About the International Dragon Boat Federation
Whilst the IDBF was only formally constituted in 1991, there has been traditional dragon boating in Southern China for over 2000 years. International Dragon Boat Racing competitions, for non-national crews, have been staged around the world since June 1976, when overseas crews were invited, for the first time, to race in the traditional Hong Kong Festival Races. It is from this event and date that the Member associations of the IDBF accept and record that the ´modern era´ of dragon boating began.
From the example of the Hong Kong International Races, other international races quickly established themselves at ‘club level’ (notably in Singapore; Malaysia; Canada; New Zealand Australia and Sweden) and common Rules and Regulations for international races were developed. In the early 1980s the sport began to develop as a recognised sport and from the mid 1980s onwards, dragon boat associations, with formal constitutions and quite independent of any other sports governing bodies, were established at ´national level´ in Asia, Europe, North America, Australasia and Africa.
In the late 1980s ad hoc meetings were held and minutes recorded, between representatives of the established dragon boat associations and newly emerging crews, with regard to forming Continental and World Federations for the sport. As a result of these ongoing discussions the European Dragon Boat Federation (EDBF) was formed in 1990, followed by the IDBF in 1991 and the Asian Dragon Boat Federation (ADBF) in 1992. These three independent federations now act as the representative bodies for the sport; enact international rules and regulations and organise dragon boat championships for their member associations.