International Surfing Association adds four new member nations to further its Olympic campaign
The surfing’s world governing body, International Surfing Association (ISA), is intent on securing a place in the Olympics. In its most recent effort furthering its campaign, the governing body has added four new nations to its member list over the course
of two months. The latest members are Hungary, Ghana, Kiribati and India.
The ISA needs at least 75 members to qualify for Olympic inclusion. With the latest additions, the organisation has got itself 67 countries. According to the President of ISA, Fernando Aguerre, almost five more countries are in the pipe-line and the number
will soon be rising to 72. He is pretty content with the way things are progressing.
The four new members of ISA have definitely offered some demographic benefits to the organisation. Hungary gives the governing body five land-locked member nations. Kiribati allows ISA to spread its presence in the South Pacific islands, while Ghana has
increased the sport’s official presence in Africa, being the eighth African country to become a member. India is well-known for its large population, which will definitely benefit the sport in terms of athletes and talent that the country may be able to offer.
The ISA has several aims, which include promoting the preservation of environment, encouraging its member countries to educate its population about the sport and to use the surfing as a tool to bring people of different countries together to promote compassion.
However, one of its most politically important role at the moment is to get surfing included in the Olympics and advocate the sport in front of International Olympic Committee (IOC). While the task is a difficult one indeed, with the IOC already operating
at its maximum limit of 28 sports with over 10,000 athletes for the Summer Games, Aguerre feels confident that the sport will be able to find a place in the Olympics line-up in the near future.
The inclusion of surfing in the Summer Games is only possible with the elimination of a sport, something that no sport will agree to. This indeed weakens the case of ISA and its mission, but the 53-year-old Ageurre is still hopeful.
Things have never been good for surfing when it has come to Olympics. The sport entirely depends on waves and hence requires coastlines, something that not all host nations possess. Therefore, the sport never received enough support. However, with the aid
of man-made waves and the increased reach of surfing, the sport has become more prevalent and a possibility exists for the IOC to consider the sport in the future, something that the ISA is pursuing actively.
The inclusion of Ghana, Hungary, Kiribati and India will definitely benefit the organisation and its campaign to get included in the Summer Games in the long run.
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