Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report TORINO:-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and the Federazione Arrampicata Sportiva Italiana (FASI) are pleased to announce that the Boulder World Cup event that was originally scheduled to take place in Moscow, Russia has now been rescheduled to take place in Brixen, Italy from 10 to 12 June 2022. The IFSC Boulder World Cup Brixen 2022 will be the first IFSC event taking place in Italy since the 2019 IFSC Youth World Championships were staged in Arco; and the first IFSC World Cup since 2018. IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “We are very happy that we have been able to find a replacement host for the Boulder World Cup event. I have no doubt that this event will be a great success and I want to thank our National Federation in Italy for stepping in at short notice.” FASI Vice President Ernesto Scarperi said: “The Italian Climbing welcomed with great enthusiasm the announcement of the IFSC Boulder World Cup taking place in Brixen. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the local organisers, who made the application happen in a very short time. With the state of the art Climbing Center in Brixen, and the international experience gained in the past few years, I am confident that the event will be a great success. My sincere appreciation also goes to FASI President Davide Battistella, who supported this initiative from the very beginning, and helped us in bringing the IFSC World Cup back in Italy after many years.”

Sports Bulletin Report SALT LAKE CITY:-The XVIII IFSC (International Federation of Sports Climbing) General Assembly met in the Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, as fifty-four delegates from 40 countries and territories participated in the Assembly, which combined physical presence and online attendance. The 2-day meeting opened on 18 March with a video message from the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach. “You have every reason to be proud,” he said. “Because this General Assembly is truly special for the Climbing community. It is your first General Assembly since Sport Climbing made its Olympic debut at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, so please accept my heartfelt congratulations on this milestone.” “What an entrance your sport has made on the Olympic stage! The performance of your athletes in Tokyo celebrated your sport and your community at its best. A real display of excellence in sport, a youthful energy, but also inspiring moments of respect and sportsmanship that touched the hearts of so many people around the globe,” added Bach. Messages from the President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), Francesco Ricci Bitti, and the CEO of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Sarah Hirshland, opened the second and final session, on 19 March. MEMBER FEDERATIONS OF RUSSIA AND BELARUS SUSPENDED The General Assembly discussed the ongoing issue of the war in Ukraine and the status of the National Federations of Belarus and Russia. It was decided to increase the current restrictions already placed on the two National Federations and to move to a suspension of their membership. The Executive Board was subsequently mandated to continually assess the situation and consider the removal of the suspension when the circumstances allow. JAPAN AND USA WIN 2021 NATIONAL TEAM AWARDS IFSC Vice President Kobinata Toru presented the Japan Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Association (JMSCA) with the first-place award in the 2021 National Teams’ Ranking; IFSC Secretary General Debra Gawrych also presented USA Climbing with the second-place award. IFSC AWARDS AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, AND UNITED STATES WITH SUSTAINABILITY AWARD IFSC President Marco Scolaris presented delegates of Austria Climbing, the Swiss Alpine Club, and USA Climbing with the 2021 IFSC Sustainability Award, for their sustainable event strategy following the IFSC Sustainability Guidelines. IFSC ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO ETHICS COMMISSION TO ENSURE CONTINUED INTEGRITY The IFSC Executive Board has responded to a dispute raised by the Chair of its Ethics Commission by unanimously adopting resolutions aimed at ensuring ongoing adherence to the IFSC statutes, rules and regulations. The Executive Board charged the Ethics Commission with overstepping its remit and interfering in the Federation’s governance and ordinary course of business. The Ethics Commission has been ruled to be in violation of the statutes by directly communicating to National Federations with information that is considered false and unfounded on the eve of the General Assembly. As a result, the current Ethics Commission and all its members will be suspended, there will be a complete reform of the Commission, including its regulations and composition, and a new Commission will be appointed as soon as circumstances allow. The reform process