The final countdown to the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG) is very much underway, with the event scheduled to take place in one month’s time at the iconic Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in Spain on 30 November and 1 December. The teams from all six of the FIM Continental Unions (CONU) of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania have now been confirmed for this groundbreaking competition that will is one of the jewels in the FIM’s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary celebrations.
The ICG will bring together the six FIM Continental Unions in a way never seen before and will provide an outstanding and important international platform for young riders in partnership with all FIM Promoters.
With the first edition of this biennial event, entitled the City of Jerez FIM Intercontinental Games, limited to Supersport and Supersport 300 classes – although this will expand to include other disciplines including Motocross and Enduro as it becomes established – R7 and R3 race machines will be provided by Yamaha Europe as Official Partner.
Each CONU will sport its own colours and field eight riders with four contesting each class. In keeping with the FIM’s ongoing commitment to diversity, each CONU will field at least one female competitor in both classes. The age of the riders will be according to the sporting rules of each discipline.
In 2024 the competition will be contested over three classes – Individual R7, Individual R3 and overall Continental Team – with separate categories within the individual classes for men and women. ICG points will be awarded to each rider according to their finishing position in each discipline and these will be added to the other team riders’ points to determine the winning CONU.
FIM President Jorge Viegas stated: “In one month this project will finally come to life. The FIM Intercontinental Games will be unique in bringing together all six FIM Continental Unions. It is a landmark competition that I have been keen to see happen since I first proposed it many years ago and I am delighted that we will finally see the first edition play out on the wonderful Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto very soon.”
Published by: Isabelle Larivière – FIM Communications Manager
With the first-ever FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG) scheduled to take place in Spain at the end of the year, the teams from all six of the FIM Continental Unions (CONU) of Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America and Oceania have been announced.
A field of forty-eight competitors – comprising riders from 19 countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, the USA – will assemble for the inaugural ICG at the world-famous Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto on 30 November and 1 December 2024. A biennial event which will be named after the city in which it takes place, the City of Jerez FIM Intercontinental Games will be organised with the support of la Junta de Andalucía.
The inaugural edition will be limited to Supersport and Supersport 300 classes – although this will expand to include other disciplines (Motocross and Enduro) as the event becomes established – with Yamaha Europe, as Official Partner, providing R7 and R3 machines.
Dunlop will be the official tyre supplier and will also provide its racing service throughout the competition, while BETA UTENSILI will support the FIM Continental Unions with their professional mechanical tools and toolboxes.
Riders will wear their CONU team colours with electronic airbag suits and gloves supplied by SPIDI, boots by XPD, while Airoh will provide all riders with their FIM Racing homologated GP 800 helmets and Panta Racing Fuel as the official supplier of fuel.
Each CONU will sport its own colours and field eight riders with four contesting each class. In keeping with the FIM’s ongoing commitment to diversity, each CONU will field at least one female competitor in both classes. The age of the riders will be according to the sporting rules of each discipline.
This new competition will benefit from exceptional TV coverage thanks to the support of the FIM circuit racing promoters Dorna who will carry out the TV production and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe who will ensure broadcasting on their digital platforms.
The ICG is intended to provide an outstanding international platform for young riders in partnership with all FIM Promoters. In 2024, the competition will take place over four races, two per class: R7 and R3. The points awarded to each rider based on their ranking will be added to the points of the other team members to determine which of the six FIM Continental Unions will be the first to win the Games.
FIM President Jorge Viegas, who initially proposed the idea of an ICG to the FIM Board of Directors in 2002, said: “As the date for the first-ever FIM InterContinental Games draws closer the sense of anticipation is growing stronger and stronger. It is very exciting to be bringing together all six FIM Continental Unions in the FIM’s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary year and to have riders from across the world competing underlines a very real sense of unity. I am confident that this is just the beginning and that the ICG will continue to develop and grow.”
The Official Presentation for the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games was held at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, on Saturday (27 April) at the Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto in Andalusia, Spain.
A biennial event which will be named after the city in which it takes place, the FIM Intercontinental Games Jerez 2024 will play a major role in the FIM’s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary celebrations this year and be staged at the iconic Spanish circuit on 30 November and 1 December.
Among those attending the Official Presentation were FIM President Jorge Viegas, Antonio Sanz (Consejero de Presidencia de la Junta de Andalucía), Mayor of Jerez de la Frontera Maria José Garcia-Pelayo Jurado, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and Lin Jarvis (Managing Director at Yamaha Motor Racing S.r.l).
First proposed to the FIM Board of Directors by FIM President Jorge Viegas, the FIM Intercontinental Games will bring together the six FIM Continental Unions (CONU) of Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America and Oceania, providing an outstanding international platform for young and experienced riders.
