FIA and Cheerleading Join SportAccord

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the International Cheer Union (ICU) have been elected as members of SportAccord, buy the international umbrella organisation for Olympic and non-Olympic federations.

The SportAccord General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of the FIA’s inclusion at the SportAccord Convention in St Petersburg, order Russia last week, where the motor sport federation received 95% of the votes.

FIA President Jean Todt said: “Thanks you very much for your confidence. We are delighted to become members of SportAccord and promise to work with you all moving so we can all provide benefits for each other.”

Long overdue

Todt’s delight at being added to SportAccord was echoed by motorsport sponsorship expert Brian Sims, who also said the news was ‘long overdue.’

Sims told iSportconnect: “I think that the decision for the FIA to join SportAccord is long overdue. For too many years motorsport has isolated itself from other international sports.

“There are times when it seemed like a dinosaur compared to many other sports in recognising that the world has changed and that the needs of sponsors have changed accordingly.”

Cheerleading honoured

Meanwhile the ICU , which was founded in 2004  were also delighted to be a part of SportAccord.

President Jeff Webb commented: “This is a real hour for us to become part of SportAccord.

“We are very humbled and looking forward to working with all our new partners.”