Sep 7, 2015
Ireland’s Jack Woolley has added a second place Silver medal in the Israel Taekwondo Open G1 competition to a 3rd place Bronze medal achieved in Poland last week.
Jack Woolley was unlucky not to take a gold medal as the final match went to a draw and a subsequent golden point round where he narrowly missed out to his Israeli opponent.
Jack has picked up a valuable 7.2 points which will contribute to a more favourable draw in the European Olympic qualifying tournament in Turkey in January.
With 4 podium finishes in his first year as senior ,Woolley will head to Russia at the end of the month and then Riga where he will play for the final time in the European Junior Championships.
Sep 1, 2015
Background:
About Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership
Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership (SSRP) was established in 2001 under the Irish Sports Council (ISC) to increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity in County Sligo. We aim to achieve this by engaging with sporting bodies, community organisations and statutory bodies. Our programme of work is influenced by our current strategy ‘ Sport and Recreation: A Way of Life in Sligo 2013 – 2016’.
What We Do:
SSRP provides a leadership role for the co ordination, development and delivery of sport and physical activity opportunities in County Sligo within the framework of our strategic plan and the resources available.
Our work includes the provision of information on sport and physical activity, the facilitation of education and training opportunities and support for programmes/ events that encourage increased levels of participation. Our areas of work include club development, community sport programme support, volunteer training and encouraging sports participation pathways between school, club and community. In addition, our information role involves providing advice and guidance on sports development while also facilitating information sharing on local directories of sports bodies and facilities. We also engage in planning and sports policy work with our Partners and stakeholders at local level.
How We Do It:
We work with many people from diverse settings to achieve our goal of increased participation levels in sport and physical activity.
We are here to add value to the outstanding work of volunteers, clubs and communities. We work with the many clubs, schools, community organisations and National Governing Bodies of Sport. Also, at local level our partner agencies are fundamental to the success of SSRP to date. Our agency support includes Health Service Executive West, Sligo County Council, Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB, Institute of Technology Sligo and Sligo Leader Partnership Company. Together with all our stakeholders we seek to optimise value for money and extract the maximum impact from the available resources.
Who Can Participate
We endeavour to involve and support all people equally at a level of their choice in sport and physical activity.
While we try to support participation in sport and physical activity in its broadest sense for the general population, our priority target groups include:
- Disadvantaged communities (including Travellers, Ethnic Minorities and Job Seekers)
- Young people
- People with a disability
- Women and teenage girls
- Older adults
Strategy 1: Active People:
Building capacity among volunteers, coaches and club/ community personnel is a key area of work and this is facilitated through the delivery of a range of education and training courses including:
- Code of Ethics
- National Governing Body courses (Introductory/ Level 1 / Level 2)
- Disability Inclusion Training
- Generic Education and Training workshops
- Active Leadership
- Go for Life workshops
- Good Relations Training
- Physical Education curriculum support
Strategy 2: Active Places
The work of SSRP involves a diverse range of settings in which a range of programmes are supported including:
- Sports Clubs: Club Development Programmes
- Active Communities: Community Sport, Cranmore Regeneration Through Sport, Sports Inclusion Disability Project, Want 2 Move, Women in Sport, Active Seniors
- Schools; Youth Sport West, Girls Active, Athletics for All, Buntus Start and Ag Sugradh le Cheile
- Sports and Recreational Facilities: Active Centres and Commercial Facility Programmes
- Outdoor Recreation: An Post Tour of Sligo, Sofa to Saddle, Couch to 5K, Community Walking, Water Sports Programmes and Outdoor Gym Programmes
Participation Programmes & Events:
2015 has been a very busy year so far with the following representing a snapshot of programmes and events facilitated.
Sligo European Town of Sport:
Sligo had the honour of being selected as the European Town of Sport for Ireland for 2014 and to mark this special year for sport in Sligo an online and hard copy gallery of photos was compiled by SSRP entitled ‘The year the was… Sligo European Town of Sport 2014’.
An Post Yeats Tour of Sligo:
In 2015, the hosting of the fifth An Post Yeats Tour of Sligo took place. The event proved to be highly successful with 2,300 cyclists from all over Ireland and oversees involved resulting in significant economic benefit to the area of over €450,000. The event is part of the An Post cycle Series which is co ordinated at a national level by the Irish Sport Council/ An Post and facilitated locally by 5 Local Sports Partnerships. Event ambassador for the Sligo for the last two years is well known cycling enthusiast and singer ‘Bressie’.
