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Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau distinction for Jan Fransoo

On Monday (18 November 2024) Honorary Life President of the International Korfball Federation, and Executive Committee Member of the International World Games Association, Jan Fransoo, was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau. The order is awarded on behalf of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands to individuals who have performed acts of special merit for society. 

The International Korfball Federation (IKF) and the Royal Dutch Korfball Federation (KNKV) jointly nominated Jan for this prestigious award. 

The award ceremony took place at the home of the Dutch Olympic Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) in Papendal in the Netherlands. Jan was delivering a presentation to the General Members’ Meeting of NOC*NSF about The World Games, immediately after Jan’s presentation finished, he was surprised by Mayor Jack Mikkers of the city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch who gave a speech and presented Jan with the order. 

The IWGA said: “This recognition highlights Fransoo’s outstanding contributions to the sport, both in the Netherlands and on a global scale.”  

During the presentation IKF President Gabi Kool said: “Today we honor not only your accomplishments, but also your character, your dedication and the indelible legacy you leave behind. Congratulations, Jan. You truly have been korfball’s best teammate, and the best is yet to come. Ladies and gentlemen, let us celebrate together a life’s work that has touched so many and will continue to inspire generations. Jan, thank you for everything.” 

Jan served on the International Korfball Federation (IKF) board from 1995 to 2023, chairing the organization from 2003 to 2023. During his tenure, the IKF experienced significant growth, with the number of affiliated national associations rising from 33 to 72. 

Under his leadership, the international competition calendar expanded significantly, offering a diverse range of competitions to suit different levels of play. Notably, Jan championed the development of beach korfball, culminating in the inaugural European Championship in 2017. He also established the IKF Korfball Champions League, elevating club competition to a new level. 

To foster the growth of national korfball associations, Jan implemented and funded IKF Development and Education Grants. In 2021, he played a pivotal role in formulating the Olympic Pledge, a framework that empowers national korfball associations to set clear development goals aligned with Olympic aspirations. This initiative, signed by 51 national korfball associations, has further propelled the sport’s global reach. 

The entire korfball community extends its heartfelt congratulations to Jan Fransoo on receiving this prestigious honor. Jan’s tireless dedication and visionary leadership have significantly shaped the global landscape of korfball. We are truly grateful for his invaluable contributions to the sport. 

Photos: Anne van Vegchel 

Netherlands win gold at The World Games 2022

The Netherlands have today (Sunday, Jul 17, 2022) won an tenth consecutive World Games korfball gold medal following victory in today’s final against Belgium in Birmingham, USA.

It was October 2021 during the final of the IKF European Korfball Championship when Netherlands and Belgium last met. The European championship final was spectacular, ending with a narrow victory for Netherlands by four goals [17-21].

Eight months later and the teams meet again in the final of The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA. The korfball arena was SOLD OUT for the korfball final at the BJCC East Exhibition Hall – the korfball arena for The World Games creating an electric atmosphere. There wasn’t a spare seat in the house.

Final score [23-12].  Belgium’s Kian AMORGASTE top scored in the game with 5 goals.

Saying goodbye to the world stage  and playing in their last international korfball match is Barbara BROUWER (NED), Julie CALUWE (BEL), Brent STRUYF (BEL) and Jari HARDIES (BEL).

In the end it was a comfortable win for Netherlands. The result means that the Netherlands have now won an eleventh consecutive World Games korfball gold medal. 

Medal Ceremony

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Jan Fransoo, International Korfball Federation President and Anna Arzhanaova, International World Games Association (IWGA) Executive Committee presents the Gold medals and gifts to Team Netherlands.

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Joana Faria, International Korfball Federation Secretary General and Nick Sellers, CEO of the Birmingham Organizing Committee for The World Games 2022 presents the Silver medals and gifts to Team Belgium.

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Gabi Kool, International Korfball Federation Executive Vice President and Jay Karsten, COO of the Birmingham Organizing Committee for The World Games 2022 presents the Bronze medals and gifts to Team Chinese Taipei

Photo: Marco Spelten – actiefotografie.nl

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Final Ranking – Korfball at The World Games 2022

1st Place – Netherlands
2nd Place – Belgium
3rd Place – Chinese Taipei
4th Place – Germany
5th Place – China
6th Place – Suriname
7th Place – Czech Republic & Portugal

IKF YouTube live streaming playlist:

*Click on the top-right icon ≣ to view all games scheduled

Missed the match? Watch it back here

For the latest information from The World Games search online using the hashtags #WeAreTheWorldGames, #TWG2022 and #Korfball.

Follow us on social media

We invite you to follow this korfball event 24/7 on IKF social media channels with the best moments, images, videos, highlights and latest information. Feel free to share your moments with us tagging the IKF on your posts and stories!

facebook.com/korfball.org
twitter.com/korfball
instagram.com/korfball_org
tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

IWGA Honorary President attends Korfball at The World Games 2022

We are delighted to welcome Ron Froehlich (USA) Honorary Life President of the International World Games Association (IWGA) into the arena to watch the match between China and Germany on the third day of the korfball competition at The World Games 2022.

