About WAF – World Armwrestling Federation

Summary

The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) is the sole international governing body for armwrestling and para-armwrestling worldwide.
WAF operates within the Olympic Movement, is a member of SportAccord and the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS), and is actively working toward recognition by the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) as part of its long-term Olympic pathway.

What Is the Olympic Movement?

The Olympic Movement is the global system of organizations coordinated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that governs, recognizes, and develops sports worldwide.

It includes:

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)
International Sports Federations
National Olympic Committees
Other IOC-recognized international sports organizations

Not all sports within the Olympic Movement are part of the Olympic Games programme. Inclusion in the Games is a separate and more advanced stage.

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement.

The IOC:

Recognizes sports and International Federations
Oversees the Olympic Games
Defines recognition criteria for international sports
Coordinates the long-term development of the Olympic Movement

Recognition by the IOC is achieved through a structured, multi-stage institutional process.

SportAccord

SportAccord is the global umbrella organization that brings together International Sports Federations and organizations operating within the Olympic Movement.

SportAccord provides the institutional framework through which international sports are grouped, coordinated, and represented, according to their level of recognition and development within the Olympic system.

AIMS – Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport

The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) is a full member of the Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS).

What is AIMS?

AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport) represents:

One recognized International Federation per sport
Sports governed globally with unified rules and regulations
Federations operating within the Olympic Movement
Sports that are not yet directly recognized by the IOC

What does AIMS membership mean for WAF?

WAF is officially recognized as the global governing body for armwrestling and para-armwrestling
WAF operates within the Olympic Movement under the SportAccord framework
WAF meets international governance and organizational standards
AIMS membership represents the foundation stage of the Olympic recognition pathway

ARISF – Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations

The Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) is the group of International Federations whose sports are officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but are not currently included in the Olympic Games programme.

What does ARISF recognition mean?

Recognition by ARISF (Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations) means that:

The sport is formally recognised by the IOC
The International Federation is accepted by the IOC as the legitimate global authority
The sport becomes part of the Olympic Movement at IOC recognition level
The sport may be considered for future inclusion in the Olympic Games programme

ARISF recognition is a mandatory prerequisite for any sport aspiring to Olympic Games inclusion.

WAF’s Position on the Olympic Pathway

The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) is currently a full member of AIMS
WAF operates within the SportAccord framework
WAF is actively working toward recognition by ARISF
ARISF recognition represents the next formal institutional objective
Inclusion in the Olympic Games programme is a long-term goal, subject to IOC evaluation and criteria

Armwrestling and Para-Armwrestling

WAF governs both:

Able-bodied armwrestling
Para-armwrestling, as an integral and equal discipline

Para-armwrestling is fully embedded within the structure of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF), including:

International classification systems
Certified classifiers
World and continental championships
Cooperation with international para-sport institutions

Vision and Long-Term Strategy

The long-term vision of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) is to:

Establish armwrestling as a globally recognized Olympic sport
Strengthen international governance and institutional credibility
Expand global participation across all continents
Develop elite, youth, university, and para-armwrestling pathways
Cooperate closely with SportAccord, AIMS, ARISF, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Official Recognition

The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) is part of the Olympic Movement under AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport) and operates as the sole international governing body for armwrestling and para-armwrestling.

Read more: Recognition & Affiliations

Conclusion

As the sole international governing body for armwrestling and para-armwrestling, the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) operates within the Olympic Movement and follows the internationally recognized pathway toward Olympic recognition. Through its membership in AIMS and its strategic objective of ARISF recognition, WAF continues to strengthen the sport’s position within the global sports system.