World Archery President Prof Dr Ugur Erdener opened the 51st Archery Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark at 9am on Friday 24 July 2015.
Voting delegates or appointed proxies representing 92 countries were present.
In his opening report, Prof Dr Erdener informed delegates of the principles behind Olympic Agenda 2020, the situation with SportAccord – and World Archery’s quick action – and the success of World Archery events since the last Congress in Belek in 2013.
Highlighting the World Archery Excellence Centre as a key on-going project, the President reported progress was on track and that the facility would soon become integral to the federation’s development strategy.
Prof Dr Erdener thanked the IOC President, Cantonal and City authorities and the Easton Foundations for their support of the project.
He also thanked the World Archery Family for its continued support, World Archery’s sponsors for their investment in the spot and the World Archery Office for its hard work.
Prof Dr Erdener closed by encouraging delegates to look towards the future, the next steps in the World Archery Plan and the continued growth of the sport.
International Olympic Committee President Dr Thomas Bach sent a video message. He opened the recording by saying that “archery has been at the forefront of change throughout history”.
President Bach highlighted the under-construction Excellence Centre in Lausanne as continuing this trend, saying that it embraced the spirit of Agenda 2020 in credibility, sustainability and youth.
Francesco Gnecchi-Ruscone, Honorary President of World Archery, also spoke at the start of the session. He told delegates to have pride an organisation that is widely respected in the world of sport.
Delegates voted on the acceptance of a number of new federations, with Albania, Bolivia, Guyana, Liberia, Mali and UAE unanimously accepted as full member associations.
Zimbabwe, previously a member, was also re-affiliated unanimously.
World Archery’s principle of only having active members was then confirmed when a motion making recognisable activity a requirement for continued membership was unanimously passed.
A number of other motions to change the World Archery Constitution and Rulebook were passed by the Congress, including two that strengthened World Archery’s commitment to Olympic Agenda 2020 and the Olympic Charter in the fight against doping, corruption and discrimination.
It was passed that members of the Coaches Committee should have been active as an international team manager in the four years preceding their election – and that the para athlete representative would leave the Athletes Committee and join the Para Archery Committee.
The proposed motion to decouple World Archery Congress from the World Archery Championships was not passed.
All interpretations and bylaws approved by the Executive Board in the two-year period prior to Congress 2015 were confirmed by delegates.
Secretary General Tom Dielen’s report highlighted the growth in member associations, the impressive growth of members inside member federations and that the upcoming World Archery Championships would be the biggest in history. He updated members on some important activities since the last Congress.
Reports were also given on the development of the World Archery Excellence Centre (World Archery Olympic Games and WAEC Director Juan Carlos Holgado), the federation’s finances (Tom Dielen) and the World Archery Plan (Tom Dielen), and provided by each of the permanent committees.
