Links to FIPFA Member States
Belgium
Canada
www.geocities.com/
powersoccerbc
Joseph-Charbonneau High School in Montréal, Québec
Denmark
England
France
Japan
Portugal
Turkey
USA
In January 2005, 24 people, representing seven countries (France, Belgium, Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, Portugal, and the U.S.A.), met in Le Chesnay, France to lay the groundwork for an international organization for the development of power soccer. As a result, the International Powerchair Football Association (IPFA) was formed. The object of the IPFA is to be the general support and administrative body for the regulation and promotion of powerchair football
Over the next three years, the IPFA plans to develop a standardized set of international rules and has scheduled three international events.
The first of these events was held in Portugal in October 2005. This was a demonstration event and initial rules congress, where a number of disaplines were trialed. From this, a draft set of rules will be written for all the countries to begin playing under.
In July 2006, an international summit was held in Atlanta, USA with the aim of agreeing on a single set of rules and regulations to govern the game of Powerchair Football as well as to create an international governing body.
Involved in the summit was representatives and players from France, England, Portugal, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Belgium and the USA. Over a period of 10 days rules were submitted to rigorous testing and at the end of the period the newly formed Executive Committee voted in a single set of rules, a single constitution and the international game was born.
The Federation International of Powerchair Football Associations (FIPFA) was born and has since become a legal association with its Headquarters in France. Representing England on the Executive Committee are Adam Parry (President of the Sports Department) and Ricky Stevenson (President of the European Zone).
At the end of the Summit, all of the players played in a tournament representing their own nation and the England team of Johnny Boulding, Nicky Baker, Sam Bull, Stevie Pearson and Rob Thompson finished a very respectable Third place.
FIPFA is currently working hard to meet the aims and objectives set by the Executive Committee to ensure that the world cup to be held in Japan in 2007 is a great success. Other work that is continuing within the separate commissions includes the inception of a classification system, a worldwide buyers market for Powerchair Football Powerchairs and the creation of training courses and qualifications for those taking part in the sport.