Are you a competitive jump rope/rope skipping athlete? Voter registration is now open for the upcoming International Jump Rope Union Athlete Council Election. Make sure to register so you can have your voice heard. 

Members of the Athletes' Council will represent athletes within the sport. They support athletes in their sporting and non-sporting careers, and act as the cumulative athlete's voice to the IJRU Board of Directors.  

Register by May 28, 2021 

You need to register by May 28, 2021 to be eligible to vote during the upcoming election.  

Who is eligible to register and vote? 

You are eligible to vote if you: 

• Are 16 years of age or older, 

• Have competed in a past FISAC-IRSF or WJRF world championships or if you’ve qualified for the upcoming 2021 IJRU Virtual World Championships, 

• Are a member in good standing with your National Governing Body 

Why should I register to vote? 

You must register in order to vote in the upcoming IJRU Athlete Council Elections. It is important for all eligible IJRU athletes to vote because: 

• If you don't vote, you’ll let others make the decision about who will be the athlete representatives in the sport 

• It gives you an opportunity to be a part of the decision-making that effects your sporting and non-sporting life on an international level.  

This committee will be liaising directly with IJRU to ensure that concerns of all athletes world-wide are addressed. As an IJRU athlete, you should care about who will be speaking on your behalf. 

Stay tuned 

We will be announcing the Athlete Council candidates in June 2021. Please check back for more information and make sure to get to know each of the candidates so you can make an informed decision. 

Complete the voter registration form

The International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) Board of Directors met virtually on February 20, 2021. Review our board meeting highlights to stay informed.   

Virtual World Championship timeline change

The Board of Directors with advice from the Championship Organizing Committee, has decided to push back the timeline for the IJRU 2021 Virtual Word Championship Series. This decision was made after surveying our members to learn how the pandemic was impacting their ability to gather, train and qualify for the World Championships. View the updated timeline on our events page. The new timeline provides National Governing Bodies with additional time to register and submit videos for the tournament.

New member  

We are pleased to introduce the Rope Jumping Federation of Guatemala as the newest member of IJRU. Guatemala will become a member with Observer status. View a complete list of members.

Membership status update 

We recognize the impact that COVID-19 is having on our members. Typically, the membership status of all provisional and observational members is assessed and reviewed every 2 years as outlined in section 9.4 of the IJRU Constitution. 

In order to help our National Governing Bodies (NGBs), we've pushed back the membership review phase to 2022 for all NGBs who become IJRU members in 2019. We hope this additional time will help our provisional and observational members meet the specific requirements necessary in order to reach full membership status. 

To remain in good standing, all NGBs need to pay their membership dues by March 31, 2021. 

Board retreat and strategic planning 

The IJRU Board of Directors met in January, 2021 for a 2-day virtual strategic planning meeting. During this meeting, we worked to set specific targets to help achieve the priorities outlined in the Strategic Plan. Our priorities include: 

• Financial management 

• Governance 

• Events 

• Communications 

• People 

• Marketing and promotions 

This was a productive meeting and we now have clear guidelines to help move our strategic priorities forward. 

2021 General Congress date

Mark your calendars! IJRU will hold the next General Congress virtually on December 11, 2021. The General Congress meeting is open to all members in good standing. During the meeting, we’ll discuss important business and updates for our sport and members are given the opportunity to review and vote on governing documents.  

Music rights webinar 

IJRU hosted a music rights webinar on February 5 and 6, 2021 to discuss music licensing in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping. We were joined by CllicknClear – an online music licensing platform, who provided instructions on how to access and licence music. If you missed the webinar, we encourage you to watch the recording to stay informed. 

TAFISA Mission 2030 Workshop 

As a member of TAFISA, IJRU has the opportunity to participate in the TAFISA Mission 2030 Workshop. The first workshop is about Gender Equality and will take place on March 8, 2021 at 14:00 UTC. We encourage all of our members to take part in this free online educational workshop.  

The International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) hosted a music rights webinar on February 5 and 6, 2021 to discuss music licensing in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping. The webinar included a presentation from ClicknClear who provided instructions on how to access and licence music through their online platform.

We would like to thank ClicknClear and all those who attended. This is an important topic and it is important that we respect the music rights of the artists and writers who create music.

Watch the recording

Did you miss the webinar? Not to worry, we recorded the presentation for everyone to watch.

The International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) and the Olympic Channel have announced a collaboration agreement. Through this partnership, IJRU will work with the Olympic Channel to broadcast and promote a series of jump rope events through event coverage, highlights, magazine shows, news coverage, and original programming.

“We are excited to welcome the IJRU to the Olympic Channel,” said Mark Parkman, general manager of the Olympic Channel. “The Olympic Channel platform continues to evolve and provide more exposure and reach for a number of sports to our global audience.”

