International Luge Federation facts for kids
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| Sport | Luge |
|---|---|
| Category | Sports federation |
| Jurisdiction | International |
| Abbreviation | FIL |
| Founded | 1957 |
| Headquarters |  Salzburg, Austria |
| President |  Einars Fogelis |
| Official website | |
The International Luge Federation (often called FIL) is the main organization for all luge sports around the world. It was started in 1957 by 13 countries in Davos, Switzerland. Today, it has members from many national luge groups. The FIL's main office is in Berchtesgaden, Germany. In 2022, because of the conflict in Ukraine, the FIL stopped Russian athletes and officials from taking part in its events.
Contents
History of Luge and FIL
Luge's Early Days
The very first luge race happened on February 12, 1883. It was a four-kilometer course in Switzerland, between Davos and Klosters. Two winners, one from Australia and one from Switzerland, finished in 9 minutes and 15 seconds.
Later, in 1913, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland created the Internationaler Schlittensportsverband (ISSV). This was the first international sled sport group. The first European Luge Championships were held in 1914 in Liberec, which is now in the Czech Republic. However, World War I stopped these competitions until 1927.
Rebuilding and Joining Forces
In 1927, the ISSV started up again. The second European Luge Championships took place the next year and included a women's race for the first time. In 1935, the ISSV joined a bigger group called the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT). Luge was a part of this group until the early 1950s.
Becoming Independent
A big change happened in 1954. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that luge would become a Winter Olympic sport. It would replace skeleton, which had been in the Olympics before.
In 1955, the first World Luge Championships were held in Oslo, Norway. Then, in 1957, the FIL was officially formed in Switzerland. It was quickly accepted by the IOC. Bert Isatitsch from Austria became the first President of the FIL.
FIL's Growth and Changes
In 1959, the IOC agreed to include luge in the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Twelve countries competed in these first Olympic luge events.
After a tie in the men's doubles at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Japan, the FIL decided to time all races even more precisely. They started timing to 1/1000th of a second, which they still do today.
Luge also grew to include "natural track" events. The first natural track European championships were in Austria in 1970. The first natural track World Championships were also in Austria in 1979. The first Junior World Championships for artificial tracks happened in Lake Placid, New York, USA, in 1982.
FIL Today
Bert Isatitsch, the first president, passed away in 1994. Josef Fendt then became the acting president and was later officially elected. He served as president until 2020.
In 2022, the FIL took action because of the conflict in Ukraine. They banned all Russian athletes, coaches, and officials from their events. They also removed Russian officials from their committees and said Russia could not host any FIL events.
FIL Events and Tracks
The FIL organizes many luge competitions. These include events on both artificial tracks and natural tracks. They hold European and World Championships. At the Winter Olympics, only artificial track competitions are held.
The main events are:
- Men's singles
- Men's doubles
- Women's singles
- A team event (one run each from men's singles, men's doubles, and women's singles)
Artificial Tracks
Artificial tracks are specially built for luge. They have carefully designed curves and straight sections with high walls. These tracks are made of concrete and kept cold with refrigeration, making them very smooth. Racers can experience strong g-forces on these tracks, up to four times their body weight.
As of 2009, there were sixteen artificial tracks around the world used for bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton. A new track was built in Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Natural Tracks
Natural tracks are different. They are made from existing mountain roads and paths. They have a flat track surface and use natural ice. Most of the over 60 natural tracks are found in countries like Austria, Italy, Germany, and Canada.
FIL Hall of Fame
In 2004, the FIL created a Hall of Fame to honor the best luge athletes. As of 2019, nine people have been inducted:
- 2004: Klaus Bonsack (East Germany), Paul Hildgartner (Italy), Margit Schumann (East Germany)
- 2005: Josef Feistmantl (Austria), Hans Rinn (East Germany)
- 2006: Vera Zozula (Soviet Union)
- 2012: Gerhard Pilz (Austria), Georg Hackl (West Germany)
- 2019: Armin Zöggeler (Italy)
FIL Presidents
Since it started in 1957, the FIL has had three presidents:
- Bert Isatitsch from Austria (1957–1994)
- Josef Fendt from Germany (1994–2020)
- Einars Fogelis from Latvia (2020–present)
Member Nations
As of June 2021, the FIL has 53 member nations from around the world, including countries in Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and Europe.
Championships and Competitions
The FIL oversees many important luge competitions:
- Luge at the Winter Olympics
- FIL European Luge Artificial Track Championships
- FIL European Luge Natural Track Championships
- FIL World Luge Artificial Track Championships
- FIL World Luge Natural Track Championships
- World Juniors Luge Championships
- Luge World Cup
- Asian Luge Cup
See also
In Spanish: Federación Internacional de Luge para niños
