International Luge Federation

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International Luge Federation
File:FIL-luge logo.png
Former logo
SportLuge
CategorySports federation
JurisdictionInternational
AbbreviationFIL
Founded1957; 69 years ago (1957)
HeadquartersAustria Salzburg, Austria
PresidentLatvia Einars Fogelis
Official website
www.fil-luge.org

The International Luge Federation (French: Fédération Internationale de Luge (FIL); German: Internationaler Rennrodelverband) is the main international federation for all luge sports. Founded by 13 nations at Davos, Switzerland in 1957, it has members of 53 national luge associations as of 2009 and is based in Berchtesgaden, Germany.

History

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Early beginnings

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The first luge competition took place on February 12, 1883, on a four-kilometer course between Davos and Klosters, Switzerland, with the co-winners from Australia and Switzerland having a time of 9 minutes, 15 seconds. Austria, Germany, and Switzerland founded the Internationaler Schlittensportsverband (ISSV – International Sled Sport Federation (in German)) in 1913 in Dresden, Germany. The first European Luge Championships took place in Reichenberg, Bohemia (now Liberec, Czech Republic) in 1914. World War I in Europe caused the ISSV operations to be suspended and prevented any additional competitions until 1927.

Rebirth and merging into FIBT

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In 1927, the ISSV was reestablished with the second European Luge Championships taking place in Schreiberhau, Germany (now Szklarska Poręba, Poland) the following year with a women's competition included. The ISSV was absorbed into the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT – International Bobsleigh and Tobagganing Federation (in French)) in 1935 and was part of the "Section de Luge" until the early 1950s.

Independence from FIBT

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At a 1954 International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Athens, Greece, it was determined that luge would replace skeleton as a Winter Olympic discipline. Skeleton, which had been a sport both at the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics, would not return as an Olympic sport until the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. In 1955, the first World Luge Championships were held at Holmenkollen near Oslo, Norway. The FIL was established in Switzerland in 1957 with membership granted into the IOC at their congress in Sofia, Bulgaria that same year. Bert Isatitsch of Austria was elected President of the FIL.

FIL growth

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At the 1959 IOC meeting in Munich, West Germany, luge was approved for inclusion into the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck with competitions taking place in neighboring Igls. 12 nations took part in the first Winter Olympic luge competitions with timing taking place in 1/100ths of a second. Following a tie in the men's doubles competition between East Germany and Italy at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, the FIL began timing all of their competition in 1/1000ths of a second, a practice that continues as of 2009. The first natural track European championships took place in Kapfenberg, Austria in 1970 while the first natural track World Championships took place in Inzing, Austria in 1979. The first Junior World Championships on artificial track took place at Lake Placid, New York, United States three years later.

FIL today

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Isatitich died suddenly on February 8, 1994, and then Vice-President for Sport Josef Fendt took over as Acting President. Fendt would be named president at the FIL congress in Rome, Italy later that year, a position he held until 2020.

In 2025, the federation's French name changed from Fédération Internationale de Luge de Course to Fédération Internationale de Luge.[1]

FIL events

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The FIL governs competitions on artificial tracks and natural tracks at both the European and World Championship levels. At the Winter Olympics, only artificial track competitions are contested. The events at the European and World Championships are men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, and a team event consisting of one run each from men's singles, men's doubles, and women's singles.

Artificial tracks are tracks that have their curves specifically designed and banked with walled-in straightaways. Made of reinforced concrete and cooled with ammonia refrigeration, these tracks are smooth and have g-forces of up to 4 g (Four times the athlete's body weight). Men's singles on most tracks have their start house close to the bobsleigh and skeleton start locations while both the men's doubles and women's singles have their start house located further down the track. As of 2009, there are sixteen bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton artificial tracks worldwide with a 17th track near Moscow that will host Junior World Cup events in November 2009. Another track in Russia near Sochi, the Sliding Center Sanki, will be in use for the 2014 Winter Olympics, had construction started in May 2009 following controversies at a previous location over track start heights and it being near World Heritage Site, including near an endangered species of brown bear.

Natural tracks are tracks adapted from existing mountain roads and paths, including a horizontal track surface and natural track icing. Most of the over 60 tracks are located in Austria, Italy, Germany, Poland, Canada, the United States, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Croatia, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, New Zealand and Slovenia.

FIL Hall of Fame

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In 2004, the FIL established a Hall of Fame for the greatest competitors in luge. As of 2008, there have been a total of six inductees.

