FIRA - Association of European Rugby
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This article is about the European sports association. For the Indian humanist association, see Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations.
The FIRA - Association Européenne de Rugby (FIRA–AER) was formed in 1999 to promote, develop, organise and administer the game of rugby in Europe under the authority of the International Rugby Board (the governing body of rugby union).
FIRA-A.E.R. Statutes, Section 1.3 - Object and Purpose:
The aim of the FIRA-AER is to promote, develop, organise and administer the game of rugby in Europe in accordance with the agreement signed in Paris on May 29, 1999 by the FIRA and the IRB. These statutes shall be interpreted within the spirit of this framework agreement. By virtue of this agreement the FIRA shall become a European rugby union confederation, the FIRA-AER, and shall be responsible for the development and administration of European rugby. It shall vigorously uphold the application and observation of the IRB’s Statutes and Regulations in force. The FIRA-AER shall organise its own championship and tournaments, the Junior World Championship and it shall administer the technical assistance necessary for the development of the game by way of competitions, training courses and any other form instruction.
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[edit] Competitions
- Seniors Championship also known as European Nations Cup
- Women's European Championship – This competition takes place every second year last played 2004
- European Regions Cup
- European VIIs Circuit
- European VIIs Championship
- European U18 Championship
- European U20 Championship
- European U18 Tournament & Championship
- World U19 Championship
- European U20 Tournament
- U21 Rugby Union World Cup
[edit] History
[edit] FIRA
For many years, the sport’s authorities had suspected that the governing body of French rugby union, the French Rugby Federation (FRF) was allowing the abuse of the rules on amateurism, and in 1931 the French Rugby Union was suspended from playing against the other IRB nations.
In 1934 the Federation Internationale de Rugby Amateur (FIRA) was formed at the instigation of the French. It was designed to organise rugby union outside the authority of the International Rugby Board. It included the national teams of Italy, France, Catalonia, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Germany.
[edit] FIRA to FIRA–A.E.R.
In 1990s the FIRA recognised the IRB as the governing body of rugby union world wide and after negotiations with the IRB, it agreed to integrate itself within the IRB. In 1999 it changed its name to "FIRA – Association of European Rugby" (FIRA-A.E.R.), to promote and rule over rugby union in the European area and to run the junior world championship.