will be conducted by independent experts and experienced members of National Federations. IFSC CELEBRATES OLYMPIC DEBUT WITH PHOTO BOOK To commemorate the debut of Sport Climbing at last summer’s Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the IFSC has produced a photo book that will be presented to all those who helped make the event such a success. The book opens with a message from IFSC President Marco Scolaris and is then divided into three parts: the lead-up to Tokyo 2020, the four days of Olympic competition, and quotes and remarks from Climbing stakeholders, including representatives of the IFSC Member Federations. In total, 500 numbered copies of the book have been produced. Delegates attending the General Assembly in Salt Lake City have each received a copy. All athletes and team officials who were present at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will also be presented with the book. IFSC PRESENTS 2021 ANNUAL REPORT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY The IFSC Annual Report 2021 Annual Report was also officially unveiled at the XVIII IFSC General Assembly. The report, designed and sustainably produced with the help of British communications agency Touchline, opens with messages from IFSC President Marco Scolaris and IFSC Secretary General Debra Gawrych. The Annual Report recaps all the milestones of what will be remembered as a historic year for Sport Climbing, one that included the sport’s highly successful Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. Other sections include highlights of the 2021 IFSC season, the IFSC Financial Reports, and the work of Sport Climbing stakeholders and IFSC staff.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Salt Lake City (USA):-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and USA Climbing announced that the IFSC Youth World Championships would be taken place in Dallas, Texas, USA, from 22 to 31 August, 2022. More than 400 young climbers are expected to gather at Movement Climbing’s The Hill for Boulder, and Summit Plano for Lead and Speed. The athletes will be divided into three age groups – Juniors, Youth A, and Youth B – and compete in the three Climbing disciplines. A computed Boulder & Lead ranking will also be created with the results of the two single disciplines. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champions Janja Garnbret of Slovenia, and Alberto Ginés López of Spain, along with legendary climbers such as Noguchi Akiyo of Japan, and Adam Ondra of the Czech Republic, all competed and won at previous editions of the IFSC Youth World Championships, making it an almost-mandatory step to go through for the elite of the Sport Climbing circuit. IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “It fills me with pride to see the strong bond that we have built in the last few years with our friends at USA Climbing, establishing Salt Lake City as one of the landmarks of our World Cup Series, and finding new opportunities, first in Los Angeles and now in Dallas. The Youth World Championships is by far the most important showcase of young and talented climbers that one can imagine, and who knows? May be we will have the chance to see the future Olympic Champion in action!” USA Climbing CEO Marc Norman said: “USA Climbing is honoured to be hosting the IFSC Youth World Championships for the first time in the United States in Dallas, Texas. We thank the IFSC and member National Federations for their confidence and support in hosting this important event and look forward to welcoming the world’s best youth climbers to Dallas, Texas. A special thanks to our Gym partners, Movement Climbing, Yoga, and Fitness’s The Hill location which will play host to the Bouldering discipline, and Summit Climbing’s Plano location which will play host to the Lead and Speed disciplines. We could not host these important international events without our gym partners. Finally, to the youth athletes, we look forward to seeing you compete in Dallas and inspiring all of us to keep climbing higher!” Movement CEO Robert Cohen said: “We are delighted to be partnering with USA Climbing and the IFSC to co-host the 2022 Youth World Championships in Dallas! For the first time this event will be taking place in the United States and we couldn’t be more honoured that USA Climbing has selected our Dallas The Hill gym to host the bouldering portion of the competition. Movement has always held a special place for climbing competitions and we are excited to share this passion with both the athletes and the attendees, while furthering the sport of climbing on the world stage.” Summit CEO Jason McKenzie said: "Summit Climbing is honored and excited to host the Lead Climbing and Speed Climbing events for the 2022 Youth World Climbing Championship at our flagship location in Plano, TX.  This year is the 20th anniversary of Summit Climbing and I can't think of a better event to be a part of given our long focus on youth programming and youth competitions."

