Good news came from the 8th General Assembly of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), which recently concluded in Shanghai: Li Zhixin, Chairman of the China Mountaineering Association, has been elected as Vice President of the IFSC, becoming the first Asian vice president in the history of international climbing.
Li Zhixin said he will continue to strive for better promotion and development of climbing in China and Asia, so that more Asian faces and voices can emerge in the global climbing community.
In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, Li Zhixin explained that this IFSC General Assembly is of great significance. It is the last General Assembly before climbing's potential inclusion in the 2020 Olympics, a session for the re-election of the IFSC Executive Committee (next term: 2013–2017), and an important opportunity to enhance Asia’s voice in international climbing.
“As the first Asian to be elected Vice President of the International Federation of Sport Climbing, I feel very honored. The development of China and Asia in recent years has been evident, and we are keen to contribute in this field to better promote the sport’s popularity and growth,” said Li Zhixin. “Strictly speaking, the climbing level of China and Asia still lags behind Europe. Whether climbing is included in the 2020 Olympics or not, we will take it as an opportunity to play a greater role in promoting the sport and public fitness, and to let more Asian voices be heard.”
“For China, our focus is on youth promotion. Currently, we have programs in over 50 cities every year, which greatly help improve young people’s willpower and physical fitness,” Li Zhixin said.
From March 9 to 10, the 8th General Assembly of the International Federation of Sport Climbing, jointly organized by the China Mountaineering Association and the Shanghai Mountaineering Association, was held in Shanghai, with over 80 representatives from around the world attending.
The IFSC was officially established in Frankfurt, Germany, in January 2007. In 2009, climbing became an official sport under the International Olympic Committee [Weibo]; in 2011, it was included as one of the eight candidate sports for the 2020 Olympics. The IFSC currently has 81 member organizations, and the next IFSC General Assembly will be held in Paris, France, in 2014.