The 36th IWUF Executive Board Meeting
Shanghai, China
On October 18, 2019, the 36th International Wushu Federation Executive Board meeting was successfully held in Shanghai, China. This meeting identified the venues for several official events of the IWUF in the next four years, while at the same time setting clear new goals in marketing development and event operations.
The meeting was chaired by President Yu Zaiqing, who said that as a leader in the development of global wushu, IWUF has made continuous progress in membership development, anti-doping, procedures, promotion and marketing development over the past decade. He also raised the topic of the opportunities and challenges of wushu development and wushu entering the Olympics. At the meeting, the Secretary General of the International Wushu Federation, Zhang Qiuping, and the Acting Treasurer, Mr. Ang Mong Seng, respectively made work reports on the positive achievements of the IWUF and the improved financial status of the federation. IWUF 2019-2020 host organizers also made reports on preparations for events.
In addition, the Executive Board listened to the rounds of bidding statements and voted to determine the locations for the 2020-2024 events. Melbourne, Australia won the right to host the 10th Sanda World Cup in 2020. In China, Emeishan won the right to host the next two (2021, 2023) World Kungfu Championships. Singapore won the right to host the 5th World Taijiquan Championships in 2022. Canada’s Thunder Bay won the right to host the 6th World Taijiquan Championships in 2024, and Surabaya, Indonesia won the right to host the 9th World Junior Wushu Championships in 2022. The International Wushu Federation will work in cooperation with the well-known Chinese fighting brand Kunlun Fight on the Sanda World Cup next year, as it develops a more sophisticated marketing of sanda.
The Executive Board voted to accept Samoa, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, American Samoa, Vanuatu and Niger as provisional members. New developments in marketing were also discussed. Hongxing Dairy became a global partner of the International Wushu Federation, and Anta Sports became a global sponsor. The Executive Board unanimously adopted the “IWUF VI Guidelines,” which provide normative guidance for the identification and promotion of the IWUF brand.
The 15th IWUF Congress
Shanghai, China
On the afternoon of October 19, 2019, the International Wushu Federation held its 15th Congress in Shanghai. A total of 170 representatives from 83 countries and regions attended the meeting. The congress elected a new president and members of the Executive Board. The Director of the State General Administration of Sports and President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Gou Zhongwen, was elected as the new President of the International Wushu Federation.
After the election, Gou Zhongwen expressed his gratitude to all the delegates for their support and trust. He said that he will further promote the Olympic spirit and the development of wushu in the world. He will work to actively promote popular wushu and attract more young people and those from all walks of life, in order to raise levels of participation in wushu and advocate a positive lifestyle of fitness. He stressed that the IWUF must always firmly promote the goal and vision of wushu to enter the Olympic Games, improve the competition system, and make the sport more in line with the requirements of the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games. He noted that the Federation must raise the level of international development, constantly improve wushu organizations at all levels, strengthen the management of technical officials, popularize anti-doping promotion and education, and have wushu enter more international or intercontinental multisport games.
Deputy secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Mayor Ying Yong attended the meeting and delivered a speech. He said that wushu is a treasure of China’s traditional culture. It has a deep relationship with Shanghai and has a broad base in Shanghai. We should strive to show our passion for life in all areas, be it wushu, sports, or urban development. Shanghai will continue to vigorously support the development of sports, and promote the wider development of wushu.
The President of the International Wushu Federation, Yu Zaiqing, it was noted, will step down after the end of the Shanghai World Wushu Championships and will be awarded the title of Honorary President of the International Wushu Federation by the Congress. In his speech, Yu Zaiqing recalled the accomplishments of his work since he was elected President of the International Wushu Federation in 2003. With the strong support and solidarity of members of various countries and regions, the number of members of the International Wushu Federation has increased from 86 to 155. The International Wushu Federation established headquarters in Lausanne in 2012, the Olympic capital in Switzerland. Wushu was listed as a candidate for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games twice in 2011 and 2015 respectively. Under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, the International Wushu Federation successfully held the “Beijing 2008 Wushu Tournament” during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the “Nanjing 2014 Youth Wushu Tournament” during the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Wushu was accepted in the World Games, World Combat Games, World University Games, African Youth Games and many other competitions. IWUF actively promotes anti-doping work and has established assistance programs to promote the development of wushu internationally. The IWUF established World Wushu-Kungfu Day, expanded its media, marketing, and live broadcasts. It also worked diligently to promote global sponsorship programs and the continuous expansion of funding sources.
The Congress listened to Secretary General Zhang Qiuping’s work report for 2017-2019, the financial report of the acting treasurer Ang Mong Seng, and Luo Wenhua, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau, on the preparations for the 15th World Wushu Championships in 2019.
Nominated by the IWUF, the General Assembly voted to elect Executive Board members for 2019-2023:
President: Zhongwen GOU (CHN)
Vice Presidents:
Anthony GOH (USA)
Chun Wan FOK (HKG)
Gleb MUZRUKOV (RUS)
Sherif MOSTAFA (EGY)
Walt MISSINGHAM (AUS)
Secretary General: Qiuping ZHANG (CHN)
Treasurer: Ang Mong SENG (SGP)
Members:
Sunny TANG (CAN)
Henk VERSCHUUR (NED)
Petru GRINDEANU (ROU)
Paulo ARAUJO (POR)
Changbum PARK (KOR)
Kim Fatt CHONG (MAS)
Mahdi ALINEJAD (IRI)
Julian CAMACHO (PHI)
Athlete representative:
(to be determined)
Dallas, Texas, USA was the only candidate city bidding to host the 2021 World Wushu Championships. After the bidding session, it was approved by the Congress to award the right to host the 2021 World Wushu Championships to the USA.
The meeting also confirmed the locations and times of the official IWUF official events from 2020 to 2024, including:
The 8th World Junior Wushu Championships will be held in Rabat, Morocco in 2020.
The 4th World Taijiquan Championships will be held in Catania, Italy in 2020.
The 3rd Taolu World Cup will be held in Tokyo, Japan in 2020.
The 10th Sanda World Cup will be held in Melbourne, Australia in 2020.
The 9th and 10th World Kungfu Championships will be held in Emeishan, China in 2021 and 2023 respectively.
The 9th World Junior Wushu Championships will be held in Surabaya, Indonesia in 2022.
The 5th World Taijiquan Championships will be held in Singapore in 2022.
The 6th World Taijiquan Championships will be held in 2024 in Thunder Bay, Canada.
The Congress unanimously adopted the resolutions to accept Niger, Samoa, American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu as full members of the International Wushu Federation, and confirmed the French, Romanian, Algerian and Moroccan federations as well. Up to present, the total number of IWUF member countries (regions) has increased to 155.
Finally, the Congress awarded Tian Suhui (China) as the Honorary Vice President of the International Wushu Federation, Huang Zhaoqiang (China), Kee Yong Wee (Malaysia), Supandi Kusuma (Indonesia) and Yutaka Okazaki (Japan) as Honorary Members of the International Wushu Federation in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the international development of wushu.