Sports Bulletin Report TORINO:-All things set to take place in the Swiss capital from 1 to 12 August 2023, the IFSC Climbing and Paraclimbing World Championships Bern 2023 will offer the first qualifying opportunities for the following year’s Olympic Games, where Sport Climbing will award two gold medals per gender: in Speed and in the new Boulder & Lead format. “The IFSC Climbing and Paraclimbing World Championships are our flagship event, held every two years, but with tickets to Paris 2024 on the line, Bern 2023 promises to be extra special,” said IFSC President Marco Scolaris. “We are glad the organisers are already so committed to the event, which can be seen in their meticulous planning, which includes building their presence online well in advance of the competition.” "By hosting the biggest Sport Climbing event in 2023, the SAC is making a statement for competitive sports. The World Championships in Bern are about promoting Sport Climbing for people with and without disabilities. We are committed to ensuring that inclusion and sustainability are more than just empty words by putting them into action in every respect. With our new website and fresh social media presence, we look forward to kindling the first spark that will light the World Championships on fire. There are exciting and eventful months ahead of us before we welcome the entire Climbing community back to Switzerland again after 22 years," said Daniel Marbacher, Managing Director, SAC Central Association.

Sports Bulletin Report BARCELONA:-International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) organised the first, official test event of the Boulder & Lead format that will be contested at both Munich 2022 and Paris 2024. Forty Spanish athletes – 20 men and 20 women – battled on the walls of Sharma Climbing Gavà, the third and latest opening under legendary climber Chris Sharma’s name. Eventually, it was Iziar Martinez Almendros and Olympic Champion Alberto Ginés López who ended up on the highest step of the podium. Martinez Almendros absolutely dominated the women’s Boulder & Lead final, barely missing the perfect score. Indeed, the 16-year-old from Valladolid closed the opening Boulder round with 99.8 points, topping all four problems and losing 0.2 points on attempts to top. In the following Lead segment, Martinez Almendros was the only athlete to top the route, earning 100.0 points and extending her lead on the closest opponents – Rut Monsech Gasca and Aida Torres Illamola. Iziar Martinez Almendros signed off in first place with 199.8 points. 20-year-old Monsech Gasca followed in second position with 113.6 points – 58.6 in Boulder, 55.0 in Lead – while 19-year-old Torres Illamola finished third with 102.8 – 77.7 in Boulder, 25.1 in Lead.

Torino (Press Release):-In line with recommendations issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the implications of the war in Ukraine, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has decided to implement the following measures: To suspend all IFSC competitions scheduled to be held in Russia and Belarus until further notice, including the IFSC Boulder and Speed World Cup in Moscow (RUS), the IFSC Youth European Cup in Kaliningrad (RUS) – in accordance with IFSC Europe – and the 2023 IFSC Youth World Championships. Furthermore, the IFSC will discuss an additional series of measures to be approved by the upcoming General Assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA on 18 and 19 March 2022.

Sports Bulletin Report Torino:-International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has decided to suspend the IFSC Boulder and Speed World Cup, which was scheduled for 1 to 3 April 2022 in Moscow. The decision was taken following consultation with and approval of the IFSC Athletes’ Commission. IFSC President Marco Scolaris held several meetings today. During his discussion with the Ukrainian Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UMF), he expressed the solidarity of the IFSC and the entire Climbing community with the people of Ukraine during this unprecedented crisis. President Scolaris added that he hoped the conflict in Ukraine would end quickly and peacefully without any further violence. The IFSC intends to relocate the event to another location, with an announcement to follow once a new host has been selected.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-The first officially sanctioned test event of the Boulder & Lead format to feature at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is set to take place on 4 and 5 March at the Sharma Climbing gym in Gavà, Spain. Unlike the Combined format that featured at Sport Climbing’s Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 last summer, Paris 2024 will see medals awarded to Speed athletes separately, as well as to climbers in the new Boulder & Lead discipline, the rules for which were officially published last on 9 February in the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC)’s Rules 2022. The event will be open to Spanish athletes only, with Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Alberto Ginés López topping the bill. Three IFSC Officials will also attend the competition: IFSC Jury President Tim Hatch, IFSC Boulder Chief Routesetter Remi Samyn, and IFSC Lead Chief Routesetter Jan Zbranek. IFSC President Marco Scolaris said: “We