Cranmore Regeneration Through Sport:
SSRP delivers an
agreed Sport and Recreational programme for Cranmore as part of the social regeneration initiatives under the overall Cranmore Regeneration Project. Activities involve all age groups and include Soccer, Boxing, Dance, Boules, Walking and Fitness. SSRP engaged the Centre for Research in Social Professions at Institute of Technology to do an external evaluation of the project and the outcome of the evaluation indicated very positive impacts for both individuals and wider community associated with the sports project. The full report is available on SSRP website.
Youth Sport West:
Youth Sport West is an extra-curricular school sports programme delivered by SSRP Community Coaches and co ordinated by SSRP in conjunction with Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim ETB. Schools are offered a six week programme involving 1 hour extra curricular coaching per week in a sport of their choice with a pathway of participation encouraged from school to club/ community sport. In the current school academic year to date 115 quality extra-curricular sports programmes have been delivered at both secondary schools and primary school sites involving 1430 participant places.
Inclusive Sports Hall Athletics:
This annual North West Inclusive Schools Sports Hall Athletics festival took place in the Sligo Regional Sports Centre in May 2015. The programme represents a joint initiative between the Sports Inclusion Disability Officers in Sligo, Donegal, Mayo and Roscommon. All of the participating schools involved from the various counties took part in a familiarization programme prior to the sports hall event which involved over 75 athletes on the day.
Sligo Fit 4 Life Women’s 5K Series:
The promotion of women’s participation in Athletics in Sligo is supported annually by SSRP through the delivery of the Sligo Fit 4 Life Women’s 5K Series at 5 locations across the county. This programme is funded under the Irish Sports Council Women in Sport initiative and in 2015 this Spring/ Summer event series was facilitated by five local Athletic Clubs and involved over 400 women, most of whom are new to the sport of running.
SSRP – A Partnership Approach to Delivering Sport at Local Level::
Contact Details:
Phone: 071 9161511
Website: www.sligosportandrecreation.ie
Email: info@sligosportandrecreation.ie
Sep 1, 2015
- Can you give us some background to the Irish Underwater Council and how diving as a sport developed in Ireland?
The Irish Underwater Council (IUC) is the national governing body for recreational underwater sports in Ireland. It was founded in 1963 to organise and promote the sport of scuba diving and snorkelling. The IUC is affiliated to both Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS), the international umbrella organisation for recreational diver training organisations and the European Underwater Federation (EUF). Our members have served on the boards of both of these as well as President of the Technical Commission of CMAS. We were the first diving organisation in the world to achieve an ISO certification for our standard of training as well as one of the first national governing bodies to become a company limited by guarantee and purchase our own headquarters.
In the words of our Archivist Mick Moriarty who has been a member since 1963 and one of the founding members “In those early days the equipment was very basic and very hard to come by. There were no wetsuits never mind drysuits and diving involved multiple layers of clothing to keep warm as well as home fashioned masks and snorkels.” With the explosion of interest in the underwater world the scene today is very different. Gone are the wollie jumpers and rubber tubing, replaced by high Tec drysuits and safety equipment.
With the establishment of IUC the sport has grown immensely, well beyond the expectations of those early divers, the sport is now fully regulated with a suite of courses to suit all interests and over 2,000 people participating on a weekly basis.
- Can you tell us about opportunities for diving in Ireland?
Ireland is one of the best locations in the world to dive, in fact a dive site off the coast of Mayo was voted the 10th best dive site in the world. With over 3,000 miles of coastline and pristine waters the opportunities are endless. We have a large network of clubs all around the country that provide top class dive and snorkel training at a fraction of commercial rates.
- How many members and clubs are there affiliated to the Irish Underwater Council?
We currently have 2,000 members and 73 clubs nationwide.
- Are there many qualifications along the way to becoming an instructor?
We take training very seriously and our Dive Instructor grade is one of the highest standards of outdoor instruction in Ireland and internationally. In order to become a Dive Instructor you must complete a number of pre requisite courses and have at least 5 years experience . However the path is an enjoyable one and one that gives you an opportunity to meet divers and experience dive sites around the county. Our Snorkel Instructor grade is also internationally recognised and again there is a number of grades to pass through along the way, each one building on your experience and knowledge.
- What is your highlight of 2015 so far?