FIL Presidents

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Since its founding in 1957, FIL has had three presidents, Bert Isatitsch from Austria (1957–94), Josef Fendt from Germany (1994–2020), and Einars Fogelis (2020-current) from Latvia.

Members

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53 nations in June 2021:[3]

Asia (7)

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  1. File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China - Chinese Luge Association
  2. File:Flag of India.svg India - Luge Federation of India
  3. File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan - Japan Bobsleigh and Luge Federation
  4. File:Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan - Luge Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan
  5. File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea - Korea Luge Federation
  6. File:Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait - Kuwait Luge Committee
  7. File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Chinese Taipei - Chinese Taipei Luge and Bobsleigh Association

Oceania (3)

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  1. File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia - Luge Australia
  2. File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand - New Zealand Olympic Luge Association
  3. File:Flag of Tonga.svg Tonga - Luge Association of the Kingdom of Tonga

Americas (8)

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  1. File:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina - Asociacion Argentina De Bobsleigh Y Skeleton- Luge
  2. File:Flag of Bermuda.svg Bermuda - Bermuda Bobsled Skeleton & Luge Association
  3. File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil - Confederação Brasileira De Desportos No Gelo
  4. File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada - Canadian Luge Association (Cla)
  5. File:Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg United States Virgin Islands - Virgin Islands Luge Federation
  6. File:Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico Winter Sports Federation
  7. File:Flag of the United States (23px).png United States - United States Luge Association
  8. File:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela - Federacion Venezolana De Deportes De Invierno

Europe (35)

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  1. File:Flag of Andorra.svg Andorra - Association Andorrana De Luges Esqui Club D'Andorra
  2. File:Flag of Austria.svg Austria - Österreichischer Rodelverband
  3. File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium - Association Belge De Luge De Course
  4. File:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sankaski Savez Bosne I Hercegovine
  5. File:Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria - Bulgarian Luge Federation
  6. File:Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia - Croatian Bobsleigh, Skeleton & Luge Federation
  7. File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic - Ceskomoravska Sankarska Asociace
  8. File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain - Federacion Española Deportes De Hielo
  9. File:Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia - Estonian Association of Luge Sports
  10. File:Flag of Finland.svg Finland - Suomen Kelkkailuliitto
  11. File:Flag of France.svg France - Fédération Francaise Des Sports De Glace
  12. File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom - Great Britain Luge Association
  13. File:Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia - Luge Federation of the Republic of Georgia
  14. File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany - Bob- Und Schlittenverband Für Deutschland (Bsd)
  15. File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece - Hellenic Ice Sports Federation
  16. File:Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary - Ungarischer Rennrodelverband
  17. File:Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland - Irish Luge Federation
  18. File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy - Federazione Italiana Sport Invernali
  19. File:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia - Latvian Luge Federation
  20. File:Flag of Liechtenstein.svg Liechtenstein - Rodelverband Liechtenstein
  21. File:Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania - Lithuanian Luge Federation
  22. File:Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova - Federatia De Schi Si Sanie Din Republica Moldova
  23. File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands - Bob En Slee Bond Nederland (Bsbn) C/O Nederlandse Ski Vereniging
  24. File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway - Norges Ake –, Bob- Og Skeleton Forbund (Nabsf)
  25. File:Flag of Poland.svg Poland - Polski Zwiazek Sportow Saneczkowych
  26. File:Flag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal - FEDERAÇÃO DE DESPORTOS DE INVERNO DE PORTUGAL
  27. File:Flag of Romania.svg Romania - Federatia Romana De Bob-Sanie
  28. File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia - Russian Luge Federation
  29. File:Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia - Sankaska Zveza Slovenije
  30. File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland - Schweizer Bobsleigh – Schlitten Und Skeleton Sportverband
  31. File:Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia - Slovensky Zvaz Sankarov
  32. File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden - Svenska Bob Och Rodelförbundet
  33. File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey - Turkish Bobsleigh- Skeleton and Luge Federation
  34. File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine - Rennrodelverband Der Ukraine
  35. File:Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia - Serbia Luge Association

Russia and Belarus suspension

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In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, in March 2022 the FIL banned all Russian athletes, coaches, and officials from its events, suspended all Russian officials appointed to its Commissions and Working Groups, and deemed Russia ineligible to host any of its events.[4] Also in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian Luge Federation's Natalia Gart was expelled from the FIL Executive Board.[5]

In October 2025, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decided to allow Russian luge athletes to participate in international competitions in a neutral status, partially satisfying the appeal of the Russian Luge Federation.[6][7]

Championships

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Results:[8]

References

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