This presents a major opportunity for the sport of jump rope/rope skipping, the IJRU, and our member federations. With the support of the Olympic Channel, IJRU will be able to reach a broader global audience, increase engagement, and promote our sport and athletes alongside those within the Olympic Movement.

“We are honoured to be in partnership with the Olympic Channel and the wider Olympic Movement and we are excited for the opportunity to provide greater exposure to our sport, amazing athletes and members.” said Shaun Hamilton, president of the International Jump Rope Union. “Through this partnership, we hope to highlight this fun sport’s athleticism and creativity.”

About the Olympic Channel

The Olympic Channel is a multi-platform global media destination where fans can discover, engage and share in the power of sport and the excitement of the Olympic Games all year round. Offering original programming, news, live sports events and highlights, the Olympic Channel provides additional exposure for sports and athletes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in 12 languages. Visit the Olympic Channel or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Olympic Channel and IJRU Official Press Release

The use of music in our sport has become foundational to freestyle routines as well as general production of our events. As a result, we must act responsibly in respecting the music rights of the artists and writers who create the music. International Federations (IFs) from all sports have had to address the use of copyrighted music in their events. 

To solve this problem, IJRU has partnered with a reputable music rights service, ClicknClear - a professional music industry licensing company with the backing of music industry rightsholders. We encourage our members to explore this resource and learn more about music rights and licences. 

Attend an upcoming music rights webinar  

To help you understand music licensing and to find out how to access and licence music through, ClicknClear, we invite you to attend an upcoming webinar. 

We’ll be holding two music rights webinars at the following dates and times: 

• February 5 at 10:00 a.m. UTC 

• February 6 at 1:00 p.m. UTC 

What do I need to know for the World Championships?

Athletes and teams will not be required to purchase music licences in order to compete this year, however, we encourage you learn about music rights and purchase your music through ClicknClear.

Benefits of licensing music 

Here are some key benefits for athletes and our sport as a whole:  

• Obtain official music industry licenses at a pre-cleared affordable rate that is far lower than you could achieve individually. 

• Instantly license music via ClicknClear’s website – pay and receive the license immediately. 

• Legally create a music mix to accompany your routine, protecting yourself and the sport as a whole. 

• Additional video rights become available for further licensing by IJRU and other competition organizers. 

• Share jump rope/rope skipping content online using your freestyle music, to help grow our sport. 

• ClicknClear gives a legal indemnity with each license to their music. 

 About ClicknClear 

Navigating global music rights can be an overwhelming task. To solve this problem, IJRU has partnered with a reputable music rights service, ClicknClear.   

ClicknClear is a professional music industry licensing company with the backing of music industry rightsholders – they have created a one-stop online marketplace where you can quickly and easily license from a large and rapidly-growing catalogue of great original music with the all the rights you need to use in your sports mix, alongside your performances. 

ClicknClear has many genres of music, as well as music from around the world. You’ll find tracks from iconic and current stars as well as up and coming artists and producers.  

When teams license music from ClicknClear for their mix, IJRU and other competition organisers are  then able to license the further online music rights we need to help popularize our sport and eliminate the need to mute video or live streams of performances.  

The United Through Sport World Virtual Youth Festival workshop series is just a few days away! Check out the schedule and stay tuned for more information about cheering on our jump rope/rope skipping athletes. 

You can watch the tournament and opening and closing ceremonies live through the Olympic Channel. 

Register for the workshops 

United Through Sport is holding three workshops to kick off the event. In order to attend, you need to register in advance. If you attend all three workshops, you’ll receive special certificate from the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee and the Special Olympics. 

Workshop 1 – Becoming a Successful Change Leader in Your Community Through Sport 

This workshop will take place on November 18, 2020 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (ICT – Indochina Time). Please convert to your time zone.  

This workshop is presented by Yunus Sports Hub and IOC Youth Leaders. 

Workshop 2 – Clean Sport 

This workshop will take place on November 19, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. (ICT – Indochina Time). Please convert to your time zone. 

This workshop is presented by WADA and ITA. 

Workshop 3 - I’mpossible and the Paralympic Movement 

This workshop will take place on November 19, 2020 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (ICT – Indochina Time). Please convert to your time zone. 

This workshop is presented by the Paralympic Committee. 

View the event schedule 

Check out the complete UTS World Virtual Youth Festival Schedule for more details about the event.  

The International Jump Rope Union (IJRU), after much deliberation, has decided to host an online Virtual World Championships in 2021. This will replace the in-person tournament originally scheduled for July 2021 in Ottawa, Canada. The Virtual World Championship Series will include the: 

• Virtual World Championship 

• Virtual Junior World Championship 

• Virtual International Open Tournament 

Due to health and safety concerns, as well as global travel uncertainty, we’ve decided a virtual event is the best way to move forward for 2021. Review the updated IJRU rules for a virtual tournament. We look forward to seeing all of the amazing submissions from our athletes and hope that we can all meet in person again soon. 

