IKF Open Call – Olympic Format Taskforce

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The International Korfball Federation is looking for new members for the new IKF Olympic Format Taskforce.

The Olympic Format taskforce is aimed at helping IKF to determine which of the new Korfball formats, with a smaller number of players compared to traditional Korfball8, has the largest chance of broad appeal among athletes, fans, National and Regional Federations, and sponsors with the ultimate goal of appealing to the IOC for possible inclusion in the Olympic program. The objectives of this taskforce are to analyse the various small Korfball formats like Beach4, Urban4, Indoor4 (mono post /2 post) in a methodical way via pre-agreed criteria) to reach a well-balanced decision on which format to recommend to IKF in becoming IKF’s poster child for its Olympic ambitions.

The IKF encourages anyone interested and capable to apply. If you or anyone you know would fit the description, please don’t hesitate to apply and refer the position to them. For more details of the IKF organisational structure, please see the IKF Organisation Chart. All positions are volunteer (unpaid) positions. Initial appointments are for a two-year period, with the possibility to have this extended.

The positions are:

Olympic Format Taskforce Member – Commercial, Sponsor & Media Appeal and Fan Engagement

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 8 March 2022

 

Olympic Format Taskforce Member – Project Manager

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 8 March 2022

 

Olympic Format Taskforce Member – Competition Format, Rules, Athletes and Scaling

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 8 March 2022

 

IKF World Ranking updated

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The new IKF World Ranking has been updated, you can find it here: www.korfball.sport/ranking

 

The ranking knows little changes in comparison with the World Ranking of last year. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ranking criteria for the cycle 2020/2023 have been adjusted by the IKF Council. This following the altered competition calendar and inequity of number of continental IKF events in the regular 4-year cycle. In the last two years it has only been possible to organise events in Europe.

 

The adjustments in the ranking criteria ensure that all European events will have an impact in the world ranking but at the same time European countries will not have an advantage compared with countries from other continents.

 

To ensure the above the two European Korfball Championships in 2021 (including the EKC Round 1 in Ukraine 2019) and the European World Korfball Championship Qualifiers in 2022 will be combined as one to obtain points for the world ranking. The overall classification will be the result from the average of the classifications in both European events and will be included in the world ranking points of 2022.

 

The five European countries participating in The World Games already qualified for the World Championship with their result at the IKF European Korfball Championship in Antwerp. Therefore, they will not participate in the EU WKC Qualifiers in 2022 and consequently earn their ranking points directly from the EKC A 2021 classification.

Gabi Kool joins IKF Executive Committee, soon to take over leadership

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The Council of the International Korfball Federation has appointed Mr Gabi Kool as a Member of the IKF Executive Committee with immediate effect. As per January 22 2022, Mr Kool has been appointed as Executive Vice President of the IKF. In this new role, he will be responsible for the committees of Digital & Marketing, Olympic Format and be leading the IKF strategy with immediate effect. Mr Kool will take over the position of chair of the IKF Executive Committee as of June 1 2022. President Jan Fransoo will remain President of the Council of the IKF until the completion of his current term in 2023, which he has announced will be his last. As of June 1 2022, he will step down from the Executive Committee.

Mr Kool, a native of the Netherlands and residing in Switzerland, has been an elite korfball athlete in the 1990s, before starting a highly successful professional career as entrepreneur and business leader in the loyalty marketing industry and he is currently leading the commercial organization of one of the world’s leading marketing services firms headquartered in Switzerland. He has lived in multiple locations across Europe and Asia, and has been named the loyalty marketing personality of the year. He brings extensive commercial, digital marketing and fan engagement experience to the IKF, that will help the world’s leading mixed-gender team sport to further develop its global and commercial potential.

Gabi Kool: ”It is my great pleasure to join the Executive Committee and support the IKF’s global ambition to grow our sport across the world and connect the korfball community of athletes, fans, national federations, sponsors and organizing committees via the latest digital strategies and solutions. Building on our heritage and great work done under Jan’s leadership over the past decades, developing new and exciting formats with appeal to also the younger generation and the Olympic movement, I am looking forward to contribute to such goals and help lead the IKF in this journey.

