LAUSANNE, Switzerland — South Korea’s Kim Jae-youl has taken on another major leadership role in international sports after being elected president of the Winter Olympic Federations (WOF), the umbrella organization representing major international federations governing Winter Olympic sports.
Kim, who is also president of the International Skating Union (ISU) and a member of the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board, was elected at a WOF meeting in Lausanne. He succeeds outgoing president Ivo Ferriani of Italy.
The WOF brings together international governing bodies for seven major Winter Olympic sports: skating, skiing, luge, ice hockey, curling, bobsleigh and skeleton, and biathlon. The organization works to promote cooperation and the collective development of winter sports.
Following his election, Kim said he would work with WOF members and other stakeholders to raise the profile of winter sports and strengthen cooperation among the international federations.
A Growing Role on the Global Sports Stage
Kim’s election adds to a series of increasingly prominent positions in international sports governance.
He previously served as president of the Korea Skating Union, vice president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and an ISU council member.
In 2022, Kim became the first non-European president in ISU history, a position he retained after winning a second term in June 2026.
His influence expanded further in February, when he was elected to the IOC Executive Board during the 145th IOC Session in Milan. The WOF had nominated him for the position.
That means Kim now holds leadership positions across several of the most important organizations involved in international winter sports.
Why the WOF Role Matters
The WOF serves as a forum for the international federations responsible for the sports featured on the Winter Olympic program.
Its role includes promoting cooperation among federations and supporting the broader development and visibility of winter sports.
Kim said he wants to work collectively with the member federations to strengthen the standing of snow and ice sports in the modern sporting landscape.
His new position also comes after a period of continued development within the ISU, where he has overseen governance changes and efforts to modernize skating and its competition formats.
With his second ISU presidential term secured through 2030, Kim is now positioned to influence winter sports beyond skating alone.
Korea’s Expanding Presence in Olympic Sports Governance
Kim’s rise also highlights South Korea’s expanding presence in international sports administration.
From leading the Korea Skating Union to becoming the first non-European ISU president, joining the IOC Executive Board and now taking charge of the WOF, his career has increasingly moved onto the global stage.
His new assignment will involve working across multiple international federations representing different winter disciplines.
With Kim Jae-youl now at the helm of the Winter Olympic Federations, attention will turn to how his leadership across skating, the IOC and the wider winter-sports community shapes the next chapter of the Olympic movement.
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