Lausanne, Switzerland – 24 October 2025
The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) joined more than 400 leaders from the Olympic Movement, governments, inter-governmental agencies, and integrity bodies for the 5th International Forum for Sports Integrity (IFSI) on 24 October 2025.
Organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Forum concluded with the unanimous adoption of the Universal Declaration on Sports Integrity — a new action-oriented commitment to strengthen governance, protect competitions, and safeguard athletes across the global sport system.
The Declaration outlines responsibilities for stakeholders across four priority areas:
– Promoting good governance and combating corruption in sport;
– Preventing competition manipulation;
– Ensuring integrity in officiating, including the responsible use of technology and AI; and
– Strengthening safeguarding in sport.
ISMF’s participation reflects its alignment with these principles and its ongoing governance reforms to enhance integrity and transparency across all operations. Over the past year, ISMF has adopted a series of new policies and regulations — including the Integrity Code, Safeguarding Rules, Conflict of Interest Policy, and Disciplinary Rules — to modernise governance and reinforce ethical standards.
“The Declaration echoes the direction we have adopted as a responsible federation and positive contributor to the Olympic Movement” said Juan Jesús Ibañez Martin, President of the ISMF Ethics and Compliance Office, who attended the Forum on behalf of ISMF. “It strengthens our shared responsibility to uphold fairness, accountability, and athlete protection at every level.”
ISMF President Regula Meier added that these reforms form part of the federation’s wider governance modernisation programme: “Integrity is the foundation of trust in sport. By embedding clear governance frameworks and independent mechanisms, we are ensuring ISMF remains a credible and responsible member of the Olympic family.”
The ISMF’s recent governance advances are closely aligned with the Universal Declaration on Sports Integrity and the International Partnership Against Corruption in Sport (IPACS) benchmarks referenced within it.
The full text of the Universal Declaration is available on the IOC website.
© Photo credit: IOC