User:Newmyths/International Federation of Poker (IFP)

The International Federation of Poker, better known by its acronym IFP, is the global governing body of poker. It is a non-profit organization incorporated as a legal entity pursuant to articles 60 to 79 of the Swiss Civil Code and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. Its president is Anthony Holden. IFP currently has 16 member-nations.

thumb|International Federation of Poker

History
Following the rapid expansion of the poker industry in the last decade of the 20th century and beyond, it became apparent that poker was lacking an internationally recognised governing body. IFP was founded in Lausanne on April 29th 2009  to fill this role. IFP is structured as an International Sports Federation and is recognized by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Goals
The goals of IFP are to promote the development of poker worldwide and to secure its recognition as a mind sport based on strategic skills, played without any discrimination of race, sex and creed. IFP also seeks to assist its member Federations in securing legislation that gives players the right to play poker safely and legally, both online and in bricks & mortar establishments.

Governance, Rules and Code of Conduct
The IFP has codified the Laws of Poker which govern the major poker variants. IFP is also developing an official set of rules as well as a Code of Conduct and Dress Code to apply to all IFP-organized and sanctioned events.

Poker’s recognition as a ‘Mind Sport’
IFP has made significant progress towards securing membership of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA). Through its membership of IMSA, IFP hopes to secure international recognition of poker as a Mind Sport. Membership of IMSA will secure a place for poker to be played in the World Mind Sports Games which is held every four years alongside the Olympics in the host country. IFP has also applied to join SportAccord (formerly the General Assembly of International Sports Federations) early in 2011.

IFP organized tournaments
IFP intends to begin organizing international poker tournaments in 2011. IFP’s member-nations will be running sanctioned National Championships in both Team and Individual formats. The winners of these championships will progress to the annual IFP World Championships.

Internal structure
The supreme authority of IFP is the Congress, the assembly of all the members of IFP on a one-country-one-vote system. Congress meets once a year. The Board of IFP is elected by Congress for a period of three years and is the managing body of IFP. The Board elects a President from among its members for a term of three years, which can be renewed.

As IFP’s membership base grows, it intends to establish Continental Confederations to debate issues pertaining to specific continents. These confederations will have the authority to organize IFP-sanctioned intercontinental tournaments and present relevant issues to the Board and Congress of IFP.

Membership
Present at the founding congress of IFP were the seven founder members:


 * Associacao Brasileira de Poker
 * Dansk Pokerforbund
 * Fédération Française des joueurs de Poker
 * Stichting Nederlandse PokerBond
 * Russian Sport Poker Federation
 * Ukrainian Poker Federation
 * UK Poker Federation

Since this date, these founder members have been joined by nine more National Poker Federations:


 * Austrian PokerSport Association
 * Belarusian Sport Poker Association
 * Federations Costarricense de Poker Deportivo (Costa Rica)
 * Georgian Sport Poker Association
 * German Federation of Poker
 * Republic Federation of Amateurs and Poker Players (Kazakhstan)
 * Polska Federacja Pokera Sportowego (Poland)
 * Federatia Sportiva Nationala de Poker (Romania)
 * Asociacion Poker de Venezuela