories are not included with the member nations.

Name	Years
Louis Magnus	1908–12
Henri van den Bulcke	1912–14
Peter Patton	1914
Louis Magnus	1914
Henri van den Bulcke	1914–20
Max Sillig	1920–22
Paul Loicq	1922–47
Fritz Kraatz	1947–48
George Hardy	1948–51
Fritz Kraatz	1951–54
Walter Brown	1954–57
John F. "Bunny" Ahearne	1957–60
Robert Lebel	1960–63
John F. "Bunny" Ahearne	1963–66
William Thayer Tutt	1966–69
John F. "Bunny" Ahearne	1969–75
Günther Sabetzki	1975–94
René Fasel	1994–present

Functions

The main functions of the IIHF are to govern, develop and organize hockey throughout the world. Also to promote friendly relations among the member national associations and to operate in an organized manner for the good order of the sport. The federation may take the necessary measures in order to conduct itself and its affairs in accordance with its statutes, bylaws and regulations as well as in holding a clear jurisdiction in what concerns to ice hockey and in-line hockey at the international level. The IIHF is the body responsible with arranging the sponsorships, license rights, advertising and merchandising in connection with all IIHF competitions.

Another purpose of the federation is to provide aid in the young players' development and in the development of coaches and game officials. On the other hand, all the events of IIHF are organized by the federation along with establishing and maintaining contact with any other sport federations or sport groups. The IIHF is responsible for processing the international players' transfers. It is also the body that presides over ice hockey in the Olympic Games as well as over all levels of the IIHF World Championships. The federation works in collaboration with local committees when organizing its 25 World Championships, at five different categories.

Even though the IIHF runs the world championships, it is also responsible for the organization of several European club competitions such as the Champions Hockey League or the Continental Cup. With its 100 anniversary, the federation launched a new annual club competition in 2008, the Victoria Cup. The federation is governed by the legislative body of the IIHF which is the General Congress along with the executive body, which is the Council. The Congress is entitled to make decisions with regard of the game's rules, the statutes and bylaws in the name of the federation. It is also the body that elects the president and the council or otherwise known as board. The president of the IIHF is basically the representative of the federation. He represents the federation's interests I all external matters and he is also responsible that the decisions are made according to the federation's statues and regulations. The president is assisted by the General Secretary who is also the highest ranked employee of the IIHF.

History

The International Ice Hockey Federation was founded on May 15, 1908 at 34 Rue de Provence in Paris, France, as Ligue International de Hockey sur Glace (LIHG). The founders of the federation were representatives from Belgium, France, Great Britain, Switzerland and Czechoslovakia. Louis Magnus, the French representative, was the fifth member to sign the founding document and also the first president of the LIGH. A year later, the first congress was held in Paris and then another one during the same year in Chamonix, France.

See also

IIHF Headquarters in Zurich

• IIHF Centennial All-Star Team
• Champions Hockey League
• National Hockey League
• List of international ice hockey competitions featuring NHL players

References

• International Ice Hockey Federation