About Us
The SAFSA is a non-profit association and is the official and only body governing Figure Skating in the Republic of South Africa in conjunction with its affiliates.
Our association and its affiliates promote and develop all the different disciplines in Figure Skating that include Free Skating, Ice Dance, Pairs Skating and Synchronized Skating in the country and is affiliated nationally to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and internationally to the International Skating Union (ISU).
SAFSA is responsible for the management and representation of our sport and its athletes in our country and is bound by the requirements and governance prescripts of our local and international affiliations
Vision
• Inspiring all people in South Africa to embrace the joy of figure skating for life
Mission
• The SAFSA’s purpose is to develop and promote ice skating country-wide together with its Members across all levels and disciplines: Figure Skating, Pairs, Ice Dance and Synchronized Skating.
Goals
- To increase the number of participants in the sport
- To maintain and increase access to facilities in South Africa
- To increase media exposure to the sport
- To attract sponsors, funding and grants
- To promote and develop skaters, coaches, judges and other officials
- To improve the standard of the sport in South Africa
- To administer the sport effectively
- To continuously reassess and develop rules and regulations for the sport
- To encourage the formation of clubs and provinces in appropriate areas
- To provide a broader base of international exposure thereby improving our image and that of the athletes concerned
- To advance all the disciplines within Figure Skating
- To improve the dissemination of information in all areas of operation
Objectives
• The objectives of the SAFSA are regulating, governing and promoting the sports of Figure Skating and their organized development on the basis of friendship and mutual understanding between sportsmen. The SAFSA shall work for broadening interest in Figure Skating sports by increasing their popularity, improving their quality and increasing the number of participants throughout the world. The SAFSA shall ensure that the interests of all SAFSA Members are observed and respected.” (ISU Constitution, Article 3)
Our History
The South African Ice Skating Association (SAISA) was established in 1937 and encompassed both figure skating and speed skating disciplines. Professor JYT Greig was the first president, a position he held from 1937 until 1950. It was only really in 1970, when ice rinks began popping up all over the country, that SAISA became a true national controlling body for the sport.
South Africa became a member of the International Skating Union (ISU) family in 1938 and has been the only member on the African continent, until the recent addition of Morocco. South Africa is also an affiliated member of the SOUTH AFRICAN SPORTS CONFEDERATION AND OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (SASCOC), previously NOCSA, which was formed in 2005.
At the ISU Congress in 1996, Speed Skating split from the then SAISA, and the two bodies SAFSA (South African Figure Skating Association) and SASSA (South African Speed Skating Association) were formed and each became full members of the ISU in their own right and the controlling bodies of their sport in South Africa. At the request of the then NOCSA and National Sports Council (NSC) a “loose” association was formed, i.e. South African Ice Skating Federation (SAISF), as we both have the same international controlling body. Although technically this association is still in place, each association is completely autonomous.
Management Team
The National Executive Committee consists of the following members for the 2020/2021 season:
President:
Mr Ricardo Jacobs
Deputy President:
Mr Christo Viljoen
National Secretary:
Mrs Deborah Rees
National Development Officer:
Vacant
National Treasurer:
Mr Enzo D’Aguanno
National PRO:
Ms Jo Cossavella
