Editing World Rowing (section)

===General===
It was founded by rowing representatives from [[France]], [[Switzerland]], [[Belgium]], Adriatica, and [[Italy]] on 25 June 1892 in [[Turin]] in response to the growing popularity of the sport of rowing, and the consequent need for uniformity of regulations over such matters as race lengths, boat composition, and weight classes.  Also, at the time, betting on rowing was very popular, and the rowers or coaches were themselves often taking bets.  Amateur status, while widespread in England and elsewhere, was unknown in the sport in many nations, a state of affairs which could lead to corruption such as thrown races.

The first regatta organised by the newly formed FISA was the [[European Rowing Championships]] and was held in 1893 in [[Lake Orta|Orta, Italy]].  It only had 10 entries in 3 events and no professional participants.  By 1925, the 27th European Championships, held in [[Prague]], included 24 entries in 10 different events.

FISA established its headquarters in [[Lausanne]], Switzerland in 1922.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/int@fisa.html |title=International Rowing Federation |publisher=CRW Flags |language=en |access-date=8 November 2015}}</ref>

FISA was the first international sports federation to join the [[Olympic Games|Olympic movement]].  It has been on the Olympic program since the [[1896 Summer Olympics]] in [[Athens]]. (The rowing events at the 1896 games were cancelled because of high winds). Each country that participates in rowing has a federation or governing body which belongs to the ''World Rowing Congress''.  These federations (of which there are currently 157)<ref name="About FISA">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldrowing.com/fisa/ |title=About FISA |website=WorldRowing.com |publisher=World Rowing Federation |quote=The World Rowing Federation, FISA (from the French, Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron) is the governing body of the sport of rowing |access-date=1 February 2018}}</ref> have overall control of what World Rowing does.

FISA decided in 1955 that only a united German team could compete at international rowing championships; this first applied to [[European Rowing Championships|European Championships]] and later, from the inaugural in 1962 onwards, to [[World Rowing Championships|World Championships]]. This required that East and West Germany held selection trials, with the winning country for each boat class choosing the rowers who would compete at the championships. Over the years, the relationship between the two German countries deteriorated, and East Germany made seven application to FISA congresses to be recognised as a separate and independent country.<ref>{{cite news |title=Erwartungen |url=http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP26120215-19650824-0-2-20-0 |access-date=3 February 2018 |work=[[Berliner Zeitung]] |volume=21 |issue=232 |date=24 August 1965 |page=2 |language=de |url-access=registration}}</ref> On the seventh occasion, there was insufficient time to discuss the issue at the congress held in [[Duisburg]] just prior to the men's competition of the [[1965 European Rowing Championships]]. FISA president [[Thomas Keller (rower)|Thomas Keller]] stated that an extraordinary congress were to be held in November in [[Vienna]] that would discuss the issue, and that he personally saw no problem with solving the problems.<ref>{{cite news |title=Für zwei Ruder-Mannschaften |url=http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2612273X-19650826-0-7-71-0 |access-date=3 February 2018 |work=[[Neue Zeit (East Germany)|Neue Zeit]] |volume=20 |issue=199 |date=26 August 1965 |page=7 |language=de |url-access=registration}}</ref> In October 1965, the [[International Olympic Committee]] decided that East Germany was to have its own team at future [[Olympic Games]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Heute FISA-Kongreß |url=http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP26120215-19651113-0-7-259-0 |access-date=3 February 2018 |work=[[Berliner Zeitung]] |volume=21 |issue=313 |date=13 November 1965 |page=7 |language=de |url-access=registration}}</ref> At the FISA congress in November 1965, the East German application found forty-six votes of support, four abstentions (from Germany and Austria), and no votes of disapproval.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ruderer mit eigener Mannschaft |url=http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19651114-0-1-233-0 |access-date=3 February 2018 |work=[[Neues Deutschland]] |volume=20 |issue=314 |date=14 November 1965 |page=1 |language=de |url-access=registration}}</ref> At the same congress, Keller's proposal to not play national anthems or raise flags during medal ceremonies was also approved.<ref>{{cite news |title=Längst überfällig ... |url=http://zefys.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/ddr-presse/ergebnisanzeige/?purl=SNP2532889X-19651115-0-4-77-0&highlight=FISA%7C1965%7C11 |access-date=3 February 2018 |work=[[Neues Deutschland]] |volume=20 |issue=315 |date=15 November 1965 |page=4 |language=de |url-access=registration}}</ref> These changes first applied at the [[1966 European Rowing Championships|European Championships]] (for women) in August 1966 and then the [[1966 World Rowing Championships|World Championships]] (for men) two weeks later in September.

In response to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], World Rowing banned athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus from international competitions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1123692/postiglione-russia-coaching|title=World Rowing coaching director Postiglione ends association with Russia|date=27 May 2022|website=www.insidethegames.biz}}</ref> A year later, it started a working group tasked with reinstating Russian and Belarusian athletes.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1133929/fisa-paris-2024-consultation-russia | title=FISA to consult members over Russian and Belarusian inclusion at Paris 2024 | date=20 February 2023 }}</ref>