The highlight of this year would have to be our regional diving and snorkelling rallies, open to members and non-members alike its great opportunity to meet likeminded people and visit locations you may not have had the opportunity to visit before. This year we have had 5 regional rallies and well in access of 500 people participating.
- What lies in store for the Irish Underwater Council?
We are very excited about the future! We were the creator of the now famous Blueway water trails and we look forward to welcoming a new generation of snorkelers through these trails. We have also just launched our new Underwater Archaeology Course which has created a wave of interest especially with the 1916 centenary coming up next year.
Sep 1, 2015
The South Dublin Swans have won the 2015 Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) Grand Final after a nail biting final against last year’s champions the Belfast Redbacks on Saturday last in Belfast. With less than a minute remaining in the final quarter the Redbacks had one last chance to retain their crown but a close in mark from a tight angle by Redbacks’ Australian full forward Andrew Hickey yielded just a behind rather than the goal required. If they had goaled it would have been tough on the Swans who led for the majority of the game. The Belfast Redbacks had been the dominant Irish team throughout most of the season, but on the day that mattered most it was the Swans that triumphed.
The Redbacks started the game the better and had a one goal advantage at the end of the first quarter. By half-time the Swans had recovered and went into the main break with a 11 point lead, 3 7 25 to 2 2 14. The Redbacks knew they had a challenge on their hands and came back hard in the second half, but the stoic Swans held out for a thrilling two point victory, winning 6 9 45 to 6 7 43.
Swans 200cm ruckman Paul O’Halloran set the platform for victory winning the majority of hit outs and he was well supported in midfield by Cork man Michael Hurley who ran tirelessly throughout the game and at full back by James O’Byrne. The Redbacks never stopped trying with Irish International David McElhone and Kyle Devine there most impressive players on the day. Devine who previously played in Australia scored two goals and was awarded best on ground.
For the Swans it is their fifth premiership (also 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013) and the result makes up for last year’s defeat at the hands of the Redbacks, also by just two points at the semi-final stage. The two teams have split the premierships between them since 2010 with the Redbacks taking the titles in 2012 (their maiden premiership) and 2014. For the Swans, the result makes them the most successful Irish club in terms of premierships. Their fifth flag sees them go past the Leeside Lions and Dublin Demons who have four each.
Aug 27, 2015
Date: Thursday 15th October Venue: Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
There has been growing and significant concern regarding the occurrence,
diagnosis, management and litigation implications surrounding concussion and
other injuries in Irish sport. From boxing to rugby, soccer to horse riding, hurling
and more, the instance of injuries are rising with increased sporting
participation. Some tragic instances stemming from concussion related
incidents have been highlighted in the national media. Overseas, sustained
injuries and degenerative illnesses such as dementia as a result of concussion
are growing and some estimates now put the global level of concussion related
incidents in excess of 17 million people. What is coming to light is even mild
injuries can cause the most dangerous long term effects when it comes to
concussion. What is also coming to light is the significant and growing trend of
global litigation cases taken against teams, governing bodies and even
coaches, particularly when the current thinking centres around the belief that it
is not acceptable for coaches, medics, administrators or even players, to take
part in sport without significant training on concussion management.
In light of the growing concern surrounding the issue of concussion and
other significant sporting injuries, the obvious potential damage to players, and
the growing global litigation threat. CMG Events, Irelands leading proprietary
conference organisers, are hosting a one day conference to explore the current
thinking and likely recommendations from the sports and governing bodies
arena, the medical profession and the legal sector. This unique event will
examine the medical developments and recommendations on best practice for
management of significant sports injuries, the practicalities in sports concussion
management and look closely at the legal perspective and ask, as the threat of
litigation rises globally, what are the legal trends and recent legal precedents
here in Ireland?
This is a must attend event for any professionals directly or indirectly
involved in sports in Ireland or the legal system surrounding it who need to
know the legal landscape of sport in 2015 & beyond.
Conference Programme
8.15 Registration with tea, coffee and pastries
8.50 Opening Remarks by Conference Chairperson
Cliff Beirne, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, Sports
Surgery Clinic
9.00 Understanding concussion
Speaker: Dr Elaine Kelly, Clinical Psychologist,
Headway
What is concussion? – Velocity and impact/ The G-force of
the hit
The Neuropsychological Viewpoint
Long term implications of concussion – connections with
dementia and degenerative illnesses
Post-concussion syndrome
9.40 Sport and concussion management
Speaker: Prof. John Ryan, Consultant in Emergency
Medicine, St Vincent’s University Hospital & team
doctor with Leinster Rugby
Are we in a crisis?
What has changed in last 20 years?
How do you guide the coaches?
What are the current guidelines to concussion management?
The governing sports bodies role in concussion
management / boxing / horse riding / rugby / hurling /
soccer
10.20 Contact Sports, Concussion and the Law – A
Coming Crisis?
Speaker: Tim O’Connor BL, Barrister, Law Library
Concussion – What it is, the risks posed.
Concussion management – History, Zurich Consensus,
Player Welfare – Duties of coaches, management, officials,
governing bodies
Potential liability issues – underage sport, officials amateur v.
professional sport
Legacy issues
What should sports bodies be doing?
11.00 Coffee break and chance to network
11.30 The players perspective – ‘don’t take me off’
Speaker: Dr Michael Molloy, Rheumatologist, Cork
University College
Making the right call
The wellbeing of the player
Can the ref call it?
Who will the likely legal issues rest with? Are coaches,
referees indemnified adequately?
12.10 Concussion: Case studies, research and future
directions
Speaker: Dr Ciaran Cosgrave, Consultant in Sports and
Exercise Medicine, Sports Medicine Department, Sports
Surgery Clinic
Challenges concussion presents in elite sport
Is ‘concussion’ too broad a diagnosis?
Current concussion research
Future directions for concussion management and research
12.50 Q+A Session
1.00 Lunch and chance to network
2.00 The Challenges of Doping and Betting
Speaker: Gary Rice, Partner, DAC Beachcroft
Anti-doping – world anti-doping code – Irish anti-doping rules
Intelligence gathering and investigation-led anti-doping
Athlete biological passports
Legal developments in anti-doping
Betting in sport, match fixing and spot fixing
Legislative and EU developments in sports betting
Sports integrity rules
2.45 Disciplinary Procedures and Appeal Processes
Speaker: Professor Jack Anderson, Editor,
International Sports Law Journal, School of Law,
Queen’s University
Principles & structure of disciplinary systems
Rules /Regulations – need to be simple, clear
Natural justice and fair procedures
The appeals/ committee / hearing / process
Appeals procedures
Court proceedings / applications
JSI – Just Sport Ireland
CAS – TAS : Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne
Costs – resources
3.30 ADR/Sports Arbitration; General Perspectives
Speaker: Larry Fenelon, Managing Partner,
Leman Solicitors
Introduction: challenging decisions of sports bodies in the Irish
courts
Development of in-house ADR in Irish sport e.g. Just Sport
Ireland
Development of ADR in international sport e.g., Court of
Arbitration for Sport
Sporting justice in action: an arbitrator’s perspective
4.00 Q+A Session
4.10 Closing Remarks 4.15 Conference Close
Speakers Biographies
Gary Rice, Partner, DAC Beachcroft
Gary is an experienced public, regulatory and commercial
law solicitor who provides legal, strategic and
consultancy services to clients in the public, sport and
health sectors. He qualified in 1986 and joined DAC
Beachcroft in 2014 from another large Irish law firm
where he had been a partner and had served as
chairman. DAC Beachcroft is a leading international legal business with
more than 2,200 people and coverage across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin
America and North America. Gary represents numerous sports
organisations on legal issues including sponsorship agreements,
merchandising, endorsement, broadcasting, safety health and
environmental matters, competition law issues, brand protection and
exploitation, anti-doping and integrity regulations and prosecutions and
disciplinary proceedings.
Professor Jack Anderson, Editor,
International Sports Law Journal, School of
Law, Queen’s Universit
Jack Anderson is a Professor of Law at Queen’s
University, Belfast. Jack has published widely on the
topics of sports law and including monographs such as
The Legality of Boxing (2007) and Modern Sports Law
(2010) and an edited collection Landmark Cases in Sports Law (2013). He
is currently Editor-in-Chief of theInternational Sports Law Journal the leading
periodical in the area. Jack has lectured internationally on the topic of
sports law and including at the US National Sports Law Institute; the
Australian National University; University of Cambridge; German Sports
University; and the China University of Political Science and Law. He has
also delivered workshops relating to sports law for Interpol, FIFA and the
World Rugby Board.
