Swedish Bandy Association facts for kids
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Svenska bandyförbundet
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Logo of the federation
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| Predecessor | Swedish Football Association |
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| Formation | 5 April 1925 |
| Type | Governing body |
| Purpose | Governing body for the sport of bandy in Sweden |
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Region
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Sweden |
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Membership (1955)
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Federation of International Bandy |
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President
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Gisela Stockhaus |
The Swedish Bandy Association (which in Swedish is called Svenska Bandyförbundet) is the main group that manages the winter sport called bandy in Sweden. They organize the main bandy leagues for men, like Elitserien and Allsvenskan. They also manage the women's league, Damallsvenskan. On top of that, they are in charge of Sweden's national bandy teams for both men and women.
This important organization started in Stockholm on April 5, 1925. Its main office is still in Stockholm today, even though it used to be in Katrineholm. The Swedish Bandy Association was also one of the groups that helped create the Federation of International Bandy (FIB).
Contents
How Bandy Started in Sweden
Bandy first came to Sweden in 1895. A famous athlete named Clarence von Rosen brought the game over. He learned about bandy during a trip to Great Britain, which is where the sport began.
After returning home, Clarence von Rosen started the very first bandy club in Sweden. It was called Stockholm Hockeyklubb. For a while, bandy was part of other sports groups. In 1905, it was organized under the Swedish Ballgame Association. A year later, it moved to the Swedish Football Association.
Forming the Bandy Association
Finally, on April 5, 1925, the Swedish Bandy Association was officially formed. At that time, 49 different bandy clubs joined together to create this new organization. This was a big step for the sport in Sweden.
Organizing Bandy Leagues
Since 1931, the Swedish Bandy Association has regularly set up national leagues in Sweden. These leagues are competitions where teams play against each other to find the best team.
The winner of the final game in these leagues gets the title of Swedish bandy champions. The exciting final match is usually played in March each year.
How Districts Are Organized
For many years, the Swedish Bandy Association had 23 smaller district groups. These groups helped manage bandy in different parts of Sweden. However, in 2013, they changed how things worked.
They decided to create 6 larger districts instead. This change was made to help manage the sport more easily and efficiently. The six new districts are:
- Mellansverige (Central Sweden)
- Nord (North)
- Stockholm
- Småland
- Sydväst (South West)
- Västergötland
International Connections
The Swedish Bandy Association is a very important member of the global bandy community. In 1955, it was one of the founding members of the Federation of International Bandy (FIB). This means they helped start the main international group for bandy.
Leaders of the Association
The Swedish Bandy Association has had many leaders over the years. These leaders, called chairpersons or presidents, help guide the organization.
On June 11, 2022, something special happened. Gisela Stockhaus was chosen as the new president. She is the first woman to ever hold this top position in the Swedish Bandy Association.
Past Presidents
Here are some of the people who have led the Swedish Bandy Association:
- 1925–1950: Sune Almkvist
- 1950–1961: Gunnar Galin
- 1961–1964: Gösta Ellhammar
- 1964–1970: Arne Argus
- 1970–1983: Pontus Widén
- 1983–1988: Sten Lindström
- 1988–1997: Staffan Söderlund
- 1997–1999: Owe Svensson
- 1999–2006: Seppo Vaihela
- 2006–2014: Håkan Ramsin
- 2014–2019: Stig Bertilsson
- 2019–2022: Per-Anders Gustafsson
- 2022–present: Gisela Stockhaus
See also
- List of bandy players awarded Stora Grabbars och Tjejers Märke
