Latest news with #InternationalFederationofAmericanFootball
eNCA
3 days ago
- Sport
- eNCA
Flag football breaks barriers in Africa
JOHANNESBURG - Flag football is breaking barriers, and Africa is officially in the game. For the first time, the International Federation of American Football is organising an African Flag Football tournament, giving the continent a fair shot on the world stage. The two-day event kicks off on June 20th in Cairo, with more at stake than just bragging rights. It is a stepping stone to the 2026 World Championships, and ultimately, the sport's Olympic debut at the 2028 games in Los Angeles. Flag football is a fast, non-contact sport, and is more accessible, especially with the expansion of NFL youth programmes across Africa, tapping into a whole new wave of talent. A South African team will be taking part, with IFAF stating that the tournament is only the beginning. The group has a long-term goal of Olympic inclusion and additional continental competitions.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL LA Games decision is flag football's 'Dream Team' moment: president
Pierre Trochet, President of the International Federation of American Football, says the Olympics gives his players something special (Anne-Christine POUJOULAT) Pierre Trochet, president of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), told AFP on Wednesday that the NFL's green light for players to take part in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is a "huge milestone" for the sport. Tuesday's announcement made Trochet's 39th birthday all that more special, coming less than two years since the sport he leads gained the ultimate accolade in being voted onto the sports roster by International Olympic Committee members. Advertisement Flag football is an abbreviated, five-a-side form of American football, in which players "tackle" each other by grabbing a flag attached to the waist of opponents. Six men's teams and six women's teams will take part in the Olympic tournament in 2028, with each squad comprised of 10 players. The NFL's announcement on Tuesday was "one of those milestones that we had on the playbook", said Trochet. "All of that was scripted, of course. NFL-style, right? I'll make the joke because it was my birthday," he told AFP at the launch of the European championships which take place in September in France. Advertisement Trochet, who is the youngest head of an Olympic sport federation, equated having the NFL players available for LA28 to the NBA superstars' first appearance at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, where the USA 'Dream Team' won gold. Several NFL players have already expressed an interest, with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Kansas City Chiefs counterpart Patrick Mahomes among those indicating a desire to play in the Games. "We just keep on scoring every single time. So the recognition, the inclusion (in the Olympics)," Trochet said. "And now it is this Dream Team moment. "It's a huge milestone. I mean, how many sports can pretend to bring all of that kind of sports super power? NBA, the NFL." Advertisement The former offensive lineman said having played for France in gridiron -- at "a humble level" -- he knew how special it was to represent one's country. - 'Family pride' - Trochet -— who had spells with the Amiens Spartans in France and the Austrian franchise Danube Dragons -- said singing the national anthem and donning the country's colours sent chills down one's spine. "I think for every athlete it's something special, being in the Olympics, being with your national team, getting that gold medal," he said. "Putting yourself in the Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps category, being on this global stage. Advertisement "It's a new excitement for them." The urbane Frenchman, who grew up steeped in American culture in Chateauroux, central France, as it hosted a US airforce base, said the Olympics offered something unique. "Being a Super Bowl winner is awesome and it's so hard to try to get to the Super Bowl every year, but you might have only one chance in your career to get an Olympic medal," he said. For Trochet there is no let-up as he seeks to ensure flag football is in the programme for Brisbane in 2032, which he says will be decided before Los Angeles. "I said at the beginning that LA was not a one and done," he said. Advertisement "So whenever this process will start, we're ready and we will put forward a very appealing proposition to stay in the game. "The NFL thing probably helps. It's one of those things that brings value." French captain Elisa De Santis still has a full-time job despite winning world and European titles -- and at 36 the lure of Los Angeles offers her one final hurrah. "It is the Games that give me oxygen," she told AFP. For the urbane Trochet Los Angeles also offers a personal goal -- taking along his father, who was responsible for him catching the gridiron bug as he was president of the Chateauroux club. "It will be my moment of personal family pride." pi/gj
Associated Press
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
American Football Joins FIA-led Coalition in Global Push to Tackle Online Hate in Sport
PARIS & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2025-- Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally, has officially welcomed the International Federation of American Football to its United Against Online Abuse coalition. FIA President and founder of UAOA campaign, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, was pleased to host IFAF President Pierre Trochet during the FIA Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix weekend, where the two leaders participated in a signing ceremony to formalise the American Football Federation's support for the FIA-led UAOA initiative. Symbolically signed at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to one of the largest franchises in the NFL, the Miami Dolphins, the FIA is delighted to welcome the governing body of one of the most spectated sports in the world to its global coalition. During their meeting, the Presidents of the FIA and IFAF discussed the global growth of American Football, particularly ahead of flag football's historic inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games, a sport now played by over 20 million people across 100 countries. As part of their new partnership, IFAF has committed to collaborating with the UAOA coalition by sharing best practices for addressing online harm in sport, actively participating in UAOA's international conferences and events, and utilising the campaign's educational resources to strengthen digital resilience among athletes, officials, and the wider American Football community. The UAOA coalition of sporting federations represents millions of competitors, thousands of officials, and billions of fans. UAOA's Barometer 2025 report showed that 89% of federations agree that sport's governing bodies are under increasing pressure to protect athletes from social media abuse, and 72% of respondents support a collaborative, coalition-led approach to tackling online abuse. This new partnership with IFAF furthers will strengthen UAOA's global reach, enhancing cross-sport collaboration and accelerating the development of coordinated strategies to protect athletes, officials, sport journalists and fans from harm. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA and Founder of UAOA, said: 'It is a great pleasure to welcome IFAF to the United Against Online Abuse coalition. Representing one of the largest sports in the world, we look forward to our collaboration as they share their experiences and we align on best practices to tackle online harm across the global sporting environment. 'UAOA's continued growth and ongoing support from governments and sporting organisations like IFAF, demonstrates the vital importance of collaboration in addressing this issue. The FIA is proud to lead this united effort to promote respect, safety, and inclusion throughout the sporting world.' Pierre Trochet, President of the International Federation of American Football, said: 'IFAF is delighted to join the UAOA coalition and support this crucially important global campaign established by the FIA. Online harm has no place in American Football, and we look forward to working the UAOA coalition to develop the strategies and resources required to maintain a healthy sporting environment for all.' The FIA's UAOA campaign is a research-led coalition supported by the FIA Foundation. Founded in 2023 the campaign has witnessed rapid growth in recent months and was recently awarded Peace and Sport's prestigious Coalition for Peace award in recognition of its world-leading efforts building a formidable campaign driving meaningful change. To date, the UAOA coalition has welcomed endorsements from the Governments of Greece, France, Slovenia, Albania, Australia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Namibia, Rwanda and Georgia, alongside organisations such as ARISF who represent one million athletes, sports federations including FIM that has over 50 World Championships, the International Esports Federation, ASETEK SimSports, Peace and Sport Monaco, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, Clark Hill LLP, and Dublin City University. For more information visit: The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally. It is a non-profit organisation committed to driving innovation and championing safety, sustainability and equality across motor sport and mobility. Founded in 1904, with offices in Paris, London and Geneva, the FIA brings together 245 Member Organisations across five continents, representing millions of road users, motor sport professionals and volunteers. It develops and enforces regulations for motor sport, including seven FIA World Championships, to ensure worldwide competitions are safe and fair for all. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) is the international governing body for the sport of American football and is responsible for all regulatory, competition, performance and development aspects of the game on a global level. Based in Paris, the federation also supports national federations in their development efforts, represents the global game to international partners and provides educational resources to foster the growth of American Football for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. View source version on For media enquiries please contact FIA Director of Corporate Communications, Sophia Martin-Pavlou:[email protected] KEYWORD: EUROPE UNITED KINGDOM FRANCE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMMUNICATIONS SPORTS FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA MOTOR SPORTS SOCIAL ACTIVISM SOURCE: Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/03/2025 04:09 PM/DISC: 05/03/2025 04:08 PM
Business Wire
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Wire
American Football Joins FIA-led Coalition in Global Push to Tackle Online Hate in Sport
PARIS & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally, has officially welcomed the International Federation of American Football to its United Against Online Abuse coalition. FIA President and founder of UAOA campaign, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, was pleased to host IFAF President Pierre Trochet during the FIA Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix weekend, where the two leaders participated in a signing ceremony to formalise the American Football Federation's support for the FIA-led UAOA initiative. Symbolically signed at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to one of the largest franchises in the NFL, the Miami Dolphins, the FIA is delighted to welcome the governing body of one of the most spectated sports in the world to its global coalition. During their meeting, the Presidents of the FIA and IFAF discussed the global growth of American Football, particularly ahead of flag football's historic inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games, a sport now played by over 20 million people across 100 countries. As part of their new partnership, IFAF has committed to collaborating with the UAOA coalition by sharing best practices for addressing online harm in sport, actively participating in UAOA's international conferences and events, and utilising the campaign's educational resources to strengthen digital resilience among athletes, officials, and the wider American Football community. The UAOA coalition of sporting federations represents millions of competitors, thousands of officials, and billions of fans. UAOA's Barometer 2025 report showed that 89% of federations agree that sport's governing bodies are under increasing pressure to protect athletes from social media abuse, and 72% of respondents support a collaborative, coalition-led approach to tackling online abuse. This new partnership with IFAF furthers will strengthen UAOA's global reach, enhancing cross-sport collaboration and accelerating the development of coordinated strategies to protect athletes, officials, sport journalists and fans from harm. