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On 2 October, the World Rowing Federation (FISA) held its 2017 Ordinary Congress after the conclusion of the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota- Bradenton, Florida (USA). Following a long consultation process with all stakeholders, the FISA Congress voted to change Rule 36, thus achieving gender equality across the world championship programme for senior, para-rowing, under-23 and junior events. The Congress also unanimously re-elected President Jean-Christophe Rolland (FRA), an IOC Member, while former world champion Lenka Dienstbach-Wech (GER) was re-elected as chair of FISA’s Athletes Commission. In addition, two new national member associations – Cambodia and Guinea – were welcomed into FISA. The hosts of future major events were also decided, with Bled (Slovenia) and Shanghai (China) awarded the 2020 and 2021 world championships. FISA CONGRESS VOTES FOR GENDER EQUALITY ACROSS ALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS Below FISA voted for gender equality across the world championship programme On 11-14 October, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) hosted the 20th ITF Worldwide Coaches Conference in Sofia (Bulgaria), with more than 600 people from 91 countries in attendance. The event, which is the showpiece of the ITF’s Coach Education Programme, saw a range of panel discussions and workshops centred on the theme, “Journey of the Player”. “Tennis development is at the heart of our ITF 2024 strategy, and the tennis coach continues to play a vital role in the growth of our sport throughout the world,” said ITF President David Haggerty, who was joined by high-profile speakers including France’s two-time Grand Slam champion Mary Pierce. The Foundation for Global Sports Development provided the World Curling Federation (WCF) with a boost ahead of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, by investing USD 50,000 in the WCF’s Olympic Celebration Tour. The two organisations have worked together to deliver the initiative – which sees Olympic medallists travel to developing member associations and curling clubs to help generate interest in the sport – since 2013. To kick off the 2017-18 tour, Canada’s Kaitlyn Lawes, who won gold at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014, visited Ardsley Curling Club in New York (USA). She has previously travelled to Estonia and Mexico as part of the programme. Activities on the tour have ranged from appearances on national television to teaching schoolchildren the basics of curling and mentoring elite international curlers. ITF STAGES WORLDWIDE COACHES CONFERENCE OLYMPIC CELEBRATION TOUR PROMOTES CURLING Above Kaitlyn Lawes (centre) won Olympic gold in Sochi Left Grand Slam winner Mary Pierce (far left) took part in the ITF Worldwide Coaches Conference 20 OLYMPIC REVIEW