| International Go Federation | |
|---|---|
| Formation | March 18, 1982 |
| Type | Sports federation |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Membership | List of Go organizations |
| Official languages | English |
| President | CHANG Zhenming[1] |
| Website | www.intergofed.org |
The International Go Federation is an international organization that connects the various national Go federations around the world. It is usually referred to as IGF.
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The Role of the IGF is to promote the sport of Go throughout the World, promote amicable relations among members and improve world go organization. It does so by carrying out the following activities:
The IGF is an apolitical and non-Religious organization, and strives to promote fair play amongst all players.
Although the European Go Federation dates back to 1959, Japan has always been a strong supporter of Go around the world. The Japan Go Association organized the first World Go Amateur Championship in Japan, in 1979. Many of the top Go players from around the world and representatives from the major National Go Associations attended the event. Its success led to the founding of the International Go Federation on March 18, 1982, with Shizuo Asada presiding over the original 29 founding members.
On April 7, 2006, the IGF became a member of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF)
The IGF is a founding member of IMSA (International Mind Sports Association).
The IGF organizes the yearly World Amateur Go Championship, which attracts over 65 countries.
As of 2011 the IGF has 71 member nations and 3 member associations.
There are at present 71 Member Associations and federations under the banner of the IGF, 35 in Europe, 16 in Asia, 15 in the Americas, 3 in Africa and 2 Oceania countries.