After two years of hard work a dream becomes reality: AFFI was born, that is, theFunctional Fitness Italy Association, a project that wants to bring the functional fitness in the Olympic Games program.
we at CrossMag we are happy to announce our partnership with AFFI and to start with a bang, we interviewed the Chairs Neil MacLeod first hand for you!
Index
What is "AFFI" and what is your goal and your project?
AFFI - Associazione Functional Fitness Italia was born for development and protection sports discipline of Functional Fitness in Italy in compliance with the provisions issued by International Functional Fitness Federation and from CONI.
Put simply, we want to do recognize as a sport functional fitness that is currently practiced at a competitive level by thousands of athletes who, at present, in Italy cannot be defined as such because their sport is not recognized. We have to remove this disparity.
What is the relationship between CrossFit® and Functional Fitness?
Allow me to be fairly straight forward on this point. AFFI is not a competitor or antagonist of CrossFit®.
CrossFit® is a company that deals with lifestyle, training programs, nutrition. AFFI is an ONLUS that deals with competitive activities, competition regulations, athletes. We have no point of contact or conflict.
Events such as the CrossFit® Games are not the focus of the brand. CrossFit® has no interest in regulating the remaining competitions that have developed in Italy and around the world, it is not their business area. This was specifically clarified with Crossfit Italy.
My first act as President was, in fact, to inform CrossFit®Italia of the start of our business in Italy.
I found that few people on social networks raised the idea that AFFI can harm CrossFit® and those who deal with or live in CrossFit®. It is not so. We are never going to be a valid alternative to CrossFit® because we deal with other things, competitive spirit.
We will never discourage CrossFit® affiliations, far from it. We will never support events as opposed to any CrossFit® events in Italy. In AFFI, even for the Italian icons of CrossFit®, there are opportunities and guarantees of development.
CrossFit® lovers, who also like to compete in addition to the official brand events (and in Italy we have about 80 CrossFit® non-sanctioned events) must support AFFI because the association was created to protect them.
I understand and respect every type of fear but, in this case, where the fact that AFFI is an antagonist of CrossFit® is nothing more than fake news, every fear is unjustified.
Can a gym be a CrossFit® affiliate and also an AFFI affiliate?
Going back to what was said above, absolutely yes. The two affiliations can coexist and serve different purposes.
Why was it decided to consider the birth of this federation?
It was not a decision but the response to various needs: protecting the health of athletes, the need to have unique regulations throughout the country, the need to protect organizers and sports associations, the protection of competitions and the need to fight actively doping, the desire to give athletes the right competitive recognition and, why not, a career prospect in the future.
Can you show us a road map?
We are a reality recognized by the International Functional Fitness Federation. These days we are expanding the affiliate base and working on the unique regulations. At the same time, we began to make contact with CONI and CONI-NADO which is the anti-doping authority.
We are also working on the 2020 racing season and on an open call for the selection of the races that will want to join the Circuit that we will carry out in 2021.
So is it about creating a federation and making this sport recognized?
The goal is ambitious but it is exactly that. We want in practice:
- To have CONI recognize functional fitness as a sport in Italy, definitively removing the risks associated with a possible illegitimate classification of the associations practicing it in the CONI Register, with the resulting sanctioning consequences by the Revenue Agency.
- To be recognized by CONI as associated discipline and then as federation
- Recognize and apply the regulatory principles of the IF3 - International Functional Fitness Federation;
- Promote and apply the CONI and WADA regulations;
- Create and promote a set of competitions recognized nationally and internationally;
- Identify participants in world and continental championships recognized by IF3;
- Support associates with sharing best practices, legal, tax, insurance consultancy and dedicated agreements.
- Beyond this, we would like to see a functional fitness competition in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics program.
What problems have you encountered in sport as it was up to now?
In Italy there are many rules concerning sport, many profiles of responsibility to be considered, many obligations to be respected. Those who perform, organize or train functional fitness athletes to date in many cases are inevitably in default. We want to guarantee complete protection to those who love our sport.
What will be the costs and services provided to affiliates?
Until the end of September affiliation and membership 2020 will be free. Subsequently, costs and services will be correlated. The renewal costs will however remain largely sustainable.
Will it be possible to affiliate only the pits or also professional practicing athletes (called independent)?
At this moment we are affiliating the ASDs and we are proceeding with the membership that they request, even in a free way from society. We are also looking for volunteers who can help us carry out the project.
A final message to our readers ?!
I thank you for the interview. We want Functional Fitness to be recognized as a sport for the Italian state. We must do it for athletes, competitions, coaches but also for sponsors, all companies and workers operating in the sector.
Whether we succeed will depend on the number of people who will share the message and the ability to carry it forward. Now is the right time to join under the same flag. Flag that, I think it is appropriate to specify, is not mine or of the board of AFFI, but of all.
AFFI is a democratic association in which affiliates and members decide who to be guided by. My position as President or that of my fellow councilors are eligible positions that must be ratified or modified by the Assembly, so it is essential that even those who do not agree with the current line of action of the association, but still share its purpose, get on board to democratically express your opinion.