Jan Fransoo: “The IKF is extremely fortunate to have been able to secure the leadership, experience of Gabi to lead the global korfball community towards its next phase of development. Combined with his passion for our sport, and his ability to connect personally to our member federation, large and small alike, he is the best possible leader to help realize our ambitions.”

The Royal Netherlands Korfball Association, with the support of multiple other member associations, has announced its intention to formally nominate Mr Kool as candidate for the IKF Presidency as per the next General Meeting of the IKF, which is due to be held in October 2023 in Taipei during the IKF World Korfball Championship.

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Photo: Gertrude de Vries | korfbalfoto.nl

IKF launches Korfball Champions League in Europe

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The Executive Committee of the IKF has decided to launch a new competition format for the club competitions in Europe. The format entails a series of events eventually culminating in a Final 4 event for the four strongest European clubs, and Challenger and Satellite Finals for lower-ranked clubs.

In the initial setup, two clubs can take part from the strongest 7 national leagues in Europe (Belgium, Catalonia, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Netherlands, and Portugal), and 1 club from the other national leagues in Europe. Eventual quota for participation are determined based on a coefficient system that the IKF will present later this Spring.

The new competition will be branded as the IKF Europe Korfball Champions League (KCL). It is the joint successor of the IKF Europa Cup and the IKF Europa Shield. The IKF Europa Cup has existed for almost 60 years and was open to the champions of all European leagues. The IKF Europa Shield, that has existed for about 20 years was open to the vice-champions of a selected set of European leagues.

The new format will allow for more matches between clubs of similar strength, doing justice to the growing club competitions in Europe. The KCL will consist of three successive qualification rounds, with stronger clubs entering in later phases of the competition, and three Final4 competitions: The Korfball Champions League Finals, The KCL Challenger Finals, and the KCL Satellite Finals.

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The Exco believes this will offer more playing opportunities for club teams across Europe at similar levels of strength. Another feature of the concept is that all rounds of the competition will be played in a weekend format. Events with 8 teams will play shorter matches similar to the current Europa Shield format, while the events with four teams will play two full length matches per team (semifinal and final) in a weekend.

The various IKF Committees and Working Groups are currently working out details for the setup, and the event will launch in the Fall of 2022, with the first KCL Round 1 competitions being played. The first KCL finals will be played in the Spring of 2023.

Images: Marco Spelten | korfbalfoto.nl

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The Art of Korfball Coaching by Ben Crum

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The IKF is happy to present the product the Erasmus+ 2021 project initiated and coordinated by the KNKV. The book ‘The Art of Korfball Coaching’ is written for korfball coaches on level 3 and 4, who are interested in korfball coaching theory. The extensive framework addresses various topics, such as performance behaviour, korfball theory, and coaching practice. Furthermore, the book includes a lot of videos to bring theory and practice together. The book was produced in collaboration with Marmara University (Turkey), Czech Korfball Association, and Deutscher Turnerbund e.V. (Germany).

The book will be used by the IKF to further develop the IKF Coach Courses Level 3 and Level 4, and it will be made available on the Korfball Academy. The book is free to read and use for anyone who is interested in korfball coaching, and can freely be shared.

The book is available HERE.

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IKF Open Call – Committee Vacancies

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The International Korfball Federation is looking for new members for multiple IKF Committees. The IKF aims to spread korfball around the globe and help its 69 member countries to develop korfball on both an elite- and grassroots level. All committees actively work towards this goal, and some of the committees are now offering exciting positions for korfball enthusiasts.

The IKF encourages anyone interested and capable to apply. If you know someone in your network that would fit the description, please don’t hesitate to refer the position to them. For more details of the IKF organisational structure, please see the IKF Organisation Chart. All positions are volunteer (unpaid) positions; initial appointments are for a two-year period, with the possibility to have this extended.

The positions are:

IKF Medical Committee – Nutritionist

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 8 January 2022

 

 

IKF Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee – Physician

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 8 January

 

 

IKF Referee Assessor

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 15 January 2022

 

 

IKF Referee education content creator

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 15 January 2022

 

 

IKF Referee Instructor

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 15 January 2022

 

 

IKF Referee Scout – Analyst

More information here

Application form here

Application deadline: 15 January

 

 

 

IKF Season’s Greetings 2022

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The IKF EXCO wishes everybody a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year.

