GENEVA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) announced Monday that it would move its global headquarters to Lausanne, Switzerland, at the XXVII IAFA Congress in the Olympic capital.
The move "marks a major milestone for the sport of American Football, which reinforces its long-term commitment to the Olympic Movement", read an IFAF statement.
The IFAF, the international governing body for American football, was officially founded in Paris in 1998. It is also the governing body of flag football, which will make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
IFAF President Pierre Trochet said: "This vote is a clear statement that IFAF - and our global American football family - believes its future belongs at the heart of the Olympic Movement. Relocating our headquarters to Lausanne and the Maison du Sport International marks an important milestone for our sport and strengthens the foundations we are building ahead of LA28 and beyond."
In addition to the headquarters relocation, the IFAF Congress approved new gender-equality initiatives in IFAF Statutes, and changes to membership criteria, removing the requirement for full members of IFAF to operate both tackle and flag football programs. ■
