The International Dragon Boat Federation () is the international governing body for the sport of dragon boat racing. IDBF was founded in Hong Kong on June 24, 1991 by Australia, China, Taiwan, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States . IDBF currently has 75 member countries or territories and is supported by five continental federations.
IDBF is a Member of the Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sport (AIMS).
IDBF organizes world championships each year: a World Nations Championships one year and a club Crew World Championships the next. These championships are held at venues within member countries.
History of IDBF
Although the origins of the sport of dragon boat racing can be traced back at least 2,000 years, its origins as an international sport really only go back to the 1970s.
In 1976, the Hong Kong Tourist Association invited a crew from Nagasaki, Japan, to compete against nine Hong Kong fishermen crews as part of the annual racing at Shau Kei Wan. The objective was to help to promote Hong Kong as a tourist destination during the summer low season.
The event was a success and more and more international crews started to participate in the racing now held at East Tsim Sha Tsui. The local Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Association became involved and helped draft the first ever set of international race rules for dragon boats.
By 1991, several national dragon boat federations had been formed and it became clear that an international governing body ought to be established. So, on 24th June 1991, at a meeting in Hong Kong, the International Dragon Boat Federation was founded. The founding national federations were: Australia, China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Great Britain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States.
In 1992, IDBF published its first set of race rules and the technical specifications that would govern the boats and paddles used for racing.
In 1995, in Yue Yang, China, IDBF held its first World Nations Championships. Over 800 athletes representing 14 nations participated.
In 1996, in Vancouver, Canada, IDBF held its first Club Crew World Championships. This attracted over 250 athletes from 10 clubs from six nations.
Thereafter, the biennial sequence of World Nations Championships one year and Club Crew World Championships the next has been maintained (except for 2020 and 2021 when COVID prevented championships from taking place).
The sport has grown significantly since those early days and 30 nations (some 3,250 athletes) competed in the 2019 World Nations Championships and an incredible 140 clubs (some 6,200 athletes) competed in the 2018 Club Crew World Championships.
Objectives
The seven objectives of the IDBF are:
To protect and maintain the Asian cultural, historical and religious traditions of Dragon Boating To promote and develop the sport of Dragon Boat Racing To ensure that the International Regattas are governed by Rules of Racing adapted to the development of the sport of Dragon Boat Racing To encourage the organization of International Regattas open to all Member Associations and their Member Clubs To establish International Championship Regattas under the titles of World Championships To maintain the principles of amateurism in all competitions according to the definition of an amateur and the rules laid down in the IDBF Rules of Racing To encourage the formation of Governing Associations in countries where none exist"
Mission
On the IDBF website, the IDBF notes that, "The IDBF shall observe the general and fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter and IOC Manual on sport and the environment."
The IDBF lists the following four principles of service to its members:
"To support and maintain the authority and autonomy of its Members and to promote closer links between its Members To convey to other organizations the views of its Members and to co-ordinate and protect the common interests of its Members. To collaborate, on behalf of its Members, with organization having as an objective the promotion of sport and particularly those paddle sports in which the use of the single bladed paddle is paramount. The IDBF Council may offer or countenance competitive events for watercraft, of any Design, propelled by a single blade paddle. To collect, collate and circulate information form, to and among its Members and to publish an annual Calendar of IDBF sanctioned events."
Executive committee
The IDBF Executive Committee, as of January 2023, consists of:
President: Mike Thomas (Great Britain)