Ron Froehlich was IWGA President from 1992 to 2014. Since then, he has been serving as Honorary Life President.

Ron Froehlich gets hands-on with a korfball ball with Gabi Kool, Executive Vice President of the IKF

Ron Froehlich (L) and  Gabi Kool (R)

Ron Froehlich gets hands-on with a korfball ball with Gabi Kool, Executive Vice President of the IKF.

IOC President Thomas Bach enjoys Korfball at The World Games

Today the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach attended the opening match of the Korfball competition between Belgium and Germany at The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

The match was won by Belgium who beat Germany with a scoreline of 26-9.

While today is the first time that Thomas Bach has watched a top level international korfball match, it is not Mr Bach’s first playing korfball! 

At the #OlympicWeek in Lausanne, Switzerland the IOC President took part in a korfball demonstration match with athletes and young people.

Promoting gender equality, both on and off the field of play is a priority for the IOC, who have taken increasing actions in recent years to advance gender equality throughout the whole Olympic movement.

During the 2017 edition of The World Games held in Wrocław, Poland the IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell also took up the opportunity to watch the World’s only mixed-gender team ball sport played at the highest level.

In addition to Thomas Bach, IOC President we today also welcomed Nick Sellers, CEO World Games 2022, Randall Woodfin, Mayor of Birmingham, Jonathan Porter, Chair of Birmingham Organising Committee, Irina Gladkikh, IOC Associate Director, Winter Sports and Recognised Sports

We are delighted with the continued focus and support from the IOC and International World Games Association (IWGA) to korfball. Did you know every edition of The World Games, the IOC Sports Director and/or the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director have attended the korfball competition!

While President of the Belgian Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, previous IOC President attended the IKF World Korfball Championship in 1991. A year that is famous when Belgium won Gold for the first time in their history. 

Thomas Bach, IOC President

Mr Thomas Bach, IOC President with players and IKF officials at the World Games 2022 | Photo: Marco Spelten

Mr Thomas Bach with a korfball ball

World Games 2022

The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association and organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee. 

The Korfball competition at The World Games 2022 takes place between Wednesday, July 13 to Sunday, July 17 at the  Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. 

Eight teams qualified for the The World Games; Belgium, China, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and Suriname.

For the latest information from The World Games search online using the hashtags #WeAreTheWorldGames #TWG2022 #Korfball.

Follow us on social media

We invite you to follow this korfball event 24/7 on IKF social media channels with the best moments, images, videos, highlights and latest information. Feel free to share your moments with us tagging the IKF on your posts and stories!

facebook.com/korfball.org

twitter.com/korfball

instagram.com/korfball_org

tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

Where to watch The World Games 2022

The excitement is building ahead of the opening day of the korfball competition. National teams and IKF officials are already in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, to participate from 13 to 17 July 2022 at the The World Games 2022, a huge multi-sport event with more than 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and over 100 countries. 

The World Games started with an amazing opening ceremony at the impressive Protective Stadium on Thursday evening (July 7th), and the spirit of the Olympics is again all around the athletes village. For korfball players The World Games are a unique and unforgettable experience. 

Watch Live – Don’t miss any of the action

All the korfball matches at The World Games will be available to watch for free on the IKF live streaming service available on www.worldkorfball.sport and the IKF YouTube channel

Matches on the final day are also available on The World Games website or on the Olympic Channel.

 

 

For the latest information from The World Games search online using the hashtags #WeAreTheWorldGames#TWG2022 and #Korfball.

Match Schedule

You can follow the scores and match information Live through IKF World Korfball data website. The full fixture list is also available here.

The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association and organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee.

twg2022_match_schedule_korfball_ikf_revided_4july

Follow us on social media

We invite you to follow this korfball event 24/7 on IKF social media channels with the best moments, images, videos, highlights and latest information. Feel free to share your moments with us tagging the IKF on your posts and stories!

► facebook.com/korfball.org
► twitter.com/korfball
► instagram.com/korfball_org
► tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

 

The World Games 2022: Match schedule published (updated)

The match schedule for the upcoming The World Games 2022 has been published. This World Games will be held from 13-17 July in Birmingham, Alabama (United States). More information about the event can be found at the event information page.

The korfball event will kick-off with a clash in Pool B between Belgium and Germany, the numbers two and three of the last European Korfball Championship in 2021. Via an intense five days of competition, the final of the event is planned for Sunday 17 July. Right after the medal ceremony of the korfball event the overall closing ceremony of The World Games will take place at the impressive Protective Stadium.

