Early Years

Yachting was first contested as an Olympic sport at the 1900 Games in Paris. It was next on the Olympic Programme at the 1908 London Games and has been a part of every Olympic Games since then. In 2000, the sport changed it name to become sailing.

ISAF was formed as the International Yacht Racing Union in 1907. Following on from the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave responsibly for the technical control of the yachting events at the Games to the IYRU. An immediate impact was made with the introduction of the Olympic Class Monotype dinghy, a one person event. Entries in this event were largely responsible for the 19 nations that competed across the three yachting events, at that time, by far the largest number of nations represented in the yachting events at the Games.  

Modern Times

Since those early years, the sailing events at the Games have grown in number and the number of nations represented has increased dramatically. In 1988, the first women’s only events were introduced, and since then the number and proportion of women competitors has increased dramatically. In 2000, the high performance skiff dinghy was introduced to the Games for the first time following equipment trials held by ISAF.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Sailing Competition, 400 athletes, representing over 60 nations will compete across 11 events.

The International Sailing Federation is the World Governing Body for the Sport of Sailing.

ISAF is one of 35 International Sports Federations (IFs) recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

ISAF is responsible for:

• the promotion of the sport internationally
• managing sailing at the Olympic Games
• developing the Racing Rules of Sailing and the ISAF Regulations
• the training of judges, umpires and other administrators
• the development of the sport around the world
• representing sailors in all matters concerning the sport

ISAF And The Olympic Games

The role of International Federations, as defined by the Olympic Charter, is: “to assume the responsibility for the technical control and direction of their sports at the Olympic Games.”

ISAF, then known as the International Yacht Racing Union, first undertook this role at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris and has been at the helm of every Olympic Sailing Competition since then.

The ISAF Family

The ISAF currently consists of 121 member nations, called Member National Authorities (MNAs) who are its principle members, and responsible for the decision-making process that governs the sailing world.

The ISAF family also includes a great variety of different boat classes. There are currently 87 ISAF International, Recognized and Classic Yacht Classes, ranging from the smallest being the Optimist Dinghy to the largest, the 60 foot Multihull.

Every November, the ISAF family gather at the ISAF Annual Conference to discuss, debate and decide upon the key issues in the sailing world.

The ISAF, from its outset, has worked towards a primary goal to ensure that as many people as possible go sailing.

ISAF History

From its inception in Paris in October 1907, the governing body for the sport of sailing was known as the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU). On 5 August 1996, the IYRU changed its name to the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

Landmark dates in the history of ISAF include:

1907 – the birth of the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU), which would become ISAF
1920 – following the 1920 Olympic Games, the IYRU assumes technical control for the yachting events at the Olympic Games
1996 – the International Yacht Racing Union, changes it name to the International Sailing Federation
2007 – the International Sailing Federation celebrates its centenary year

Click on the links below to find out more about ISAF.