 Former logo | |
| Sport | Luge |
|---|---|
| Category | Sports federation |
| Jurisdiction | International |
| Abbreviation | FIL |
| Founded | 1957; 68 years ago (1957) |
| Headquarters |  Salzburg, Austria |
| President |  Einars Fogelis |
| Official website | |
| www | |
TheInternational Luge Federation (French:Fédération Internationale de Luge(FIL);German:Internationaler Rennrodelverband) is the main international federation for allluge sports. Founded by 13 nations atDavos, Switzerland in 1957, it has members of 53 national luge associations as of 2009[update] and is based inBerchtesgaden, Germany.
The firstluge competition took place on February 12, 1883, on a four-kilometer course betweenDavos andKlosters, Switzerland, with the co-winners from Australia and Switzerland having a time of 9 minutes, 15 seconds. Austria, Germany, and Switzerland founded theInternationaler Schlittensportsverband (ISSV – International Sled Sport Federation(in German)) in 1913 inDresden, Germany. The firstEuropean Luge Championships took place inReichenberg,Bohemia (nowLiberec,Czech Republic) in 1914.World War I in Europe caused the ISSV operations to be suspended and prevented any additional competitions until 1927.
In 1927, the ISSV was reestablished with the second European Luge Championships taking place inSchreiberhau, Germany (nowSzklarska Poręba, Poland) the following year with a women's competition included. The ISSV was absorbed into theFédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT – International Bobsleigh and Tobagganing Federation(in French)) in 1935 and was part of the "Section de Luge" until the early 1950s.
At a 1954International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Athens, Greece, it was determined that luge would replaceskeleton as aWinter Olympic discipline. Skeleton, which had been a sport both at the1928 and1948 Winter Olympics, would not return as an Olympic sport until the2002 Winter Olympics inSalt Lake City. In 1955, the firstWorld Luge Championships were held atHolmenkollen nearOslo,Norway. The FIL was established in Switzerland in 1957 with membership granted into the IOC at their congress inSofia,Bulgaria that same year.Bert Isatitsch of Austria was elected President of the FIL.
At the 1959 IOC meeting inMunich,West Germany, luge was approved for inclusion into the1964 Winter Olympics inInnsbruck with competitions taking place in neighboringIgls. 12 nations took part in the first Winter Olympic luge competitions with timing taking place in 1/100ths of a second. Following a tie in the men's doubles competition betweenEast Germany andItaly at the1972 Winter Olympics inSapporo, Japan, the FIL began timing all of their competition in 1/1000ths of a second, a practice that continues as of 2009. The firstnatural track European championships took place inKapfenberg, Austria in 1970 while the firstnatural track World Championships took place inInzing, Austria in 1979. The first Junior World Championships on artificial track took place atLake Placid, New York,United States three years later.
Isatitich died suddenly on February 8, 1994, and then Vice-President for SportJosef Fendt took over as Acting President. Fendt would be named president at the FIL congress in Rome, Italy later that year, a position he held until 2020.
In 2025, the federation's French name changed fromFédération Internationale de Luge de Course toFédération Internationale de Luge.[1]
The FIL governs competitions on artificial tracks and natural tracks at both theEuropean and World Championship levels. At the Winter Olympics, only artificial track competitions are contested. The events at the European and World Championships are men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, and a team event consisting of one run each from men's singles, men's doubles, and women's singles.
Artificial tracks are tracks that have their curves specifically designed and banked with walled-in straightaways. Made ofreinforced concrete and cooled withammoniarefrigeration, these tracks are smooth and haveg-forces of up to 4 g (Four times the athlete's body weight). Men's singles on most tracks have their start house close to thebobsleigh and skeleton start locations while both the men's doubles and women's singles have their start house located further down the track. As of 2009, there are sixteenbobsleigh, luge, and skeleton artificial tracks worldwide with a 17th track nearMoscow that will host Junior World Cup events in November 2009. Another track inRussia nearSochi, theSliding Center Sanki, will be in use for the2014 Winter Olympics, had construction started in May 2009 following controversies at a previous location over track start heights and it being nearWorld Heritage Site, including near an endangered species ofbrown bear.
Natural tracks are tracks adapted from existing mountain roads and paths, including a horizontal track surface and natural track icing. Most of the over 60 tracks are located in Austria, Italy, Germany, Poland, Canada, the United States, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Croatia, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, New Zealand andSlovenia.
In 2004, the FIL established a Hall of Fame for the greatest competitors in luge. As of 2008, there have been a total of six inductees.
East Germany, now
Germany),Paul Hildgartner (
Italy),Margit Schumann ( East Germany, now Germany) Austria),Hans Rinn ( East Germany, now Germany)
Soviet Union, now Latvia) Austria),Georg Hackl ( West Germany Italy)Since its founding in 1957, FIL has had three presidents,Bert Isatitsch from Austria (1957–94),Josef Fendt from Germany (1994–2020), andEinars Fogelis (2020-current) from Latvia.
53 nations in June 2021:[3]
China - Chinese Luge Association
India - Luge Federation of India
Japan - Japan Bobsleigh and Luge Federation
Kazakhstan - Luge Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan
South Korea - Korea Luge Federation
Kuwait - Kuwait Luge Committee
Chinese Taipei - Chinese Taipei Luge and Bobsleigh Association
Australia -Luge Australia
New Zealand - New Zealand Olympic Luge Association
Tonga - Luge Association of the Kingdom of Tonga
Argentina - Asociacion Argentina De Bobsleigh Y Skeleton- Luge
Bermuda - Bermuda Bobsled Skeleton & Luge Association
Brazil - Confederação Brasileira De Desportos No Gelo
Canada -Canadian Luge Association (Cla)
United States Virgin Islands - Virgin Islands Luge Federation
Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico Winter Sports Federation
United States - United States Luge Association
Venezuela - Federacion Venezolana De Deportes De Invierno
Andorra - Association Andorrana De Luges Esqui Club D'Andorra Austria -Österreichischer Rodelverband
Belgium - Association Belge De Luge De Course
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sankaski Savez Bosne I Hercegovine
Bulgaria - Bulgarian Luge Federation
Croatia - Croatian Bobsleigh, Skeleton & Luge Federation
Czech Republic - Ceskomoravska Sankarska Asociace
Spain - Federacion Española Deportes De Hielo
Estonia - Estonian Association of Luge Sports
Finland - Suomen Kelkkailuliitto
France - Fédération Francaise Des Sports De Glace
United Kingdom - Great Britain Luge Association
Georgia - Luge Federation of the Republic of Georgia Germany -Bob- Und Schlittenverband Für Deutschland (Bsd)
Greece - Hellenic Ice Sports Federation
Hungary - Ungarischer Rennrodelverband
Ireland - Irish Luge Federation Italy -Federazione Italiana Sport Invernali Latvia - Latvian Luge Federation
Liechtenstein - Rodelverband Liechtenstein
Lithuania -Lithuanian Luge Federation
Moldova - Federatia De Schi Si Sanie Din Republica Moldova
Netherlands - Bob En Slee Bond Nederland (Bsbn) C/O Nederlandse Ski Vereniging
Norway - Norges Ake –, Bob- Og Skeleton Forbund (Nabsf)
Poland - Polski Zwiazek Sportow Saneczkowych
Portugal - FEDERAÇÃO DE DESPORTOS DE INVERNO DE PORTUGAL
Romania - Federatia Romana De Bob-Sanie
Russia - Russian Luge Federation
Slovenia - Sankaska Zveza Slovenije
Switzerland - Schweizer Bobsleigh – Schlitten Und Skeleton Sportverband
Slovakia - Slovensky Zvaz Sankarov
Sweden - Svenska Bob Och Rodelförbundet
Turkey - Turkish Bobsleigh- Skeleton and Luge Federation
Ukraine - Rennrodelverband Der Ukraine
Serbia - Serbia Luge AssociationIn reaction to the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, in March 2022 the FIL banned all Russian athletes, coaches, and officials from its events, suspended all Russian officials appointed to its Commissions and Working Groups, and deemed Russia ineligible to host any of its events.[4] Also in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian Luge Federation's Natalia Gart was expelled from the FIL Executive Board.[5]
In October 2025, theCourt of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decided to allow Russian luge athletes to participate in international competitions in aneutral status, partially satisfying the appeal of the Russian Luge Federation.[6][7]
Results:[8]
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