Understanding the bigger picture 

The sport of jump rope/rope skipping is facing the same challenges that many other sports are experiencing as a result of COVID-19. In order to continue to offer opportunities for athletes to participate in our sport, we need to innovate and find new ways to host events. Here is a brief description of the bigger picture facing IJRU and many other sporting federations. 

Keeping our athletes engaged 

Global sport is seeing a decline in athlete participation at an alarming rate. If athletes can't engage in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping, they will likely move to another activity. It is important for jump rope/rope skipping to continue to provide opportunities for participation at all levels, including at the world championship level. We believe that jump rope/rope skipping is actually in a unique position. Unlike some other sports, we can participate in and practice the sport without contact while maintaining distance. IJRU, by hosting a Virtual World Championship Series, will develop a model that we hope our members can use to continue offering events. 

Innovation can lead to growth and wider exposure 

A virtual event will drive innovation. In order to produce a successful and engaging virtual production, we need to transform our viewer experience. This innovation will carry over to future in-person events and will help us package jump rope so that we can sell the production of our events within the global marketplace. 

Opportunity for greater inclusivity 

Attending an in-person World Championship can be expensive and unfortunately some athletes and countries are unable to participate. The 2021 Virtual Competition Series participation cost will be significantly less than the cost of attending an in-person event. We hope that this will provide more athletes with an opportunity to participate in jump rope/rope skipping at the highest level.  

Support today means we can host events in the future 

If we don’t have a financially successful event in 2021, IJRU may not have the financial resources needed to produce an in-person event in the future. So support today means ensuring our sport can continue internationally.   

Solidarity 

The sport of jump rope/rope skipping unites us all and we ask our community to come together to support the future of our sport.  

The International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) is excited to announce that athletes from the sport of jump rope/rope skipping will be included in the United Through Sport (UTS) Virtual Youth Festival 2020. This event falls under the banner of the International Olympic Committee, Paralympic Committee, Special Olympics, GAISF, SportAccord and AIMS. This is a great opportunity for athletes from our sport to compete against athletes from other sports within the Olympic movement.  

About the event

The Virtual Youth Festival 2020 provides an opportunity for youth from all over the world to engage in friendly, sport for all competitions in a safe and inclusive digital environment. Athletes only need a recording device, such as a mobile phone and access to Wi-fi to participate. The event also includes educational opportunities from leading international organizations focusing on inclusion, non-discrimination and peace through sport.  

IJRU will be one of more than 80 International Sport Federations involved, and we are honoured to have our sport and athletes compete in this virtual fitness competition. Our athletes will compete in the Max Fit competition. This event tests the contestants’ strength, power and stamina through standardized exercises and fitness drills. How do you think jump rope/rope skipping athletes will compare to athletes from other sports? 

Event date

The Virtual Youth Festival finals will be held on United Nations’ World Children’s Day from November 20 to November 22, 2020 and will be hosted in the Kingdom of Thailand inside a virtual arena venue.  

Stay tuned for more information about viewing the finals and cheering on our jump rope/rope skipping athletes! 

The International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) General Congress gathered virtually on October 3, 2020. More than 77 delegates, representing 33 National Governing Bodies (NGBs) were present at the meeting, making this the largest assembly for the IJRU General Congress. We would like to thank all of our NGBs and delegates for attending and working with IJRU on the advancement of the sport of jump rope/rope skipping. 

Presidential message 

The meeting focused on the theme - “Jumping Through Uncertain Times.” In the presidential message, IJRU President Shaun Hamilton, demonstrated a solid commitment to work with each NGB as the sport of jump rope/rope skipping continues to develop. Hamilton stressed the importance of finding ways to continue to grow and adapt while facing the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Jump Rope can be an asset to the global sports community, especially during and after this global pandemic. Organizationally, we are willing to meet the challenges we see on the horizon and this 2nd General Congress affirmed our willingness to take bold action.” - Shaun Hamilton IRJU President 

New member ratifications 

Since the last General Congress, in July of 2019, 18 new NGBs have been added to the membership of IJRU. All 18 NGBs were approved by the General Congress. Delegates also confirmed two continental organizations: 

• Pan-American Jump Rope Federation 

• Africa Jump Rope Federation 

Congratulations to all of our new members! View a complete list of IJRU member NGBs. 

Policies and governance 

The General Congress reviewed and approved a variety of major constitutional and policy changes that will help IJRU in our governance journey. This includes the adoption of the: 

• Strategic Plan 

• Ethics Panel Charter 

• Code of Ethics 

• Code of Conduct 

• Athlete Council Charter 

• Youth Development Commission Charter 

• Financial Committee Charter 

• Gender Eligibility Policy  Update

• Ethics Panel Procedural Rules 

We would like to thank all of those who participated in the IJRU webinar on Diversity and Inclusion the sport of jump rope/rope skipping. The webinar took place on Saturday, August 1 and was moderated by the Director of Diversity for Premier Health, Adrian Taylor.   

