Message from Neil Phillips, IRF President and Peter Taylor, ARA President

23 August 1996

IRF State of Play (PDF version) [21kb]

Recently a group of Australian rogainers have been actively debating a more formal structure for an International Rogaining Federation. This is the state of play.

The current IRF is an informal grouping of prominent rogainers worldwide. With the support of the rogaining community in each country, this body has provided a means to support rogaines in new areas and develop guidelines for the sport. There is now a general consensus that the time has come for this informal grouping to be replaced by a more structured body.

After considerable discussion, including that at a forum last April, the Australian Rogaining Association executive has contacted national orienteering associations in New Zealand, US and Canada asking if they are interested in entering into a more formal federation. If so, the ARA has proposed each country nominating two rogainers to form a steering committee to carry this process through to a constituted IRF. The New Zealand Orienteering Federation has already replied and is willing to proceed. The present IRF supports the ARA's approach.

There will necessarily be a transition phase during this process. During this time, the IRF will continue to function with the support both of the ARA (pursuant to an earlier ARA resolution) and international rogainers. Prior to ARA's move, a sub-committee of the IRF (Nigel Aylott and Rod Phillips from Australia, and Bob Reddick from United States) was engaged in developing a draft to be used as a basis for constituting the IRF. Although any decisions will be the responsibility of the duly nominated steering committee, the subcommittee's report is available to assist it in getting a constitution acceptable to all countries. It will also be used to provide written guidelines for the operation of the current IRF during the transitional phase. These guidelines (and the current IRF) will be superseded by a formal international rogaining federation when it is formed.

Neil Phillips, IRF President
Peter Taylor, ARA President