World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry

The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) is an independent association formed by sporting goods brands, manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, national and regional federations and other sporting goods industry related businesses. It is the world authoritative body for the sporting goods industry and is officially recognized by the IOC as the industry representative within the Olympic family. It is a non-profit organization and do not pursue any objective of economic character for its own gains.

Role

The WFSGI supports and promotes the sporting goods industry worldwide by providing the platform where their members forge the tools of their cooperation to promote fair trade in order to increase the sport participation in the world and improve the well-being of mankind through the practice of sports.
The federation keeps the members updated on important law and regulations like on product safety and standardization or on working conditions.
They act as the voice of the sporting goods industry toward international organizations (ILO, WTO, UN, etc.) and international sport organizations (IOC-International Olympic Committee and IFs-International Sports Federations).

Structure

Members

The WFSGI is composed of members, categorized according the following:

Full member:

• Industry Suppliers:

Brands, manufacturers, suppliers and/or distributors (including licensing, franchising and retail businesses) of sporting goods and services.

• Industry Supporters:

Recognized federations, associations and/or firms related to the sporting goods industry (such as trade fair organizers, consultancy companies, etc.) which are not directly engaged in the manufacturing, supply or trading of sporting goods and services.

• National or Regional Organizations:

National or regional organizations constituted and recognized as national or regional sporting goods governing bodies in any country throughout the world. Regional organizations can include their national federations in their membership.

Associate member:

Membership granted on invitation of the Board of the World Federation to international sports associations and/or federations or other industry associations or federations with close links to the sporting goods industry, and also to companies, agencies and other entities involved in sports-related sponsorship activities at international level.

Additional membership: Sustaining member:

This status May Be obtained by any member who demonstrates a specific high degree of identification with the WFSGI and its objectives. This status is divided in three levels : gold, silver and bronze (with respective services; see below).

Committees

The WFSGI is composed of 6 Committees which exchange information on various issues and topics.

CSR-Corporate Social Responsibility

The CSR committee is focusing on global societal, social and environmental trends like climate change, energy efficiency, resource depletion, labour and health issues. Its work is targeted at developing and promoting an understanding within the World Federation AbOUT the relevance of global social and environmental challenges for each individual member company offering members an opportunity to tackle challenges through guidance and sharing best practice and supporting members in identifying synergies to tie resources and enhance leverage through collaborative work.

Some programs for 2009 are:
* Harmonization/Synergies Audit processes

• Energy efficiency project
• Carbon Disclosure project (labelling, disclosure)
• Collaboration on Social Compliance
• Manufacturer exchange program
• Engagement/dialogue with civil societies (governments, NGOs)
• Playfair project (Indonesia)

Trade

The Trade Committee, created in 2008, is focusing on international trade issues facing the global sporting goods industry, including eliminating trade barriers, defending against trade cases, examining new product safety and testing requirements, removing restrictions that impact WFSGI member company’s supply chains, supporting international trade agreements that benefit the global sporting goods industry.

Some programs for 2009 are:
* US Consumer Safety Product Regulations

• International Trade Agreements (global, regional and bi-lateral)
• International Trade cases (e.g. anti-dumping, safeguards, customs reclassifications and countervailing duty cases etc.)
• China – Product Safety/Testing Initiative
• Supply Chain (port security and infrastructure congestion and development)
• Trade Litigation Training Program
• ISO/CE norm project (with DIN) to be extended to US and others

IPR-Intellectual Property Rights

The IPR Committee is there to keep WFSGI membership informed in a proactive manner on international developments and matters in legal, legislative and trade related areas; to define and recommend concrete strategies and instruments to the WFSGI members for a more efficient protection of the intellectual property rights of the WFSGI members; to educate members on matters of special interest in the area of law and international institutions (such as WTO, WIPO, etc.).
Some projects are:
* Legal Service (free advice)

• Assistance in fighting counterfeiting and trademark infringements
• WFSGI best practice risk management and document retention program
• Educational activities and best practices in the area of IP protection and enforcement in China
• Cooperation with the world customs organization in the area of customs authorities’ training.