A special thank you to our panelists for sharing their experiences and perspectives: 

• Janice Harrington

• Keo Mokolopo

• Kim Bradshaw

• Jonathan Mahoto

• Carly Simpson

We appreciate you donating your time to help the sport of jump rope/rope skipping identify some of the barriers that exist within our sport and begin to offer solutions and paths forward.

Watch the recording

If you were unable to attend the webinar, not to worry. You can now watch a recording of the Diversity and Inclusion webinar and share it with others in your organisation.

Next steps

In order to push our sport forward and create a diverse and inclusive sport for all, we need to continue these discussions. IJRU will work with National Governing Bodies, coaches, judges and athletes in order to educate our members on these important issues.

Diversity and inclusion are two of IJRU’s core values. Our upcoming webinar on Diversity and Inclusion in the Sport of Jump Rope/Rope Skipping will look into the ways in which the global jump rope/rope skipping community can eliminate barriers to inclusion and ensure that all athletes, coaches, volunteers and judges have access to our sport.

Date and time

The Diversity and Inclusion webinar will take place on Saturday, August 1 at 12:00 UTC. Everyone who has registered for the webinar will receive a link to the webinar 24 hours in advance.

Meet our Moderator and Panelists

We are pleased to introduce our panelists!

Adrian Taylor, Moderator

Adrian Taylor is the Director of Diversity for Premier Health in Dayton, Ohio. He serves as the key advisor on the research, development and/or modification of diversity programs that support Premier’s business objectives with an emphasis on workforce diversity, supplier diversity and community engagement. He engages the community through various functions and events that reflect Premier’s values and promote healthier living throughout the Dayton region. Some of the events include: Premier Health’s African-American Wellness Walk, serving on the Dayton & Montgomery County’s Public Health LGBTQ Initiative, sponsoring and participating in the annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration, participating on the Dayton Business Journal’s Diversity Committee, and serving on the UD West Dayton Conversation Steering Committee. At the 2017 Southwest Ohio Supplier Diversity Healthcare symposium Adrian received the prestigious Spirit of Diversity Individual Champion Award for the work they’ve achieved in the Dayton area though their supplier diversity program. Premier relentlessly pursues diversity supplier within the southwest Ohio region through outreaches and forums held throughout the year. He also received the Leadership Excellence Award at the 2017 Diversity & Leadership conference for the work Premier is doing in Inclusion & Diversity. He also won the 2018 Asian American Commerce’s Group Supplier Diversity Leadership Award. Through his leadership, Premier Health also won the Vizient Supplier Diversity Excellent Award and the Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council’s Class-1 Corporation of the Year Award in 2017. Premier tracks and reports out on demographic information, strategizes for retention and recruitment for diverse employees, and executing best practices for their over 13,000 they manage throughout southwest Ohio on a quarterly basis.

Before joining Premier Health in 2014, Mr. Taylor served in key management roles, earning positions of increasing responsibility in the private sector with companies like EDS, NCR and The Berry Company. More recently he worked for four years in the non-profit sector for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. As the Manager of Minority Business Retention and Expansion he advocated for and secured over $100M in contracted diverse spend for diverse companies in the Dayton region.

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Janice Harrington, Physical Education Teacher

Janice Harrington has taught elementary physical education for forty-seven years. Twenty-one years in Northern Virginia and twenty-six years in Torrington, Connecticut. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and physical Education from D.C. Teacher’s College, which is now known as the University of the District of Columbia. She received her Master’s Degree in Supervision from George Mason University.

Her passion for her field is reflected by the successes of her students, the depth of her program and her numerous awards and recognitions. Her program was first recognized for excellence when she taught in Virginia in 1988. After moving to Connecticut her program was recognized again by the Connecticut Association of Schools in 1995. She received two awards in 1997, one from the Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. as a recipient of their Apple for the Teacher award. The second award was the annual Teacher of the Year Award from the Torrington Board of Education. She has supported the programs developed by the American Heart Association, known as Jump Rope for Heart and the Kids Heart Challenge, from the beginning of her teaching experience. She has also appeared in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” in 1994, 2002, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.

Janice also coaches a jump rope team with athletes ranging from grade 4 to adult. I have been teaching for forty-seven years and coaching jump rope for thirty-eight years. Growing up, my inspiration came from my physical education teachers that exposed me to everything but jump rope. The jump rope I learned was street Double Dutch. That means I took my Mom’s clothes line to make the ropes and we would jump during recess or at home, making up our own rhymes and we counted by tens.

I went to a physical education professional development day where they had a jump rope team, doing a demonstration and teaching the teachers. That was my first exposure to a “Jump Rope Team”. They did it all, single rope, long rope, Double Dutch, they jumped to music and they jumped on pogo sticks and pogo balls.From that point on, Janice has been involved as a jump rope coach with her team competing at American Double Dutch League (ADDL) and USA Jump Rope tournaments.