Cliff Beirne, Consultant Maxillofacial
Surgeon, Sports Surgery Clinic
Cliff has had a lifetime experience in sport both as a
participant and professionally. He graduated from Trinity
College,Dublin in 1982. He has published extensively and
presented widely at many International meetings. Cliff has
a keen interest in Player Welfare having launched the
compulsory use of helmets and faceguards in Hurling in 2009. He spoke to
the GAA Congress in 2012 proposing a motion for the compulsory
implementation of the use of mouthguards in Gaelic Football. At the recent
Oireachtas enquiry into Concussion in Sport he provided a written
submission.
He has served on the Medical Scientific and Welfare Committee of the
GAA and was Honorary Maxillofacial Surgeon to the IRFU for fourteen
years.
Dr Ciaran Cosgrave, Consultant in Sports
and Exercise Medicine, Sports Medicine
Department, Sports Surgery Clinic
Dr Cosgrave joined the Sports Medicine Department of
Sports Surgery Clinic in 2013 having trained as a
consultant in Sports & Exercise Medicine in Liverpool. He
is also the lead doctor at Leinster Rugby. He has a
wealth of experience in elite sport having worked for two seasons at
Liverpool Football Club from 2011-2013. He also provided medical cover
at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and subsequently
accompanied Team GB at their High Altitude Training Camp in Iten, Kenya.
Other experience in elite sport includes basketball, Northern Ireland
Football, athletics, karate and judo. In each of these sports he not only
provides high quality sports medicine but also works closely with athletes
and coaches on performance enhancement.
Larry Fenelon, Managing Partner,
Leman Solicitors
Larry is the managing partner in Leman Solicitors and is
head of the sports law team. He is an experienced
mediator, arbitrator and litigator in sports disputes. Having
specialised in sports law for the last decade he
represents the largest and smallest governing bodies. He
advises on corporate structuring, governance and disciplinary matters to
national governing bodies.
Prof. John Ryan, Consultant in Emergency
Medicine, St Vincent’s University Hospital &
team doctor with Leinster Rugby
Professor John Ryan is a consultant in Emergency Medicine
and Associate Clinical Professor in Emergency Medicine at
St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin. He trained in
Ireland, the UK and Australia and was formerly a consultant
and senior lecturer in Emergency Medicine He is currently Vice Dean
responsible for Advanced Specialty Training in Emergency Medicine in Ireland.
He is a board member of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine in Ireland
and has a particular interest in Sports Injuries. He runs a Concussion Clinic at
St Vincent’s University Hospital and is active in Research in this area. He works
closely with the IRFU SAFE-rugby programme instructing on its courses. When
not working at St Vincent’s he works with Leinster Rugby as team doctor and
he is also team doctor to the Irish Schools rugby team.
Dr. Elaine Kelly, Clinical Psychologist, Headway
Elaine Kelly works in Headway as a Clinical Psychologist since 2013.
Headway is a specialist service for people with Acquired Brain Injury.
Elaine’s professional qualifications are as follows:
Undergraduate Psychology Degree- National University of Ireland,
Maynooth
Postgraduate Masters in Clinical Psychology- Bangor University,
Wales
Doctorate of Clinical Psychology- Trinity College Dublin
Clinical Neuropsychology MSc (Med Sci)- University of Glasgow
(currently doing this)
Michael Molloy, Rheumatologist, Cork University College
Professor Molloy Qualified in University College Galway (NUIG).
He did all of his post-graduate training in London, in a number of hospitals,
including the Hammersmith Hospital, Guys Hospital, Lewisham Hospital,
Kings College Hospital and the Royal London Hospital.
He returned to Ireland to take up a post as Consultant Physician
Rheumatologist, at Cork University Hospital and UCC.
On his return to Ireland, he was appointed Medical Officer, to the Irish
Rugby Football Union and remained in that post for 25 years.
He then became Chief Medical Officer to the International Rugby Board
from 2006 to 2011.He set up a Masters in Sport and Exercise Medicine in
UCC in 1994 and over 140 graduates have completed the Masters
Programme.
Research interests include the genetics of Rheumatoid Arthritis and
Osteoporosis and the use of biologic drugs in inflammatory joint disease
Who Should Attend?
This Conference will be of interest or benefit to anyone involved with sports in Ireland. It is of particular relevance to sports governing bodies, legal professionals such as barristers, Solicitors or arbitrators and mediators, and also to club managers and sports people themselves.