*UPDATE: On July 4, all morning times were updated. Here you have the final match schedule with the correct times.

twg2022_match_schedule_korfball_ikf_revided_4july

The pool draw of the event was webcasted live last February 26th. The draw split the eight teams participating in the event into two pools of four teams each, as can be seen in the overall tournament schedule as presented above.

 

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Korfball on the 2021 World Games program

The sports program of the 2021 World Games edition has been published today – 16 April 2018 – and korfball is on the program again.

Korfball has been a World Games program sport on every edition since 1985.

The 2021 World Games will take place from 15 – 25 July 2021 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

The full program: World Games 2021 sports program

IKF President Fransoo elected in the board of The World Games

Today, 16 April 2018, IKF President, Dr Jan Fransoo, has been elected in the Executive Committee of the International World Games Federation (IWGA).

The board elections took place during the Annual General Meeting of the IWGA in Bangkok, Thailand. All 37 IWGA Member Federations were present in the General Meeting

Mr José Perurena was re-elected as IWGA President.

The korfball community congratulates Jan Fransoo with this election as IWGA Board member.

IOC Recognizes Importance of The World Games

LAUSANNE (19/4/2016) The International World Games Association (IWGA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed on a new Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday. IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach and President José Perurena of the IWGA signed this important agreement about mutual support during the SportAccord Convention in Lausanne. This document supersedes the previous Memorandum of Understanding dated 27 October 2000.

The MoU underlines the closer cooperation between the IOC and the IWGA which was set out in Recommendation 6.1 of Olympic Agenda 2020. This states “…the IOC and the International World Games Association (IWGA) to closely cooperate regarding the sports programme composition and their respective evaluations.” The new agreement confirms that “the IOC recognises the importance of The World Games as a multi-sport event and the IWGA is committed to develop its activities in the Olympic spirit and in conformity with the Olympic Charter.”

The MoU explains the principles of how this overall cooperation can be further developed. One of these principles is that the IWGA accepts that only events that are not on the programme of the Olympic Games can be included in the programme of The World Games (TWG). The IWGA shall also ensure that only sports whose International Federations are recognised by the IOC or are already members of the IWGA will be included in the official sports programme of TWG.
The IOC agrees to grant patronage to Organising Committees of The World Games and to provide technical assistance. This means for example that the IOC and the IWGA shall explore possibilities of closer cooperation on their respective communication, promotion and marketing programmes. Furthermore, the IOC will provide its expertise and help to promote IWGA’s activities within the Olympic Movement and encourages the NOCs to support and assist their national multi-sport delegations taking part in TWG.

Part of the agreement signed on Tuesday is the assurance: “The IWGA shall continue to develop a close working relationship with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to facilitate education and testing programs, and doping controls conducted at The World Games according to the World Anti-Doping Code.”

IWGA President José Perurena said after the signing ceremony: “This Memorandum of Understanding tremendously enhances the status of The World Games. Working in cooperation with the IOC is essential for us to raise the level of competition and organization of our Games. I want to thank IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach for his enormous support and for working with on this document. It proves that we are a real part of the Olympic movement and a member of the Olympic family.”

Mady Tims IWGA athlete of the month

Today the International World Games Association published the announcement:

Congratulations to Mady Tims, IWGA Athlete of the Month for April 2015. The Korfball player (38) from the Netherlands gave her farewell at the Dutch Korfball League Finale on 11 April. More than 10,000 spectators at the sold-out Ahoy arena in Rotterdam experienced the touching goodbye.  She left the court right after her PKC/SWK Groep teammate, Johannis Schott, scored four seconds before the end the winning point.

With a huge cheer from her fans, white tulips from her teammates, and tears in her eyes, it was a moment to be cherished. Her club, PKC, won the final match against TOP by a score of 22 to 21. Mady Tims left the court as a champion. She helped to make it happen by scoring a point  in the final. It was the 500th korf in her career as a player for PKC.

The English commentator of the match described her as the “most fantastic player in the world of Korfball”. Jan Fransoo, President of the International Korfball Federation, called her, “a korfball icon”. She said after the match and her emotional farewell, “Korfball is my passion”. She added, “There are so many great moments I can look back to.”

Indeed, “Lady” (her nickname) Tims is a three-time European Champion, and three-time World Champion with the national team of the Netherland. The Dutch team, with her help, won the TWG 2005 Gold Medal in Duisburg, Germany.

“Winning the title with PKC made my last match so special”, she said after the match in Rotterdam in April. That’s the way she likes to step down. In 2011 when she retired from the Dutch national team, it was the final of the World Korfball Championship in China. The title match against the archrival Belgium was her final international competition. She scored three times for her team, which won 32:26. 
Watch her last match and the emotional moment of her substitution four seconds before the end of the final on The World Games Channel.

Learn more about Korfball on The World Games Channel.

The full article plus photos follow the link: Link to the article on Mady Tims

Photo credits: http://www.actiefotografie.nl/