(ATR) Golf presents to the Olympic Movement in Acapulco for the first time since the sport was added to the Games last year.
Anthony Scanlon, the newly appointed International Golf Federation executive director, gave an update Wednesday on the federation’s progress towards the Olympics on the sidelines of the ANOC General Assembly.
He touted the worldwide reach and economic impact of the sport, saying "around $150 billion" is generated annually through golf.
Scanlon says the IGF has more than 123 member federations representing more than 60 million people who play golf.
He says the federation’s main priority with NOCs is to incorporate the national golf federations into the NOCs themselves.
Scanlon said the IOC recently sent letters to the NOCs asking them to do exactly that by London 2012.
"Where there are multiple golf federations within a country, the IGF is working with the national governing bodies to put together an agreement whereby we will determine which of those member federations will represent golf within your NOC, and we’ll work with you on that," he said.
Additionally, Scanlon said the IGF will "work with our membership within your country and with your NOCs to create golf development programs that will create pathways for athletes to compete on the international stage and ultimately in the Olympic Games and the IGF is at your service to help you with that."
He said a feasibility study was being conducted on Rio de Janeiro’stwo existing golf courses to determine their Olympic readiness, or if a new course is needed.
The federation, established in 1958, is moving to the Maison du Sport in Lausanne on Nov. 1, also the day Scanlon officially starts working for the IGF. He is currently on holiday from his job in the IOC’s sport department.
Golf was added to the 2016 Olympic program at the 2009 IOC Session in Copenhagen, along with rugby.
The sport was last played at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.
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Written by Ed Hula III.
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