The IOF today announced the appointment of Mr Björn Persson, SWE, to the position of Sports Director.

Björn Persson, currently a member of the IOF Arena Production Group, was the Senior Event Adviser for the 2006 World Orienteering Championship in Denmark.

IOF President Ake Jacobson comments: “The appointment of a Sports Director reflects the IOF’s desire to increase its professional human resources and will assist in the realisation of key IOF goals outlined in Strategic Directions 2006-2012, a document unanimously adopted by the XXIII General Assembly of the IOF.”

The main areas of responsibility of the Sports Director will be the conceptual development of world level events, the taking of initiatives to increase TV exposure, co-ordination of the technical development of orienteering including arena production, quality control and quality assurance.

In particular, the Sports Director will play an important role in making the IOF’s main events, primarily World Championships and World Cup, more attractive to a wider audience. Initially, the Sports Director will work in a part-time capacity.

Björn Persson starts work on 2 January 2007.