Membership of Kosovo in international sports federations

Kosovo was a part of several international sports federations in the 1990s, and has applied to become a member of many more after its 17 February 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia. Serbia does not recognise the secession of Kosovo and considers it a United Nations-governed entity within its sovereign territory. Currently Kosovo is a full member of fourteen international federations, a provisional member of three, and an associated member of two. It is also a member of two European federations. Kosovo is also a full member of the International Olympic Committee, with full membership having been granted to the Olympic Committee of Kosovo by the International Olympic Committee on 9 December 2014.

Kosovo participated in first wide multi-sport event at the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan and is expected to participate at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Prior to the IOC recognition, Kosovo athletes took part in the Special Olympics from 2003 to 2011.^[1][2] A body known as the Special Olympics Kosovo was established to provide support for these athletes.^[3] Athletes from Kosovo participated at the 4th World Sports Games for Little People in Rambouillet, France in 2005.,^[4] in the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia, in the 2015 IHF Emerging Nations Championship, etc.

Accepted membership applications

The following sports federations have either admitted or have received the application from Republic of Kosovo to be admitted into their membership.

Entity	Notes	Status	Date
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)	Kosovo became a full member of the Union of European Football Associations on 3 May 2016.[5]	Member	3 May 2016
European Athletics Association (EAA)	Kosovo became a full member of the European Athletics Association on 16 October 2015.[6]	Member	16 October 2015
European Handball Federation (EHF)	Kosovo became a full member federation of the European Handball Federation on 20 September 2014.[7]	Member	20 September 2014
European Minigolfsport Federation (EMF)	Kosovo became a member of the EMF, April 2012.[8][9]	Member	20 April 2012
European Olympic Committees (EOC)	The EOI automatically admitted the Kosovo Olympic Committee as a full member after Kosovo received full membership in the International Olympic Committee on 9 December 2014.[10]	Member	9 December 2014
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)	FAI admitted Kosovo as a full member.[11]	Member	25 September 2015
Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)	Kosovo is allowed to play international football with members of the FIFA (excluding all Former-Yugoslavian countries), as of January 13, 2014.[12] However, no national (state) symbols or anthem of Kosovo should be displayed beside the ones on the players' uniforms logo. The matches would have to be approved by the Serbian Football Federation. FIFA will work as an intermediary on this, having been notified at least 21 days in advance.	Provisional	13 January 2014
International Archery Federation (FITA)	FITA admitted Kosovo as a full member.[13][14]	Member	1 July 2011
International Tennis Federation (ITF)	ITF admitted Kosovo as a full member.[15]	Member	25 September 2015
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)	The IAAF admitted Kosovo as a provisional member "with full rights and obligations" on 15 April 2015[16] On 19 August 2015, full membership was granted to Kosovo after a vote, with 187 in favour and 13 against.[17]	Member	19 August 2015
International Basketball Federation (FIBA)	FIBA admitted Kosovo as a full member.[18]	Member	13 March 2015
International Boxing Association (AIBA)	Kosovo became AIBA's 195th federation in July 2012 (provisional).[19] Full membership was granted to Kosovo on 14 November 2014.[20]	Member	14 November 2014
International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA)	FILA admitted Kosovo as an associated federation, but not as a full member.[21]	Associate	9 June 2008
International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG)	The FIG admitted the Kosovo Gymnastics Federation at its 80th Congress held in Uzbekistan on 29–30 October 2014.[22]	Member	30 October 2014
International Handball Federation (IHF)	IHM admitted Kosovo as a full member at the IHF Congress held in Sochi, Russia.[23]	Member	7 November 2015
International Judo Federation (IJF)	The IJF admitted Kosovo as a full member.[24][25]	Member	10 April 2012
International Kickboxing Federation (IKF)	The IKF admitted the Kickboxing Federation of Kosovo as a full member.[26]	Member	18 March 2015
International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM)	The UIPM admitted the Kosovo Pentathlon Union as a full member at its 2013 Annual Congress in Cyprus.[27]	Member	29 November 2013
International Olympic Committee (IOC)	The IOC admitted the Kosovo Olympic Committee as a full member on 9 December 2014 during its 127th IOC session in Monaco.[28]	Member	9 December 2014
International Sailing Federation (ISAF)	The ISAF admitted Kosovo as a full member.[29]	Member	8 May 2012
International Ski Federation (FIS)	Kosovo has had observer status in the ISF since 2004, prior to DOI.[30][31]	Provisional	7 November 2011
International Softball Federation (ISF)	The ISF admitted Kosovo as a full member.[32]	Member	12 August 2008
International Swimming Federation (FINA)	FINA admitted Kosovo as a full member.[33][34]	Member	17 February 2015
International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)	Kosovo became a full member in 2003, prior to its declaration of independence.[30][35]	Member	21 May 2003
International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)	The IWF admitted Kosovo as a full member.[36][37]	Member	18 June 2008
Tennis Europe	Tennis Europe admitted Kosovo as a full member.[38]	Member	28 March 2015
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)	The UCI admitted Kosovo as a full member.[39] Prior to this, the ICU gave Kosovo temporary membership in February 2015 enabling Kosovo to participate in ICU affiliated competitions.[40]	Member	25 September 2015
United World Wrestling (UWW)	The UWW admitted Kosovo under provisional membership on 16 January 2015 with full membership yet to be finalised.[41]	Provisional	16 January 2015
World Curling Federation (WFC)	The WFC admitted the Kosovo Curling Federation as a provisional member at its 2012 annual general assembly in Scotland.[42]	Provisional	21 October 2012
World Karate Federation (WKF)	The WKF admitted the National Karate Federation of Kosovo to provisional membership on 13 December 2014.[43]	Provisional	13 December 2014
World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)	The WTF admitted the Kosovo Taekwondo Federation at its 2013 Annual Congress.[44]	Provisional	14 July 2013

