Development for Officials

Following the publication of the IFSC Strategic Plan 2020-2028, the IFSC developed and put in place a Programme with the aim of achieving objectives under Universalitiy and Qualiity & Education.

IFSC ROUTESETTERS' DIVERSITY PROGRAMME

The goal of the programme is to support and proactively develop diversity across the team of International Routesetters by offering opportunities within the IFSC community and IFSC Calendar of events to aspirant members of the IFSC routesetting group. Specific goals of the programme are to improve gender equality within the group, and to open opportunities for setters from countries not yet represented in the group to gain International competition experience.

Every year the IFSC will offer at least two opportunities on IFSC events to routesetters from under-represented groups as internships for broader development of experience. The routesetters that are part of the Diversity Programme will job-shadow the IFSC routesetting team during the event, and get an on-the-job learning opportunity. It will also allow them to show to the team their strengths and receive direct feedback on what to improve.

The selection of candidates for the Diversity Programme is made by the IFSC Routesetters’ Commission. Internships on the programme will be offered to candidates who do not yet have enough competition experience to qualify for a Junior Routesetter position, but who show very strong potential and who come from groups that are currently under represented within the IFSC routesetters' group.

At the end of the year, routesetters on the Diversity Programme will be reviewed and their position evaluated together with all the annual reviews. Strong candidates will be encouraged to apply for a position as a IFSC Junior Routesetter.

2021:

Postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, the IFSC Routesetters’ Commission appointed two women routesetters, whose names have been put forward by their National Federation as candidates for the Programme:

• Tsukasa MIZUGUCHI (JPN)
• Flannery SHAY-NEMIROV (USA)

2022:

For the 2022 season, the IFSC allocated six spots for the Programme. The Routesetters’ Commission decided to appoint two men and four women, whose names have been put forward by their National Federation as candidates:

• Anna BORELLA (ITA)
• Pedro CORRLAL (ECU)
• Haron HILMAN (SGP)
• Emma HORAN (AUS)
• Stephanie SEXTON (ISR)
• Alice ZVIGULE (SUI/LAT)

2023:

For the 2023 season, the IFSC allocated five spots for the Programme. The Routesetters’ Commission decided to appoint two men and three women, whose names have been put forward by their National Federation as candidates:

• Anna BORELLA (ITA)
• Pedro CORRLAL (ECU)
• Haron HILMAN (SGP)
• Emma HORAN (AUS)
• Stephanie SEXTON (ISR)

Back in 2017 there was no female routesetters in the list of IFSC Officials. The first nomination to a woman was made with Katja Vidmar, in the 2018 list of Officials, and by 2019 she acted as IFSC Head Routesetter.

The IFSC started encouraging Member Federations to send names of female routesetters and, for every call for Junior Routesetters applications, the Federation asked for two names to be put forward – one man and one woman. Else, only one candidate was going to be accepted.

The IFSC also drafted the IFSC Routsetters' Diversity Programme to account for lack of opportunities and lack of experience, in order to give them the opportunity, and also supporting them with travel and accommodation expenses, and paying half the honorarium of other routesetters.

OFFICIALS' PATHWAY OF EDUCATION

The IFSC announced in October 2023 the revision of the Officials’ Pathway of Education.

At the heart of the upgrade is the standardization of the education pathway and career progression for all officials worldwide, including judges and routesetters at the continental level.

The initiative comes in response to requests from National Federations for greater IFSC guidance and support regarding the development of their officials.

With the World Climbing Academy platform now in place to support the Federation's educational initiatives, and continental events set to be included as part of the international athlete ranking system from 2025, the IFSC decided the time was right to begin the revision process, which is expected to take upwards of three years to complete.

The process began this summer with consultations with continental councils and experts and featured research already undertaken by other International Federations in the Olympic Movement. This was followed by a presentation of the initial findings and a discussion at the IFSC Executive Board on 12 October 2023.

They were then shared with the National Federations on 16 October 2023 in two sessions, which featured 96 participants in total.

On 27 October 2023, with an eye to implementing a new multi-level and open system of selection aimed at supporting the education path and career progression of routesetters, the IFSC initiated an open call for routesetter applications.

With the open call, the IFSC aims to further diversify our pool of officials to include more women, more continental representation, and more countries. The deadline for submissions recently passed on 19 November, with 128 applications being submitted in total.

Further consultations with relevant IFSC stakeholders took place during Commissions’ Week from 5 to 7 December 2023 in Torino. This was followed by the evaluation and selection of candidates from the 128 applications received, with the finalized Officials List for the 2024 season scheduled to be released at the start of 2024.