Co-ordinating executive will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland
Far Hills, NJ., USA (February 23, 2010) – The International Golf Federation’s Olympic Committee has announced through its Executive Committee that it will begin a search for a full time Executive Director, who will co-ordinate day-to-day operations from Lausanne, Switzerland, as preparations intensify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Current plans call for the Executive Director position to be based at a new IGF Headquarters in Lausanne so that interaction with the International Olympic Committee and members of the Olympic Family can be facilitated.
The search will be spearheaded by Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A and Joint Secretary of the IGF, and Ty Votaw, who has served as Executive Director of the IGF Olympic Golf Committee from the outset of golf’s Olympic bid in August, 2008. Votaw is the PGA TOUR’s Executive Vice President, Communications and International Affairs.
The position will report directly to the Executive Committee, consisting of representatives from the European Tour, LPGA, Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, The R&A and USGA.
“As the workload intensifies in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games, it is paramount that we have a full time Executive Director in place who can handle and co-ordinate every detail or issue that arises,” Votaw said.
The Executive Director will be responsible for handling all day-to-day administration of the IGF for Olympic matters. Areas of responsibility include: interfacing with the IOC, Rio 2016, national golf federations, National Olympic Committees and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, as well as liaising with WADA on anti-doping matters; involvement in the Rio golf venue selection; organisation of Rio Olympic golf events; working with Youth Olympics and Paralympics; and sponsorship negotiation.
“There’s obviously significant work ahead that must be co-ordinated with the IGF member organisations, the IOC and Rio 2016, and so the Executive Committee agreed that the search should commence immediately,” Dawson said. “We also agreed that it is desirable that the Executive Director be based in Lausanne, in close proximity to the IOC, although it is possible that this will be adjusted depending on the circumstances of the successful candidate.”
Candidates should apply on line at www.internationalgolffederation.org.
Golf, along with rugby sevens, was added to the programme of Olympic sports last October during the IOC’s 121st Session in Copenhagen, Denmark.
About the International Golf Federation
The IGF was founded in 1958 to encourage the international development of the game and to employ golf as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship. Recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the official international federation for golf, the IGF is comprised of 123 Federations from 118 countries.
Joint Chairmen: Jim Hyler, Emma Villacieros, Allan Gormly
Joint Secretaries: David Fay, Peter Dawson
Joint Deputy Secretaries: Ty Votaw (Acting Executive Director), Stephanie Parel, Robin Bell
The IGF created the IGF Olympic Golf Committee to drive its effort for the sport’s inclusion in the 2016 Games. Organisations represented on the committee are The R&A; European Tour; USGA; PGA of America; PGA TOUR; LPGA; the Masters Tournament; The Asian Tour; Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour; Canadian Professional Golf Tour; Japan Golf Tour Organisation; The Ladies Professional Golfers Association of Japan; Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association; Korean Professional Golf Association; Ladies European Tour; Ladies Asian Golf Tour Ltd; PGA Tour of Australasia; The Sunshine Tour and The Tour de las Americas.
Contacts:
Chris Smith, PGA TOUR, +1 904.273.3379, csmith@pgatourhq.com
Malcolm Booth, The R&A, +44 1334 460000, malcolmbooth@randa.org
Rand Jerris, USGA, +1 908.234.2300, ext. 1991, rjerris@usga.org
David Higdon, LPGA, +1 386.843.0073, david.higdon@lpga.com
Steve Ethun, Masters Tournament, +1 706.667.6705, sethun@masters.org
Julius Mason, PGA of America, + 1 561.624.8444, jmason@pgahq.com
Mitchell Platts, European Tour, +44 1344 840400, mplatts@europeantour.com
www.internationalgolffederation.org.
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