Easy ways to book:
http://www.cmgevents.ie/events/national-sports-law-conference-2015#bookings
EMAIL sarah@cmgevents.ie
ONLINE www.cmgevents.ie
ENQUIRIES 01 293 4764
Interested in speaking at one of
our events or tutoring one of our
workshops?
Contact Debbie Hogan,
debbie@commercialmediagroup.ie
Speakers/Tutors
For bookings at this event
Contact Sarah Flynn,
sarah@cmgevents.ie
Bookings
For payment or account queries
Contact Elaine Corry
elaine@cmgevents.ie
Accounts Queries
Aug 27, 2015
Ireland’s top Lifeguards have won 18 medals in Wales competing against Europe’s finest athletes at the European Lifesaving Championships http://www.lifesaving2015.co.uk Ireland have never won so many medals at and International event before.
Medal Winners were:
Bernard Cahill from Clare won Gold in the Surf Swim at 500m ;
Denise Bolger from Wexford & Emer Kelly from Wicklow won Gold in the Line Throw
Dave Butler from Dublin and Cameron Steele from Wexford won Gold in the Line Throw
Denise Bolger from Wexford won Gold in the 90 metre Sprint
Roisin Cahill & Lily Barrett from Clare won Silver in the women’s Board Rescue race
Bernard Cahill won Silver in Surf Board Race at 500m and Silver in the Ironman competition which is a combination of a 2000 Metre Swim, Board, ski and run race.
Dave Butler from Dublin, Joe Mooney from Sligo, Bernard Cahill from Clare and James Hassey Waterford won Bronze in the Simulated Emergency Response Competition(SERC)
Denise Bolger from Wexford, Emer Kelly from Wicklow, Emma O’Brien from Wicklow and Brodie Edmead from Cork won Bronze in the Sprint Relay.
Ireland was 5th overall in the Beach Competitions and 9th in the combined pool and beach events. The teams broke 27 Irish Records which was a phenomenal success and a plethora of personal best performances.
If you wish to speak with any of the competitors/coaches/team managers, please contact: John Leech johnleech@iws.ie 087 6789600
For further information and photographs
https://www.facebook.com/SurfLifesavingIreland?fref=ts
Irish Water Safety, The Long Walk, Galway
LoCall 1890-420.202; Tel 091-56.44.00; Fax 091-56.47.00;
John Leech: 087-6789600,
www.iws.ie; info@iws.ie
MEDIA NOTES:
Ireland already has an excellent reputation as a competitor on the international stage in lifesaving events with several international awards and this will be further enhanced by our strongest ever team now competing in Australia.
Lifesaving has never been stronger in Ireland, especially at the grass roots level. We have thousands of kids, teenagers and adults with a particularly growing sector of 8-14 year old nippers who come through participating in Irish Water Safety Lifesaving classes and competitions. The drop off rate during adolescence is a lot less than in other sports.
The sport of lifesaving is unique as it injects a lifesaving skill back into a community and the training is all volunteer based making it a special activity that people want to be involved in and get so much enjoyment from. Having an Irish team at an event like Rescue 2012 in Australia, and with some exciting competitions between all the top nations, can only improve the standard of international lifesaving competition, increase the numbers of young people who will be attracted to the movement, and contribute to an improvement in aquatic safety in Ireland and around the world. It also improves standards within the lifeguarding community.
The sport of Lifesaving:
Life Saving Sport is recognised as an Olympic Category two Sport and it is recognised by the International Olympic Committee and the World Sports federation.
The sport is controlled by International Lifesaving (ILS) Sport and this organisation is recognised by IOC as the controlling body for the sport worldwide. There are over one hundred countries registered as members of ILS.
Within Europe the sport is controlled by International Lifesaving Sport Europe, a subsidiary body of ILS.
Irish Water Safety is and has always been recognised by both bodies as the National Governing Body for the sport in Ireland.
Irish Water Safety has organised the sport in Ireland since 1946. His Excellency President Sean T. O’Ceallaigh presented the President’s Award to IWS in 1950 for competition between the counties of Ireland and it is competed for every year since then.
ILS ,ILSE and IWS all subscribe to WADA.
The sport holds European and World Championships in addition to National Championships ,
The sport is controlled within IWS by a ”SPORTS COMMISSION”. Participation in competitions has been part funded by IWS and the Irish Sports Council.
Life Saving Sport is quite distinct in that the disciplines in which people compete are directly related to elements of lifeguarding.
