International Canoe Federation

Canoe and kayak paddling sports are governed worldwide by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), which was founded in 1946, in Stockholm, Sweden. The ICF succeeded the Internationale Repräsentantenschaft Kanusport (IRK), which had created on 19 January 1924, in München, Germany, with four founding members (Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Sweden). As of January 2026, the ICF has 171 national federations as members. The organization’s headquarters is located in Lausanne, Switzerland, and its current president is Germany’s Thomas Konietzko.

The ICF oversees 10 disciplines worldwide, among them the Olympic disciplines of Canoe Sprint and Canoe Slalom.

Canoe Sprint first appeared on the Olympic Programme as a demonstration sport for men at Paris 1924. The discipline had its Olympic-status début at Berlin 1936, with both canoe and kayak events, but still only for male sprint canoeists. Although the first Canoe Sprint World Championships were held in 1938 (in Vaxholm, Sweden) with events for both genders (then still under the auspices of the IRK), women would only have their Olympic début at London 1948. Canoe Sprint has also been a part of the Youth Summer Olympics since its inception, at Singapore 2010, with events for boys and girls.

Canoe Slalom originated in Switzerland in 1933 as a summer alternative to slalom skiing, and was initially competed on a flatwater course. The very first Canoe Slalom World Championships were held in Génève, Switzerland, in 1949. The discipline débuted at the Olympics at München 1972, with men and women events, but was then not contested until Barcelona 1992, when it returned to the Olympic Programme.

Paracanoe began as an initiative by the ICF to allow athletes with an impairment to compete in the sport. The discipline was given official status at the 2010 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznan, Poland. Paracanoe would make its début at the Paralympic Games at Rio de Janeiro 2016.

Besides Canoe Sprint, Canoe Slalom, and Paracanoe, the ICF also governs the non-Olympic disciplines of Canoe Marathon, Canoe Polo, Wildwater Canoeing, Canoe Freestyle, Canoe Ocean Racing, Dragon Boat, and Stand Up Paddling. The federation also recognizes the disciplines of Canoe Sailing, Waveski Surfing, Rafting, and Va’a (in a partnership with the International Va’a Federation since 2009).