 

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IKF Team visits Birmingham for on-site preparations for TWG 2022

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An IKF Team with CEO Tilbert La Haye and TWG2022 Korfball Competition Manager Gert Dijkstra this week visited Birmingham (USA) to attend the Competition Managers Meeting. At the meeting, the International World Games Association and the Birmingham Organizing Committee shared many details regarding the preparations, such as what looks to be fabulous opening and closing ceremonies, a sports garden where the local community can enjoy the spirit of the Games, and the progress on international and domestic broadcasting contracts. All delegates made a visit to the University of Alabama’s Birmingham Campus, where korfball athletes and officials will be housed in the university’s dorms, and where all meals will be provided.

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The team conducted an inspection visit of the venue, the BJCC East Exhibition Hall, where an intimate arena will be constructed for the floorball and korfball competitions. Many details were discussed, such as the construction of subfloor and floor, lighting, camera positions, spectator stands, athlete and spectator routings. Ample space and rooms are available for teams and officials to meet and change at the facility, while showers will be available at the university dorms.

Over the next six months, the IKF’s team for The World Games 2022 will gradually be expanded to a full event team including match officials, media officers, and other technical and management positions.

 

Updates IKF Events 2022

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The developments of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to influence the IKF Competition Calendar. All updates about the IKF events of 2022 can be found on this page, which will be updated regularly.

IKF Europa Cup Final Round – Cancelled

UPDATE 16/03/2022 – The IKF EXCO has decided to cancel the IKF Europa Cup 2022. In January, the IKF EXCO decided to look for alternative dates for the IKF Europa Cup, due to the corona developments at that time. An alternative date was found, but it was not possible to organise the event on those dates at the original location. Despite the best efforts of the participants and the IKF to find an alternative host, we have not been able to secure enough teams for a viable event.

IKF Europa Shield 2022 (28-30 January, Czech Republic) – Cancelled

UPDATE 04/01/2022 – The IKF, in close collaboration with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the participants of the IKF Europa Shield, has taken the painful decision to cancel the event. The current Covid-19 situation in Europe with the increasing number of positive cases and the uncertainty about the effects of the new omicron variant on possible extra (travel) restrictions has been the key of this decision.

The IKF would like to thank the Czech Korfball Association for their willingness to take on the organisation in these uncertain times, and for their constant flexibility to adjust to changing circumstances.

 

IKF Europa Cup First Round (7-9 January, Poland) – Cancelled

UPDATE 03/12/2021 – The IKF, in close collaboration with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the participants of the IKF Europa Cup First Round, has taken the painful decision to cancel the event. The current Covid-19 situation in Europe with the increasing number of positive cases and the uncertainty about the effects of the new omicron variant on possible extra (travel) restrictions has been the key of this decision. The IKF will now appoint the final participant of the IKF Europa Cup Final Round based on the IKF Europa Cup results over the last 5 years.

The IKF would like to thank the Polish Korfball Federation and specially the LOC for all their efforts to prepare the hosting of this event.

IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifiers 2022

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Invitations for the IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifiers 2022 have been sent to all IKF EU Members, with exception of Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal, who are already qualified for the IKF World Korfball Championship 2023.

The two IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifiers come instead of the original planned IKF European Korfball Championship and offers the European senior teams to qualify for the IKF World Korfball Championship 2023 in Chinese Taipei. Depending on the number of countries participating in the IKF EU WKC Qualifiers and the final call of the IKF Council regarding the number of participating teams for the IKF WKC 2023, the total number of qualification spots will be decided. Most likely there will be either six (three per Qualifier) or four (two per Qualifier) WKC spots to play for.

The two events will be hosted Czech Korfball Association and Developing Sport Federation of Turkey. The IKF EU WKC Qualifier -A will be held from 17 October till 22 October in Czech Republic, host city to be confirmed. The IKF EU WKC Qualifier – B will be held from 31 October till 5 November in Antalya, Turkey.