are delighted to hold this test event in Barcelona, in the home country of one of our first two Olympic Champions. It is a true pleasure to meet again with a climbing legend and friend like Chris, and to see the passion that he and the whole Sharma Climbing organisation put into this event.” Sharma Climbing Gavà, located in the suburbs of Barcelona, is owned and operated by climbing legend Chris Sharma. The Santa Cruz, California native earned an enduring reputation as one of the world’s best rock climbers for record-setting redpoints and deep-water solos in the 2000s to mid 2010s. “At Sharma Climbing we are very excited to be able to carry out the first Olympic rehearsal with the new format that will be used in Paris 2024. Being able to experiment it with the Spanish team, led by the current Olympic Champion Alberto Ginés López, is a dream come true. It’s a huge honor to be a benchmark in the world of climbing and to help project the sport that has shaped me and given me the greatest joy,” said Sharma. The new Boulder & Lead format will make its official competitive debut at the European Championships Munich 2022, scheduled from 11 to 21 August. Qualifications for the test event in Gavà will be held on 4 March, with the finals scheduled for 5 March. The competition, which will be jointly organized by the IFSC, Federación Española de Deportes de Montaña y Escalada (FEDME). “We are very happy to have the opportunity to collaborate with the IFSC and Sharma Climbing, and test the new Olympic format. It is of great importance for us as a National Federation, both to prepare our athletes, and to start having a national ranking in the lead up to the Olympic Games París 2024,” said FEDME Technical Manager Lluis Giner.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) is delighted that the Climbing community has been nominated three times in two categories for the Laureus World Awards 2022, the global sporting distinction that recognises and celebrates the world’s greatest athletes, the inspirational power or sport, and its ability to change lives. Announced yesterday, this year’s nominees include Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Alberto Ginés Lopez of Spain in the Laureus World Action of the Year category. Known as the Spanish Spiderman, the 19-year-old became Sport Climbing’s first ever Olympic gold medallist at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 last summer. He is nominated alongside surfers Carissa Moore of the USA, and Italo Ferreira of Brazil, Japanese skateboarders Momiji Nishiya and Yuto Horigome, and BMX athlete Bethany Shriever of Great Britain. With this award not being presented in 2021, this year’s recipient will follow back-to-back winner and US snowboarding sensation Chloe Kim, who won the award in 2019 and 2020. The second Sport Climbing nominee is Monkey Magic, a programme that promotes free climbing among those with visual impairments. The initiative, led by Japanese Paraclimber Kobayashi Koichiro, is nominated for the Laureus Sport for Good award. The Sport for Good award is presented to an organisation or individual who, in the opinion of the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, has used the power of sport to improve the lives of young people. Monkey Magic uses Paraclimbing to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to exercise. By taking advantage of the characteristics and values of climbing, the programme hopes to create a more mature and prosperous society that recognises diversity regardless of disability, age, gender or culture. In the same Sport for Good category is our third nominee of the year: the German “Ich will da rauf” project. “Ich will da rauf,” which translates into English as “I want to get up there,” is a non-profit climbing community aimed at young people, with inclusivity at its core. Established in 2008, the IWDR currently has 14 fixed climbing groups. About half of the members, who range in age from 6 to 83, have a disability – such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, autism, muscular dystrophy – proving that absolutely anyone can climb. “These nominations are a fantastic achievement for our entire Sports Climbing community, and we celebrate each of them together,” said IFSC President Marco Scolaris. “It really demonstrates how our sport can be used for good throughout society and I am delighted to see our members and athletes being recognized for their work and achievements. We previously had one climbing athlete nominated for the Laureus World Action of the Year award back in 2002 and it is great to see our sport being recognised again 20 years later.”

Sports Desk ISLAMABAD:-Well-Known Pakistani mountaineer Little Karim compelled to sell the great footballer Cristiano Ronaldo shirt with his signatures, which was gifted to him aiming to meet his treatment expenses. Mohammad Karim has been in critical condition for the last many days. Karim popularly known as “Little Karim” is a veteran high altitude mountain porter who is famous for his worth of expeditions, climbing skills and incredible resolve, which truly belie his small stature. Despite of his services to both tourism and mountaineering in the country, he is unable to afford an adequate healthcare for himself. As he battles old age and ill health, his family is looking to the government for some relief.