Rejected membership applications

International Ski Federation

On 30 May 2008, during the 46th International Ski Congress meeting in Cape Town, the International Ski Federation (FIS) decided Kosovo’s affiliation was dependent on its recognition by the UN and that "[in] the meantime, participation of their skiers is permitted at FIS level and children’s races."^[45]

See also

• International recognition of Kosovo

References

1. Team Kosovo
2. 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games > EE.SO Kosovo
3. Kosovo
4. Little People of Kosova
5. UEFA (3 May 2016). UEFA http://pt.uefa.org/mediaservices/newsid=2359909.html. Retrieved 3 May 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
6. EAA (16 October 2015). Twitter https://twitter.com/EuroAthletics/status/654922093352636416. Retrieved 16 October 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
7. "KOSOVO BECOMES A FULL MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN HANDBALL FEDERATION".
8. "EMF members list"
9. Ministri Krasniqi: Minigolfi një shembull, jo vetëm në Kosovë, por edhe në rajon, për organizim të mirëfilltë, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport of the Republic of Kosovo 2012-04-20 (in Albanian)
10. "IOC OFFICIALLY WELCOME NOC OF KOSOVO TO THE OLYMPIC FAMILY". The European Olympics Committees. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
11. FAI (25 September 2015). Twitter https://twitter.com/airsports_fai/status/647327064069140480. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
12. FIFA Emergency Committee confirms friendly matches involving clubs and representative teams of Kosovo, FIFA Official Website, 13 January 2014
13. "146 Member Associations - FITA Directory" (pdf). International Archery Federation. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
14. "FITA admit Kosovo as a full member" (PDF).
15. ITF (25 September 2015). "David Haggerty elected ITF President". ITF. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
16. "Application for membership – Kosovo" iaaf.org 15 April 2015 Link accessed 2015-04-15
17. "International Athletics Governing Body Accepts Kosovo as Full Member sputniknews.com 19 August 2015 Link accessed 2015-08-19
18. "Kosovo becomes 215th National Member Federation of FIBA". FIBA. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
19. "Kosovo joins world boxing body as Balkan province uses sport to gain global recognition". Washington Post. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
20. "Kosovo Boxing Federation accepted with full rights in the AIBA". 16 November 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
21. "Official FILA site". Fila-wrestling.com. 2006-05-01. Retrieved 2010-04-28.]
23. "Seven Federations Receive Full Membership". IHF. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
24. Ministri Krasniqi takoi kryetarin e Federatës Ndërkombëtare të Xhudos, z. Marius Vizer, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport of the Republic of Kosovo, 2012-04-20 (in Albanian)
25. The Kosovo Judo Federation was accepted as full member of the International Judo Federation, International Judo Federation, 2012-04-20
29. "Kosovo Become Latest ISAF Member National Authority". International Sailing Federation. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
30. "Kosovo faces uphill task for sporting recognition", EarthTimes.org, 27 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
31. FIS Membership upgrade
32. "Dhurata për 7 vjetorin e pavarësisë: Federata Ndërkombëtare e Notit pranon Kosovën" newkosovareport.com 14 August 2008 Link accessed 2008-08-14
33. "Kosovo Softball Federation wins international recognition" Koha.net 17 February 2015 Link accessed 2015-02-19
34. FINA Membership
35. ITTF Membership
36. "More recognitions for Kosovo sports" newkosovareport.com 28 June 2008 Link accessed 2008-06-28
37. IWF affiliates new members, International Weightlifting Federation
38. "Kosovo becomes 50th member of Tennis Europe". 28 March 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
39. "UCI President outlines priorities for the next two years". UCI. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
40. "Kosovo joins swimming world body FINA, Kosovar athletes can participate at Baku 2015". 2015 European Games. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
41. "Wrestling Approves Significant Reforms to Sport Presentation, Will Recognize Kosovo". United Word Wrestling. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
42. Kosovo Curling Federation becomes provisional world body member, Inside the Games, 21 October 2012
45. "FIS - Decisions of the 46th International Ski Congress in Cape Town (RSA)", Sports Features Communications, 30 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-30.