Pau, France - April 21, 2026
The new chapter for the rafting community began today in Pau, in the French Pyrenees, where the first Elective Congress of United Rafting officially took place.
The Congress marked the formal unification of the World Rafting Federation (WRF) and the International Rafting Federation (IRF) into a single governing body for the sport. With this step, United Rafting aims to strengthen governance, improve coordination, and build a more sustainable and inclusive future for the worldwide rafting community.
Following the opening remarks from WRF President Danilo Barmaz and IRF President Joseph Willis Jones, a message from ICF President Thomas Konietzko was shared highlighting the importance of unity within the wider paddlesport family and expressing a strong willingness to collaborate moving forward. A total of 56 National Federations were entitled to vote at the Congress.
The Congress elected the following officials, who together form the General Board of United Rafting:
● President: Danilo Barmaz (Italy)
● Treasurer: Blerina Ago (Albania)
● Board Member: William Kariuki Mwangi (Kenya)
● Board Member: Hadi Seyed Ghaziasgar (Iran)
● Board Member: Gurkan Kose (Turkey)
● Board Member: Boris Purjakov (Serbia)
The following representatives were also elected to the Continental Councils:
Asian Continental Council
● Shigeto Asano (Japan)
● Gautam Raj Sudip (Nepal)
● Yaser Alkatheeri (United Arab Emirates)
European Continental Council
● Anne-Lise Bardet (France)
● Zdenka Fingrova (Czechia)
● Emilia Kirilova Peneva (Bulgaria)
American Continental Council
● Alba Luz Salazar Galan (Colombia)
● Aaron Tippett (United States of America)
African Continental Council
● Mohamuud Said Mohane (Somalia)
● Mohsen Takrouni (Tunisia)
The newly elected General Board will convene shortly for its first official meeting, where initial strategic priorities and organizational steps will be defined.
This newly formed body looks forward to building a inclusive, transparent, and forward-looking federation that supports athletes, national federations, and stakeholders across all continents.
