"VAN" (Sports Desk - 11.06.2026) :: World Rowing has strengthened its position in the sixth ASOIF Governance Review, confirming its commitment to the highest standards by achieving the top A1 ranking in the 2026 report.
The review of International Federation Governance is overseen by the ASOIF Governance Task Force, with support from an independent governance consultancy. The review is an internationally recognised benchmarking exercise that evaluates IFs across a range of governance indicators, including transparency, democratic processes, integrity controls, and development activities, all aligned with the diverse needs of international sport federations.
At its 50th General Assembly on 27 May 2026, ASOIF reaffirmed that governance remains a priority for the organisation and its members.
World Rowing’s placement in the A1 group marks significant recognition and showcases governance as a central, strategic focus.
World Rowing achieved the highest ranking among peer organisations of comparable size and revenue in the 2023–24 assessment, a ranking it again attained in the latest edition of the report. In the 2025–26 review, its performance placed it in the top category, even though all other top-ranked IFs were larger organisations with higher annual revenues. This result reflects World Rowing’s strong governance culture and sustained efforts over recent years.
Key initiatives supporting the continued strengthening of governance practices include developing a diagnostic tool for improvement and delivering a specially designed course on sport and human rights to World Rowing’s governance community of more than 120 people, in partnership with the Centre for Sport and Human Rights. World Rowing is the first IF to take this step, further demonstrating its commitment to unlocking the power of sport in line with principles regularly highlighted by stakeholders across the Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland thanked the ASOIF Governance Taskforce for its continued commitment to strengthening governance standards across the international sports movement.
"Achieving the highest A1 ranking is an important milestone for World Rowing and reflects the dedication of our Executive Committee, Council, staff and stakeholders to building a federation that is transparent, accountable and always centred on our athletes, said President Rolland. "Achieving the gold medal standard in good governance is not an end in itself; it is the foundation that enables us to serve our global rowing community effectively and to safeguard the long-term future of our sport.
"We are encouraged not only by World Rowing’s progress, but also by the broader advances being made across international federations," added Rolland. "This report demonstrates a clear and sustained commitment throughout the Olympic Movement to raising governance standards and embracing continuous improvement. Recognising these achievements is important, as strong governance strengthens trust, credibility and the ability of sport to create positive impact worldwide."
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