Kim Jae-yeol, president of the International Skating Union (ISU), has been elected as the new head of the Winter Olympic Sports Federation (WOF), which represents key international federations for winter Olympic sports.
The ISU announced on October 5 that Kim was elected as the new president during the WOF meeting held in Lausanne, Switzerland, succeeding current president Ivo Ferriani.
The ISU noted that Kim's passion and dedication to winter sports, along with his commitment to enhancing cooperation among international sports federations, were recognized in his election.
The WOF includes the international federations of seven winter Olympic sports: skating, skiing, luge, ice hockey, curling, bobsleigh & skeleton, and biathlon, which collaborate for mutual development.
In his remarks, Kim stated, "I will work together with WOF members to elevate the status of winter sports. It is an honor to serve as WOF president, and I will do my utmost to be of help to everyone."
This election further solidifies Kim's position in the international sports community. He began his journey in winter sports administration in 2011 when he became president of the Korean Skating Union. He has also served as vice president of the Korean Sports Council and as an executive board member of the ISU. In June 2022, he made history by becoming the first non-European president in the ISU's 130-year history.
Since taking office, Kim has been praised for driving marketing innovation and organizational reform. In October 2023, he was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in his capacity as a representative of international federations.
This year, Kim has taken on significant roles in major international sports organizations. He was elected to the IOC Executive Board during the 145th IOC Session held in Milan, Italy, in February. In June, he was confirmed for re-election as the sole candidate at the ISU General Assembly in Tenerife, Spain.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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