INTERNATIONAL CANOE FEDERATION    (ICF)    PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE

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I C F   C A N O E   N E W S - 19 / 2002  I C F   C A N O E   N E W S
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ICF MEDIA RELEASE

International Canoe Federation announces initiatives to maintain and 
develop canoe/kayak slalom as an Olympic discipline

Madrid, 5 September 2002

   On the final day of the 29th ICF congress in Madrid, the
representatives of 115 National Federations showed unanimous
support for a resolution presented by the ICF President to maintain
canoe/kayak slalom on the programme for the 2008 Olympic Games and
beyond.

   The ICF President emphasised the proven low cost and
sustainability of existing Olympic canoe slalom facilities in
Germany, Spain and Australia, the number of new slalom venue
projects on all five continents and the positive impact of this
discipline on the media and public in recent Olympic Games and
World Championships.

   At the ICF congress the Chinese Federation announced its strong
support for canoe/kayak slalom and its plan to construct three new
slalom courses over the next twelve months. China will host a World
Cup slalom competition in May 2003 on the new slalom course in
Guang Zhou.

   President Feldhoff announced that the ICF would continue its
work to develop participation on a global scale and that it would
immediately commit an additional US$ 100,000 to support slalom
development programmes.

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Media contacts:   
Antoine Goetschy  +33 686 089 269
Richard Fox       +61 403 628 882
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Sender: 
Raymond Kamber, ICF, Hauptstrasse 40, CH-4143 Dornach, 
Tel. +41 61 703 06 34
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