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Keo Mokolopo, President - Africa Jump Rope Federation

Born and bred in Thaba- Nchu, South Africa, Keo currently an ambassador for the South African Gymnastics Federation and President of Africa Jump Rope Federation (AJRF). She is also on the IJRU Board of Directors representing Africa.

Even though Rope Skipping I started very late in my life (20’s) I have grown to love it and become a 4X World medalist. My passion however is in development (Athletes and Technical, we need both) especially in Africa, my motherland. My dream as the President of AJRF is to see as many African Countries as possible getting recognized by their highest sporting bodies nationally, only then I will know we are doing something right.

With Recognition comes support in all form and funding might also be possible as it is one of our biggest challenges in Africa. This will indeed aid in attendance of World Events as it is the only way we can learn, keep up with Jumping trends and of course make our African mark #ItIsPossible

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Kim Bradshaw, Jump Rope Coach

Kimberly Bradshaw, Coach of the Greenbelt SITY Stars Jump Rope Team has been coaching in the sport of jump rope for 35 years. Kim started in the sport as a Double Dutch competitor at the age of 10 years old in the Washington, D.C. area. She has been committed to the sport and has been blessed to be involved with cultivating a fitness mindset into the lives of thousands of young people - providing them an opportunity to travel the world performing and competing.

Kim is the mom of two adult sons, one of which is a Grand Champion jumper and the other a college student at Delaware State University.

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Jonathan Mahoto

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Carly Simpson, Digital Communications

Carly Simpson holds an MA and PhD (ABD) in Canadian History with a specific focus on the history of gender and sexuality in the twentieth century. Her research looks at grassroots political organizing in the Canadian lesbian and gay movement. Carly has taught courses at the university and college level on a variety of subjects including World Cultures, Multiculturalism, Critical and Creative Thinking, Canadian History and the History of Gender and Sexuality. In 2018, Carly transitioned into her current role in digital communications and web development where she is committed to making the internet a more friendly and accessible space for everyone to enjoy.

Carly has been involved in the sport of jump rope for over 25 years as an athlete, coach and judge and she currently sits on the IJRU Technical Committee and helps out IJRU with digital communications (like this one)!

We would like to thank all of those who participated in the first IJRU webinar on COVID-19 and the sport of jump rope/rope skipping. The webinar took place on Saturday, July 25 and was hosted by reporter and former jump rope/rope skipping athlete, Amy Simpson.  

A special thank you to our panelists for sharing their expertise and knowledge: 

• Denise Fisher 

• Warren Harper 

• Dale Neuberger 

• Luke Winstanley 

• Andrej Kyselica 

• Nika Khoroshikh 

We appreciate you donating your time to help the sport of jump rope/rope skipping understand the challenges and opportunities that we face because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Give us your feedback 

IJRU is always looking for ways that we can improve and serve our members and the global jump rope/rope skipping community. Please take our survey and give us your feedback on the webinar.  

We will use this information when developing future webinars and to consider ways that IJRU can adapt the sport of jump rope/rope skipping at an international level during the age of COVID-19.  

Watch a recording of the webinar 

Did you forget to register? Slept through your alarm? Had other plans? Not to worry! You can watch the COVID-19 Webinar.  

Don’t miss out on our Diversity and Inclusion Webinar 

There is still time to register for our next webinar on Diversity and Inclusion in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping taking place on Saturday, August 1 at 12:00 UTC. IJRU is committed to educating our community on our core values of diversity and inclusions.

The IJRU Board of Directors met virtually on July 18, 2020. Review our meeting highlights to stay informed. 

One Humanity Project 

IJRU has decided to join other sporting federations to participate in the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF)  One Humanity Project. Through this project, we will show how our sport brings individuals together from around the world. 

IJRU Appoints New Board Member 

We would like to introduce Dr. Moagi Sharp as a new Africa Continental Representative on the IJRU Board of Directors. Sharp is from Selebi Phikwe, Botswana and comes to IJRU with over 10 years of experience in sport management. He is the president and founder of the Botswana Wrestling Foundation and has lots of experience working within the Olympic pyramid.  

He started rope skipping in 2018. In 2019, he organized the 1st National Rope Skipping Championship in Botswana. By the time the Championship was held, he had already Registered 30 Rope Skipping Clubs country-wide. Please join us in welcoming Moagi Sharp to IJRU. We are excited to continue to grow the sport of jump rope/rope skipping throughout Africa.  

Membership Update 

IJRU now has 56 members! Please join us as we congratulate the following National Governing Bodies (NGBs) as they achieve new membership status with IJRU: 

• Chinese Taipei – Taiwan Kinetic Art Association moves from Observer to Provisional membership 

• Italy – Italian Federation of Acrobatic and Choreographic Sport (FISAC) gains Provisional membership 

IJRU membership allows you to take part in IJRU tournaments and participate in the IJRU General Congress, Technical Congress and provide representation on IJRU committees and panels. For more information on how to become a member, please contact us at info@ijru.sport. 

