Copy
View this email in your browser

International Baton Twirling Federation...so what is it? 
Five words sum it up quite easily. 
The future of baton twirling.


In 2013,  the Executive Managing Committee Members of WBTF and WFNBTA came together and said, "It's time." The caliber of our baton twirling athletes throughout the world has far surpassed even our wildest dreams. It's time to bring them ALL together. 

With that came the IBTF Vision:
To become the multidisciplinary governing body for the sport of baton twirling as recognized by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF).  This includes any use of the baton.

 
What is GAISF?
It is the umbrella organization for all international sports federations and organizers of multi-sports games and sport-related international associations. In many countries, it is a requirement to potentially be eligible for funding, technical assistance and sports training education methods, and also as leverage for usage of training facilities, and the ladder organization to the International Olympic Committee.
(For info, check out their website: https://gaisf.sport/)


To gain recognition, IBTF will need to achieve the following goals:

  1. Conduct World Championship competitions in each of our governed disciplines, as one organization, IBTF.
  2. Become the single governing body for the sport of baton twirling internationally. 
  3. Create accreditation mechanisms for coaches and adjudicators of the disciplines we govern.  

 

What will recognition do?
Recognition by GAISF provides validation of our sport to potential sponsors and mass media. GAISF is the catalyst to Olympic Recognition. It is critical for the IBTF to gain the required number of federations worldwide in order to apply for GAISF membership. This number presently is 40 countries on at least three continents. We are almost there. 


WHAT NOW?
The path to be part of the organization that defines our sport in the future is for the WFNBTA and WBTF and any other baton related organization to unite and act as one in the IBTF to achieve that vision. Members under the IBTF umbrella are presently WBTF and WFNBTA.

What will happen to WBTF and WFNBTA?
Both organizations will continue to exist and operate independently for a period of time until it is deemed necessary to merge all systems. Our hope is for all member federations to begin working together within their respective countries and to work towards unification.


Where are we in the GAISF recognition process?
Application
has been made to the Global Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF) by WBTF. This application process may take a lengthy period of time to gain approval. When acceptance is gained, and our member federations complete unification, then all members of WBTF and WFNBTA will be become members of GAISF under the flag of the International Baton Twirling Federation.

Everyone must understand the requirements to achieve 
sport recognition from the International Olympic committee (per sport):
  1. There may be only one officially recognized International Federation.
  2. There may be only one World Championship in a discipline of a sport.

Therefore, we have formed the umbrella organization of the IBTF to organize together all future World Championships in any given disciplines beginning in 2021.

This will include a majorette division coming from both organizations. We have agreed to a 3-year cycle plan beginning in 2021 with two years of World competition that will be held during the first two weeks of August for the various disciplines of both organizations. The third year is off for both federations to hold their own competition (not a World competition).


So... now what?
August 2021 - The First IBTF World Baton Twirling Championships 
August 2022 - The First IBTF World Freestyle Championships
August 2022 - The First IBTF General Assembly, following the 2022 IBTF World Championship

We will continue to inform you of changes, advancements, and upcoming events as it relates to IBTF and this overall global alliance. 


We hope you will support us on this journey for the betterment of baton twirling for everyone, everywhere.
 
The future is here, 
IBTF Executive Managing Committee

The IBTF Executive Managing Committee meets physically twice a year and conducts all other business regularly via conference meetings and email.  Present topics are the completion of the formats for the upcoming scheduled competitions, working on the policy and procedures manuals for governance, competition rules, judging criteria and financial policies.    

Current IBTF Executive Managing Committee:
Sandi Wiemers, President
Beverly Johnson, Vice President
Jean Patrick Rousset, Vice President
Maurizio Chizzoli, Vice President
Jeff Johnson, Secretary General
Lisa Hagen Rebbestad, Treasurer
Amy Arellano Williams and Moto Tsuchiya, Sport Administrators

Christine Bel, Paola DeMarchi, Darlene King, Dale White and Jackie Stewart, Technical Members
Denise Pearse and Paul Rutten, Executive Committee Member at Large
Copyright © 2019 International Baton Twirling Federation (IBTF), All rights reserved.


Visit our website: https://www.ibtf-batontwirling.org/

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp