In the framework of the FIM Family Week regrouping the 2020 FIM and CONUs Board meetings and General Assemblies, as well as the 2021 Commissions Conference organised remotely via online platforms, the FIM Board of Directors met face-to-face at the FIM Headquarters in Mies, Switzerland and via videoconference on 26 and 27 January 2021.
On this occasion, the Board addressed many topics, in particular the following:
COVID-19 pandemic: The FIM expressed its thoughts to all FIM Family Members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 sporting and non-sporting calendars are being drafted knowing that the current on-going pandemic will once again certainly require adjustments, flexibility and adaptability among all FIM Family members and stakeholders.
Sport: The contract with WESS Promotion GmbH is signed and FIM and WESS will join forces to launch the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in 2021. The e-sport Working Group, coordinated by FIM Sports Director Mr Jean-Paul Gombeaud presented its first report to the Board. Strategy and business plan are to be submitted to the Board at its next meeting. In addition, the Board agreed to create, subject to approval by the General Assembly, the FIM MiniGP World Series, FIM Motocross Vintage World Cup, FIM Trial Vintage World Cup, FIM Veteran Bajas World Cup, FIM Sand Race World Cup, FIM Enduro Vintage World Cup, FIM Hard Enduro World Championship and Cup, and to make the FIM Enduro Women World Cup a World Championship.
Disciplinary and anti-coping cases: There is no disciplinary and/or anti-doping case pending as of January 2021.
Finance: Thanks to significant efforts and substantial savings, the provisional results for 2020 will allow for additional allocation to the fund for projects subsidies for FMNs and CONUs. The Board also decided to submit the 2021 budget for approval to the General Assembly. The budget was divided into two versions: one was drafted assuming that a return to a normal situation would be possible and the second one took into consideration the possibility that less sporting and non-sporting events would be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic impact.
Subsidies and donations: The 2021 projects subsidies to FMNs and CONUs were presented to the Board. The Board approved the allocations of FIM charity and donation fund for 2021. The Board decided that donations and charity projects would be managed by the Foundation (IFM) in the future.
Marketing and Communication: The FIM Social Media Plan including a strategy, content, planning, etc. was introduced to the Board.
Affiliations: The next General Assembly will be recommended to approve the affiliations of Mozambique and Iraq as new FMNs and several discussions took place related mainly to Azerbaijan, Canada and Israel.
Commissions: Commission Directors had the opportunity to address their main projects and concerns to the Board. All Commissions will meet by videoconference over the weekend in the framework of the FIM Family Week. In addition, the appointments of two new Members were approved by the Board:
- CFM – Member, Mrs Anastassia Kovalenko (EMF)
- CTL – Member, Mr Zoran Mihajlovic (AMSS)
Amendments to Codes: Revisions to Statutes and By-Laws, Medical Code as well as Environmental Code were voted on. Ages for new FIM World Cups and Prizes were inserted in the Medical Code and some medical services at events and medical requirements were revised The Board approved the inclusion of two articles in the FIM Environmental Code related to the appropriate management of hazardous waste generated by the use of sanitary protective devices. The organisation of the FIM Sustainability Week, to be held the first week of June each year, was also approved. Additionally, the CID presented the first draft of the document that contains the FIM Net Zero Fossil Carbon Strategy. The document will be revised and presented to the Board for approval in the near future. The amendments related to the Statutes and By-Laws will be submitted to the General Assembly for approval.
In addition, the CONU Presidents, the Board Committees and the departments of the Administration presented progress reports on their respective projects.