National Federations

A national sporting federation (NF), sometimesThis includes disciplinary action for rule infractions. An official NF is recognized by the International Federation (IF) as well as that country’s government (ministry of sport and/or National Olympic Committee) to operate in their country. There is only one official IF for any given sport and only one official NF in each country, as recognized by the IF.

Every sport that is officially recognized  within the Olympic Movement has a governing body, called an international federation (IF), which defines the way that the sport operates. The IF creates a common set of rules, rankings and procedures (such as safety and anti-doping rules) and organizes international competitions. Promotion of the sport is also a function of international federations. National federations have the same objectives as an international federation, but within the scope of one country. They support local clubs, competitions and associations and are generally responsible for national teams.