As the first preliminary matches of the men’s and women’s fistball commenced today, the watching International Fistball Association (IFA) President Jörn Verleger would have been making the most of every moment.
He will do for the rest of The World Games 2025 as he prepares to hand over the reins after six transformative years in the position.
His journey to the top of the sport however wasn’t a planned journey.
“I came in totally from the sidelines,” recalled Verleger who served as the IFA’s secretary general from 2015 before becoming president in 2019. “It started with a breakfast with the former President, Karl Weiss. It was in South Africa, during the World Anti-Doping Conference, when he asked me whether I could serve a little bit for the IFA, and since then many things have developed.”
They wouldn’t have known it then, but that conversation between Weiss and Verleger created the ripple effect for the IFA to grow further in scope and ambition.
What started with six teams at The World Games London 1985 is now, in Chengdu, a fully gender-equal tournament with eight men’s and eight women’s teams, a huge milestone in the sport.
“It’s an incredible journey we did through those years. It’s not a success of my own, it’s a success of our whole team.”
It is quite the legacy Verleger leaves behind, but now Gastão Englert, the former SOGIPA manager and coach, most known for his time at the helm for Brazil – where he guided his home country to gold at The World Games Kaohsiung 2009 amongst other honours - will take on the presidency.
Verleger praised how his successor’s vast experience will benefit the sport.
“He has had success as a player, coach, and organiser, really living the values of our sport. I am really looking forward to his management of this process because we still have a long journey.”
“We are the only federation from the World Games federations not yet IOC (International Olympic Council) recognised, so let’s cross our fingers that we will manage to do that last and important task.”
As was the case for all sports featuring in Chengdu, IOC recognition is a major ambition for the IFA.
For Verleger though, it signifies more than just the glamour of potentially being in the Olympic programme.
To him, it is the gateway to the promise land of global Fistball, bringing in an increased amount of eyeballs and media coverage.
“We believe that the IOC recognition opens doors to regions and funding where the sport currently is not present,” stressed the German. “I’ve seen it with our friends from the World Flying Disc federation. As far as I can see, the IOC recognition brings broader acceptance of the sport.”
“I cannot pronounce how important media coverage is for a sport like Fistball. That's why we’ve sent the biggest ever media team to cover these World Games from our side here in Chengdu.”
Verleger also leaves a trail of innovation for the federation to continue. In the background, him and others at the IFA have been developing a two-on-two version of Fistball to make it easier for communities who may not have access to normal sized grass fields or 10 necessary players to get started.
Once again, it is another push for further accessibility to all corners of the planet, creating another discipline of Fistball that can be simpler for new fans to follow and participate in.
"It’s also worth adding that normally we play on natural lawn, and we’re thinking about changing this two-on-two Fistball to be played on different grass and surfaces," he also revealed. "This is something we also consider because we think the natural lawn is very common in Europe but not in all parts of the world, so that's why we're looking for different surfaces as well.”
As he steps down however, Verleger has no plans to disappear from the sporting scene nor from Fistball whatsoever with involvement in The World Games Karlsruhe 2029 something in his periphery workwise.
“I've built some relationships during the last 10 years... There are several tasks on the agenda to be done, and I will still continue to support the upcoming president,” he replied when asked what is next. “I was involved in sports volunteering since I was 16 years old, so no one believes me that I will be totally out of the system.”
“Coming from Germany, especially with the upcoming edition of The World Games in Germany, this might be very interesting to give some impact.”
For a leader who began with a breakfast invitation and ended up guiding a sport into a new era the “intensive years” by Verleger have, in the most part, been worth it.
The IOC recognition may have been the missing piece from his tenure as president but his positive impact on the sport has raised his profile in Fistball and around sporting circles across the planet.
He’ll leave Chengdu and the IFA with no shortage of admirers.