ICF welcomes referral of SUP dispute to Court of Arbitration for Sport

Lausanne, July 18, 2018: The International Canoe Federation welcomes the opportunity to finally resolve the dispute over the governance of Stand Up Paddling before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (SUP dispute).

The ICF, as a long standing member of the Olympic family, has always strived to work in the best interests of the SUP community, building the sport from the grassroots level around the world and, ultimately, working to give the sport the best possible opportunity of fulfilling its dream to be part of the Olympic program.

The ICF has deliberately chosen not to engage in a public debate on this issue. Instead we have continued to work to build the sport, culminating in the first ever ICF SUP World Championships in Portugal later this year.

This event has attracted sponsors, media partners, and many of the world’s top SUP athletes (SUP dispute).

We are happy to allow the Court of Arbitration for Sport to rule on the question of whether the ISA is legally entitled to exclusive control over the sport of SUP.

The ICF has always been in favour of using CAS to resolve this dispute under the Court’s usual legal processes. —- ICF