CISO-Committee on International Sports Organization

The CISO represents the WFSGI as the industry consensus voice to all sports federations and organizations, promoting maximum and equal benefit to all WFSGI members and the sporting goods manufacturers’ community at large.
* IOC Manufacturer Identification Guidelines (Olympic Games Vancouver 2010 / Olympic Games London 2012 / Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010)

• Project to increase brand exposure at IOC and IF events
• Discuss and collaborate with the IOC on kit and advertisement regulations (Rule 41/51)
• Maintain IF contacts and involvement with kit rules and regulations (FIFA/IAAF etc.) and other supported programs (CSR, …)
• Manage Olympic Ticketing and Technical Accreditations

Federations

The Federation Committee is a new committee, created in 2008, to enhance the collaboration of WFSGI with its regional and national sporting goods industry member federations, to promote improved information exchange and mutual assistance amongst the federations themselves. To provide a platform for the global, regional and national federations to develop, exchange and promote best practices, industry trends, market research, collaborative programming and problem solving. Projects here are:
* Support of Sporting Goods Product Classification Key project (based on FEDAS)

• Identification of Federations’ Critical needs
• International Trade Policy-Global Reduction of Sporting Goods Tariffs Initiative
• Exchange of Best Practices in Supply Chain Management
• Sharing of Federation-Generated Market Research
• Improved Information Exchange between WFSGI and Member Federations
• Evaluation/Study on a specific Manufacturer exchange platform (committee or sub-committee)

Manufacturers Forum

A committee created in 2009 by manufacturers for manufacturers. The Manufacturers Forum aims at creating a positive synergy between manufacturers and brands by:
* being the venue for the manufacturing community and their agents to raise issues and show concern

• being a sounding board for the brands because they need to know what is possible / what is not and how things can be done.
• understanding the constantly changing generic requirements of the brands and circulate those to the members of the Forum
• being a bridge between manufacturers and brands to have the ideas flow in both directions

sharing and circulating knowledge among the Forum members on issues such as health & safety, hazardous materials, Corporate Social Responsibility and environmental issues, etc...

History

The WFSGI was founded in 1978.

In February 1976, Henri ROSSOLLIN, President of FIFAS, and Howard BRUNS, President of SGMA, met at the NSGA Show in Chicago and exchanged ideas about an international cooperation in the sporting goods industry. In Fall of 1976, John VERMEULEN, President of European Sporting Goods Manufacturers, organized the first World Congress of the sporting goods industry. In Spring 1977 in Chicago, a Committee of five was constituted representing Hong Kong, Japan, U.S.A., India and Europe.

In Spring 1978, this Committee of five was enlarged to a Committee of nine with the following members:
* Armin DASSLER (Germany)

• A.D. BHUTTA (Pakistan)
• Howard BRUNS (USA)
• D.N. BUDHRAJA (India)
• Chiun Yin KAO (Taiwan)
• Heinz KOCH (Canada)
• Henri ROSSOLLIN (France)
• John VERMEULEN (Netherlands)
• Hideo Matsu-Ura (Japan)

In November 1978, the first Board was constituted under the Chairmanship of David Sealy (UK).

Past Presidents:
* 1978-1980 D. Sealy (UK)

• 1980-1983 L. Fisher (USA)
• 1983-1986 K. Onitsuka (Japan)
• 1986-1989 A. Dassler (Germany)
• 1989-1992 K. Heyes (USA)
• 1992-1995 K. Onitsuka (Japan)
• 1995-1998 S. Rubin (U.K.)
• 1998-1999 R. Kazmaier (USA)
• 1999-2001 S. Rubin (U.K.)
• 2001-2004 Masato Mizuno (Japan)
• 2004-2007 Michel Perraudin (Europe)

Honorary President: Mr. Kihachiro Onitsuka (Japan) and Mr. Stephen Rubin (UK)