Committee Charters 

As our organization continues to grow, we are in the process of developing a variety of committees to help govern our sport. At the July Board meeting, we reviewed and approved the following committee charters: 

• Finance Committee Charter 

• Athletes Council Charter 

• Code of Ethics 

• Code of Conduct 

We will be posting these documents on our website in the near future.  

Have you registered for our upcoming webinar on COVID-19 in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping? The International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) is committed to ensuring that our National Governing Bodies, clubs and coaches provide a safe and healthy environment for athletes in our sport. We will discuss some of the challenges that COVID-19 presents for the sport of jump rope/rope skipping and look into potential risk mitigation and digital strategies.

Date and time

The COVID-19 webinar will take place on Saturday, July 25 at 12:00 UTC. Everyone who has registered for the webinar will receive an email with a link to access the webinar 24 hours in advance.

Meet our moderator and panelists

We are pleased to introduce our expert panelists!

Amy Simpson, Moderator

Amy Simpson is a professional news anchor and reporter. She has experience covering current events, politics, crime, military, severe weather, and business. Amy was a competitive jump rope athlete for a decade as a member of the Kangaroo Kids from Columbia, MD. She competed at the international level in both Canada and South Africa.

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Dale Neuberger, Director of BCW Sports Practice

Dale Neuburger is Director of BCW Sports Practice – North America, one of the world’s leading sports management consultancies. He has served in a variety of leadership roles within the Olympic Family as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the U.S. Olympic Committee. He was Deputy Chef de Mission for the U.S. delegation that won 101 medals in Athens in 2004.

His volunteer service in aquatics includes serving as Vice President of FINA (International Aquatics Federation); President of United States Aquatic Sports; President of USA Swimming; and, Chairman of the Board of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He has been Event Director for swimming competition in three Olympic Games.

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Denise Fisher, MBA, BComm (Sports Administration)

Denise Fisher is the founder and Head Coach with Jump Rope Revolution in Edmonton, Canada set to launch post-COVID. She has been involved in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping for over 30 years as an athlete, coach, judge, and Director at the provincial and national levels. She has worked in the Canadian amateur sport system for over 20 years including working in High Performance and Olympic Preparation for the Canadian Olympic Committee, where she was selected to the Canadian Mission team for three Olympic and two Pan American Games.

Denise was invited to be a torchbearer for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games for her support of teens wishing to be more physically active. She has served as the Executive Director of three provincial sport organizations (figure skating, rugby and cheerleading) and is currently the Manager of Youth, Competitions and Sport for Special Olympics Alberta. She is proud that her daughter, Deanna, remains competitive in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping where she has won several Canadian and Canadian Grand Championship titles.

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Warren Harper, Global Sports & Event Industry Practice

Warren Harper is the leader of the Global Sports & Events Industry Practice, based in Atlanta. In this role, he specializes in the provision of risk management, insurance and risk mitigation consulting services to global sporting event and entertainment clients. Services provided include exposure identification and assessment of operating plans for all organizing committee functional areas, contingency planning, operational readiness exercises, development of risk management games operating plans, and the implementation of risk financing strategies.

Warren has over 35 years of experience in the insurance and risk management industry as a commercial lines underwriter, insurance broker, risk manager and consultant. Consulting activities have involved integrated program planning and management for a variety of clients in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Bermuda.

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Luke Winstanley, IJRU Vice President Oceania

Luke has been involved with Rope Skipping in Australia for more than 10 years; the first two years as an involved parent, and the remaining years as a combination of committee member at the local, regional, national and/or international level.

Since 2012, Luke has held Executive positions within Skipping Australia and in 2016 was elected to the position of Vice President – Oceania for FISAC-IRSF. Luke brings a working knowledge of sports administration, business process and systems governance and best practice to assist with organizational development, business process improvement and strategic planning in his role as a business consultant. He believes there are untold opportunities for development of our sport across the globe and would like to be involved in that development.

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Andrej Kyselica, Microsoft Software Engineer

Andrej maintains the scoring and live results technology used for IJRU tournaments and and is a member of the IJRU Championship Organizing Committee. He is also a member of the IJRU Innovation Committee and supports the Board of Directors executive committee on strategic projects. Previously, he led on-site and online event production for World Jump Rope Federation’s championships. A software engineer by trade, Andrej has worked at Microsoft since 2005 based in Ohio in the United States.

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Nika Khoroshikh

Nika, is from Russia, Rostov-on-don and is a competitive athlete on a team called “Kreativ”. She has competed for 7 years and has participated in several international tournaments. Nika has a strong passion for jump rope and wants to work hard to help the sport gain more popularity. Nika leads online classes with members from her team in order to continue jumping throughout COVID-19.

 In order to help our community grow and flourish during these times, IJRU is hosting an educational webinar series that will focus on COVID-19 and diversity and inclusion in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping.  

