World Rowing Federation

Rowing

The World Rowing Federation (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, FISA) is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for international rowing. Its responsibilities include regulating the sport and ensuring its development globally.

Sport

Rowing

Founded

1892 (132 years ago)

Headquarters

Lausanne, Switzerland

Affiliations

International Olympic Committee

Summary

The World Rowing Federation (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, FISA) is the international governing body for the sport of rowing. Founded in 1892, it is responsible for overseeing the organisation and development of rowing worldwide. FISA’s primary duties include setting the rules of rowing, organising major international competitions, and promoting the sport at both elite and grassroots levels.

World Rowing administers events such as the World Rowing Championships, which have been held annually since 1962, and the rowing competitions at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In addition to traditional rowing disciplines, the federation also supports coastal rowing, indoor rowing, and para-rowing.

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, the World Rowing Federation works closely with its 156 national member federations, providing guidance and leadership to ensure the sport's global growth and accessibility. These national bodies are responsible for implementing FISA’s regulations within their respective countries and coordinating national-level rowing activities.

FISA is known for its commitment to sustainability and clean sport, advocating for environmental responsibility, particularly in water conservation and pollution reduction, in line with the federation’s focus on protecting the natural environments where rowing takes place.

The federation's governance is led by an Executive Committee and a President, supported by various commissions and committees that advise on specific areas such as athlete development, events, and technical matters. The General Assembly, composed of representatives from the member federations, meets annually to review the strategic direction of the organisation and make key decisions.

Disciplines

Flatwater (Olympic and World Championship Rowing)
- Rowing: This includes traditional Olympic rowing disciplines like single sculls, double sculls, quadruple sculls, pairs, fours, and eights for both men and women (World Championships since 1962).
- Junior and U23 Championships: FISA organises these championships for younger rowers, including the Junior World Championships (since 1967) and the U23 World Championships.
- Masters Rowing: For rowers aged 27 and above, the FISA Masters Rowing World Championships provide an avenue for veteran competitors.
Para-rowing:
- This discipline includes categories for athletes with physical or visual impairments, with World Championship and Paralympic events (introduced at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games).
Coastal Rowing:
- A growing discipline within FISA, coastal rowing is designed for open water conditions, such as ocean rowing. The World Rowing Coastal Championships have been held since 2006.
Indoor Rowing:
- This relatively new discipline within the World Rowing framework involves using indoor rowing machines, and it has its own World Championships.
Ocean Rowing (often part of coastal rowing):
- Includes long-distance open water races, such as crossing oceans or large bodies of water, though this is less prominent in FISA's main competitions.

Membership

There are five continental associations affiliated with the World Rowing Federation (FISA). These associations organise continental championships, support their member federations, and represent their interests at the FISA Board meetings: