A stronger WDSF 02/09/2023

Only WDSF Means IOC Participation for Athletes & Members

WDSF has been the leading governing DanceSport body since the 1980s, recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1997.

WDSF is the only DanceSport body recognized by the IOC.

But recently some WDSF athletes and officials have been misled by publicity from a new group called “Dance Heritage”. “Dance Heritage” organised events with large unauthorized displays of “IOC” which it printed as:

“Italian Open Championship – IOC 2023”

But that was not a WDSF event. WDSF is the only DanceSport body recognised by the IOC.

WDSF is also the only DanceSport body recognised by the International World Games Association (IWGA).

WDSF is the only body authorized to manage DanceSport as part of the Olympic Family. The only way for any DanceSport disciplines such as Standard, Latin, Breaking and Rock n Roll to get into the Olympic Games or IWGA World Games is by WDSF and WDSF only.

Dance Sport Heritage is separate from WDSF and so we are deeply concerned that such activities which display this incorrect “IOC” name may harm the good image of DanceSport – because this is not the real IOC. Those letters are too important to be used by accident. Everyone knows what they mean.

Only WDSF events are DanceSport events within the IOC family. WDSF, not Dance Heritage, has provided a way for our athletes to compete not only for their own glory, but also for their countries, through representative, democratic sports structures and a well-respected sporting system with 97 National Member Bodies supporting the vision of each NOC and the IOC.

WDSF has made great progress with our sporting events in 2023, recovering in an impressive way after a difficult 3 years during the Pandemic.

We have now completed 4 legs of the 5 Breaking for Gold World Series, 4 Continental championships, one Continental Games at the European Games, and are now getting ready for the remaining leg of the BfG World series in Hong Kong. WDSF’s participation in the much-anticipated Asian Games will take place in early October 2023, the Oceania Breaking Championships in Sydney at the end of October, and the Pan American Games to be held in the beginning of November 2023.

The 2023 Breaking World Championship will be held by the end of September 2023 followed by the Olympic Qualifier Series and finally the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in August.

Our biggest Standard and Latin events had a great start at Wuxi, China in July with the WDSF World Championship Standard and the 1st of the GrandSlam series, attracting athletes from 39 countries and regions and preparing the way for 5 days of events starting next year.

The famous German Open Championships (GOC) resumed this August with record-breaking entries despite the non-participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, Team Diablo, and of course many Ukrainian athletes due to the war in Ukraine.

There has been talk about Team Diablo leaving the WDSF. In fact, several of their members have resigned either as officials or athletes and now operate under the “Dance Heritage” name in the “CSIT” International Workers and Amateurs in Sports Confederation.

WDSF urges everyone to watch these things carefully. Under the Olympic Charter WDSF is the only governing body for our sport as part of the Olympic family and in the Olympic Games. CSIT is not an IOC International Sport Federation and will never be able to provide recognition, as WDSF has done, for any groups such as DanceSport Heritage.

We ask our officials and athletes to clearly appreciate the value of being part of the Olympic family through WDSF. In many instances this will provide a pathway to prestigious recognition from National Olympic Committees, as well as Government and sports funding. WDSF is the only IOC-recognized governing body for DanceSport.

Athletes and officials should not undermine their own positions and the recognition from their respective National Olympic Committees by participating in events which do not comply with fundamental sports policies on Anti-Doping, Ethics and Anti-Manipulation to name just a few.

Building the future for DanceSport is our responsibility and it requires the full efforts of each and every one of us.

Thank you.

Nenad Jeftic
WDSF Vice-President for Sports