We invite athletes, coaches, volunteers and NGB leaders to take part in these important discussions. You can register for a single panel or attend all three! These free webinars are open to everyone. 

Please register at least 24 hours before the start time in order to reserve your spot.

Schedule 

Check out the panel dates and times: 

• July 25, 2020 at 12:00 UTC – Jump rope/rope skipping and COVID-19 - practice guidelines, risk mitigation and digital strategies

• August 1, 2020 at 12:00 UTC – Diversity and Inclusion in Jump Rope/Rope Skipping 

Jump rope/rope skipping and COVID-19 – practice guidelines, risk mitigation and digital strategies

Are you ready to get back to practice? Do you have any safety measures in place to ensure that your athletes, coaches and volunteers are safe? In this panel, medical and sport experts will raise awareness on what safety guidelines to consider during practice, performances and competition for coaches, athletes and volunteers during COVID-19. 

Each area of the world has different health and safety guidelines and restrictions. Our panel will explore risk mitigation strategies to consider during COVID-19. If your organization is unable to come together for large events or even smaller practices, you may need to consider new technologies and pathways. We will explore the use of technology as a way to reduce risk through the potential of online training and events. 

Diversity and Inclusion in Jump Rope/Rope Skipping 

IJRU would like to continue to invest in our core values of diversity and inclusion. How can we ensure that the sport of jump rope/rope skipping is a safe space for all athletes, coaches, judges and spectators regardless of race?  

This panel will continue conversations about race, diversity and inclusion in the sport of jump rope/rope skipping. We hope to help raise awareness, promote discussion and begin to offer potential solutions to counter racism in jump rope/rope skipping. 

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In order for our sport to reach new heights, we need to take into consideration the health and development of young athletes. As a result, the IJRU Board of Directors has established the Youth Development Commission.  

This group will look into the development of young athletes and will advise the Board and other IJRU committees about rules, events, programming and more. This includes the establishment of grass roots, organized and educational programming that focuses on the principles of Long-Term Athlete Development. This commission is tasked with the growth strategy of our youth and to bring our sport to youth around the world. 

Apply today 

Are you interested in joining the Youth Development Commission? Do you have a passion for athlete development and youth programming? Please complete the Youth Development Commission Application and submit it by email to IJRU at info@ijru.sport by July 15. 

As a member of this group, you will be expected to attend meetings and complete tasks between meetings as assignment by the Commission Chair. 

Minimum Qualifications 

Below are the minimum qualification for the Youth Development Commission. Please only submit an application if you meet the minimum qualifications. In order to sit on the Youth Development Commission, you need to: 

• Belong to an IJRU member country  

• Be at least 18 years of age 

• Be able to read and write in English 

We will give priority to those applicants with work or educational experience in: 

• Developing youth programs 

• Youth education 

• Organizational leadership 

• Education in health sciences, medicine or education 

Please note  

Youth Development Commission members do not represent their National Governing Body as a delegate. They are IJRU official representatives from a particular country. 

Selection process 

The Board of Directors will review all nominations and make a final decision at our board meeting on August 15. We will take all applications we receive into consideration when appointing members to the Commission.  

All successful applicants will receive a letter of appointment by August 19 and the Youth Development Commission will begin meeting in September.  

Youth Development Commission Charter 

Review the Youth Development Commission Charter for full details about the objectives and mandate of the Youth Development Commission. 

We would like to thank all of those who apply. Only those who have been selected for appointment will be contacted. 

We are pleased to announce that the Global Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF) has renewed IJRU’s Observer Status for an additional two years. This is a tremendous milestone for IJRU as we continue to grow our global community.

In 2018, with the help of GAISF’s guidance and full support, the IJRU was created as a united entity from former rivals. This is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through compassion, unity and teamwork, values that are intrinsic to sport.

Now, through the tireless efforts of the entire IJRU team to further our development as an International Federation, and the continual guidance of GAISF, our organisation has an additional two years to work towards fulfilling the GAISF Membership criteria.

In order for jump rope/rope skipping to gain full GAISF membership we will need to have 40 members recognised by their respective national sport authorities. At present, there are 20 members who have received national recognition, and we would like to congratulate these National Federations:

• Australia

• Belgium

• Botswana

• Brazil

• Denmark

• Finland

• France

• Germany

• Malaysia

• Mozambique

• Pakistan

• Peoples Republic of China

• Puerto Rico

• Republic of Korea

• Singapore

• South Africa

• Swaziland

• Sweden

• Switzerland

• Trinidad and Tobago

We strongly encourage all IJRU members to continue striving for national recognition, and know that IJRU will do all that we can to help our members achieve this aim. If you have any questions, or need support from IJRU, please do not hesitate to reach out at info@ijru.sport.

Together, we celebrate this incredible milestone we have reached. These accomplishments have only been possible through the powerful and unified efforts of our entire community. Only by working as a team will our successes continue as we walk together on our journey to GAISF Membership.