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA and Founder of UAOA, said: 'It is a great pleasure to welcome IFAF to the United Against Online Abuse coalition. Representing one of the largest sports in the world, we look forward to our collaboration as they share their experiences and we align on best practices to tackle online harm across the global sporting environment. 'UAOA's continued growth and ongoing support from governments and sporting organisations like IFAF, demonstrates the vital importance of collaboration in addressing this issue. The FIA is proud to lead this united effort to promote respect, safety, and inclusion throughout the sporting world.' Pierre Trochet, President of the International Federation of American Football, said: 'IFAF is delighted to join the UAOA coalition and support this crucially important global campaign established by the FIA. Online harm has no place in American Football, and we look forward to working the UAOA coalition to develop the strategies and resources required to maintain a healthy sporting environment for all.' The FIA's UAOA campaign is a research-led coalition supported by the FIA Foundation. Founded in 2023 the campaign has witnessed rapid growth in recent months and was recently awarded Peace and Sport's prestigious Coalition for Peace award in recognition of its world-leading efforts building a formidable campaign driving meaningful change. To date, the UAOA coalition has welcomed endorsements from the Governments of Greece, France, Slovenia, Albania, Australia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Namibia, Rwanda and Georgia, alongside organisations such as ARISF who represent one million athletes, sports federations including FIM that has over 50 World Championships, the International Esports Federation, ASETEK SimSports, Peace and Sport Monaco, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, Clark Hill LLP, and Dublin City University. For more information visit: The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally. It is a non-profit organisation committed to driving innovation and championing safety, sustainability and equality across motor sport and mobility. Founded in 1904, with offices in Paris, London and Geneva, the FIA brings together 245 Member Organisations across five continents, representing millions of road users, motor sport professionals and volunteers. It develops and enforces regulations for motor sport, including seven FIA World Championships, to ensure worldwide competitions are safe and fair for all. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) is the international governing body for the sport of American football and is responsible for all regulatory, competition, performance and development aspects of the game on a global level. Based in Paris, the federation also supports national federations in their development efforts, represents the global game to international partners and provides educational resources to foster the growth of American Football for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
CairoScene
17-04-2025
- Sport
- CairoScene
Egypt to Host Africa's First Continental American Football Tournament
Egypt to Host Africa's First Continental American Football Tournament With elite teams and NFL-backed talent scouting, the event is the first continental American football championship in Africa. Egypt will host the inaugural edition of the International Federation of American Football's (IFAF) African Flag Football Championships—Africa Flag 2025—marking the first time a continental American football championship is held on the continent. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Cairo on June 20th and the 21st 2025. Organised in partnership with the National Football League (NFL) and the Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF), the championship will bring together elite men's and women's national teams from across Africa. The event will also serve as a qualifier for the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championships, and comes as the sport builds momentum ahead of its debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The launch of Africa Flag 2025 is part of a wider initiative to promote flag football across the continent. For the first time, Egypt will host NFL Africa programming, which includes youth development events, talent identification camps, and the NFL Flag Continental Championship. The youth tournament will take place from June 20th to the 23rd and will feature under-12 boys and girls from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The final will be held on June 23rd in Cairo. As part of the initiative, the NFL will also operate a dedicated scouting camp to identify emerging African talent. Athletes may be selected for advanced development opportunities including the NFL Academy Europe-Africa programme in the UK and the International Player Pathway (IPP), which helps international players enter the NFL. NFL players with African roots, including Bobby Okereke (New York Giants, Nigeria), Brian Asamoah II (Minnesota Vikings, Ghana), and Dieter Eiselen (NFL free agent, South Africa), are expected to join in the activities and engage with the local community during the championship weekend. Africa's involvement in flag football has grown rapidly over the past two years. Cameroon made history in 2024 as the first African team to compete at the IFAF Flag Football World Championships. According to IFAF, participation in Egypt and Nigeria increased by 149% and 85% respectively in 2023 alone. In Nigeria, over 13,000 young people have been introduced to the sport through national federation outreach. To support this growth, IFAF and the NFL have collaborated on infrastructure, training, and development initiatives, including coaching and officiating clinics. A recent three-day clinic held in Ghana from April 11th to the 13th brought together representatives from ten African countries: Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Uganda. Globally, flag football is now played by over 20 million athletes in more than 100 countries. IFAF's continental championships are seen as key to shaping the sport's Olympic future, with the 2024 World Championships—featuring 31 teams from five continents—described as the most competitive to date.