Thank you all for your great work.

The IJRU Board of Directors met electronically on June 6, 2020 to discuss memberships, committee charters and rule updates. Please review the board meeting highlights to stay informed. 

Finland gains full IJRU member status 

 We would like to congratulate Finland (Finish Gymnastics Federation) as they move from observational to full membership status with IJRU! 

Youth Development Commission

Over the past few months, the IJRU Board of Directors and Technical Committee have been discussing the position of youth within the sport of jump rope/rope skipping. We believe that in order to ensure that young athletes have opportunities to access our sport and excel, we need to focus on developing a youth strategy. This strategy will help inform future decision-making around competition events, structures, rules, training techniques and programming for youth in our sport.  

The IJRU Board of Directors approved the establishment of a Youth Development Commission and Charter so that we can begin this important work. In the coming weeks, we will put out a call for volunteers to sit on the Youth Development Commission. Please stay tuned for more information. 

Board of Directors approves IJRU rule updates 

The IJRU Board of Directors reviewed and approved all rule proposals presented by the IJRU Technical Congress. We would like to congratulate the Technical Committee and Technical Congress for their great work. Learn more about the rule updates and Technical Committee report. 

Event postponements 

Due to COVID-19 the following events have been postponed: 

• IJRU 2020 has been postponed and will be held from July 19 to July 26, 2021 

• ISF 2020 Gymnasiade Summer Games  

• TAFISA 7th World Games (fall 2020) 

We will keep our members posted once we learn more information about the rescheduling of these events. 

IJRU has secured the location and dates for the 2021 IJRU World Championships. Given there are still significant global uncertainties about the  impact of COVID-19, we are not able to 100% confirm the 2021 tournament details. Some of the details may change as the global pandemic evolves, but at this point in time, we are planning to hold the 2021 IJRU World Championships in Ottawa, Canada. 

We would like to thank the global jump rope/rope skipping community for your support and understanding during these uncertain times. 

IJRU 2021 location and dates 

IJRU 2021 will be held in Ottawa, Canada at TD Place Arena from July 19 to 26. We understand these timings overlap with the revised 2021 Olympic dates, however, within the three month window, this was the only time we were able to secure the event venue. Communication with GAISF has been undertaken. 

Age categories and rule updates 

In order to ensure those athletes that have already qualified, and to provide a fair environment for all, the IJRU Technical Committee is in the process of reviewing the rules to add clarifying language to minor sections of the rulebook. We are also using data from the 18 tournaments that have taken place worldwide using the IJRU rules in 2019/2020 to make small modifications and ensure the best possible judging system for our athletes and sport. 

All rule changes and age category clarification for 2021 will be finalized and communicated in July, 2020 after receiving approval from the Technical Congress and Board of Directors. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the IJRU Technical Committee at tcom@ijru.sport if you have any questions about the rules.  

Next steps 

We will be releasing new registration and pricing packages in the next few months that include details about registration dates and deposits. Please continue to follow the IJRU news and check your inbox for regular updates. 

Looking forward to seeing you all in Ottawa, Canada in 2021! 

Dear National Jump Rope Federation Members - International Jump Rope Union (IJRU), Athletes, Officials, Volunteers.

As you all know, the entire global community is focusing on the current and potential impact of the Corona-virus. The IJRU Board of Directors met today to discuss the escalation of the COVID-19 situation and how it may affect our upcoming World Championships scheduled for 5 – 14 July 2020 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

After long and careful evaluation, IJRU is announcing the postponement of this year's World Championships and International Open Tournament. The World Health Organization has declared Corona-virus to be a global pandemic. Whilst the Championships are still a number of months away and the impact created by this global crisis is partially unknown, IJRU consider an early decision is in the best interest of our global sporting community.

We are disappointed that the inaugural unified IJRU World Championship will not take place as planned, but the health and safety of the local community, athletes, volunteers, sponsors, officials, vendors, and everyone involved with the event is of paramount importance to us. We are planning to hold the Championship on another date and will explore options for a suitable time-frame in 2021.

This was not an easy decision, nor one taken lightly. Like other world sporting events cancelled in recent days; there will be an adverse impact on many people. The hardship this decision will create for our valued stakeholders is the sad reality of what is happening in the world with this health crisis. We ask that our community come together as a global sport and do all we can to protect one another.

As I’m sure you can appreciate, at this time we are not confirming new dates for

the 2021 Championships, however as soon as we have more information, the IJRU Board will be in touch with National Governing Bodies to discuss our options. Similarly, IJRU will be in contact shortly to finalise refund of deposits already paid.

We apologise for any inconvenience this causes and wish you health and happiness in your part of the world. Thank you again for your commitment to our sport and your support of the International Jump Rope Union and its mission.

Yours in Sport,
Shaun Hamilton
President, International Jump Rope Union