The inaugural FIM Intercontinental Continental Games will be dedicated to circuit racing- Supersport and Supersport 300 classes – although this will expand to include other disciplines (Motocross and Enduro) as the event becomes established – with Yamaha Europe providing R7 and R3 machines as the Official Partner. All motorcycles will have bespoke CONU colour liveries.
Dunlop will be the official tyre supplier and will also provide its racing service throughout the competition, while BETA UTENSILI will support the FIM Continental Unions with their professional mechanical tools and toolboxes.
Riders will wear their CONU team colours with electronic airbag suits and gloves supplied by SPIDI boots by Xpd, while Airoh will provide all riders with their FIM Racing homologated GP 800 helmets and Panta Racing Fuel as the official supplier of fuel.
This new competition will benefit from exceptional TV coverage thanks to the support of the FIM circuit racing promoters Dorna who will carry out the TV production and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe which will ensure broadcasting on their digital platforms.
Each Continental Union will select four riders including at least one woman per class who may come from the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship. Each team will be able to select another rider participating in an FIM World Championship who will be nominated as team captain.
In 2024, the competition will take place over four races, two per class: R7 and R3. The points awarded to each rider based on their ranking will be added to the points of the other team members to determine which of the six FIM Continental Unions will be the first to win the Games.
FIM President Jorge Viegas stated: “In this, the FIM’s one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary year, it is incredibly exciting to be launching the FIM Intercontinental Games that will bring together all six FIM Continental Unions. It is a landmark competition that I have been keen to see happen since I first proposed it twenty-two years ago and I am delighted that we will finally see the first edition come to life later this year. I would like to especially thank Yamaha Europe, the city of Jerez, Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, Dorna, WBD Sports Europe, Dunlop, SPIDI, Xpd, Airoh, Beta, Panta and everyone involved in making this incredible event possible.”
Mayor of Jerez de la Frontera Maria José Garcia-Pelayo Jurado: “The FIM Intercontinental Games are a great opportunity for the Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto. We will be the first circuit to host this event in which all six FIM Continental Unions will participate. This event further fills the circuit’s packed schedule, at a very important time towards the end of the year. The FIM Intercontinental Games will take place just 7 days before the Circuito Jerez-Ángel Nieto celebrates its 99th anniversary and will be the gateway to the 40th anniversary of the Jerez circuit which we will commemorate precisely in 2025.”
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta: “We’re very happy to be part of this new project and partner the first ever Intercontinental Games. It’s testament to the sport’s history and its future that, even as the FIM celebrates 120 years, there is still room to build a new part of its legacy. We look forward to seeing the first event here at Jerez, an iconic venue, and congratulate the FIM on the project and this incredible milestone.”
Managing Director at Yamaha Motor Racing S.r.l, Lin Jarvis concluded: “First of all, I would like to congratulate the FIM on their one-hundred-and-twentieth anniversary – an impressive milestone. Yamaha and the FIM share a close working relationship. Over the years, motorcycle sports across all disciplines have grown and prospered under the FIM’s guidance: health & safety, technical innovation, inclusivity, and the rise in popularity of motorcycle racing are just a few areas that are consistently being worked on.
The launch of the FIM Intercontinental Games shows how the powered-two-wheelers motorsport sector keeps developing to provide new opportunities to all competitors to strive for success and reach new levels, while providing entertaining racing for the fans.
The FIM Intercontinental Games format is exciting in many aspects: the inclusion of women, the opportunity to discover upcoming racing talent, the novelty of various bikes and racing disciplines in one championship, and the necessity of teamwork for teams to get ahead.
Yamaha is proud to support the FIM right from the start in this endeavour by providing R7 and R3 bikes to help the FIM build a fresh and thrilling racing series.”
On this occasion, the Board addressed many topics, in particular the following: Situation in Ukraine: The Board of Directors expressed its sympathy and solidarity with all those suffering, as a result of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. After having carefully considered the situation, the specificity of motorcycle sport and having given the opportunity to the Motorcycle Federation of Russia (MFR), the Belarusian Federation of Motorcycle Sport (BFMS) and the Federation Motorcycling of Ukraine (FMU) to be heard, the Board confirmed that its decisions taken during its extraordinary meeting on 5 March 2022 will remain in force until further notice. The decisions are:
To suspend, for the Motorcycle Federation of Russia (MFR) and the Belarusian Federation of Motorcycle Sport (BFMS), the issuance of FIM licences and the FIM licences already distributed. To suspend the functions of persons from MFR and BFMS acting as FIM Officials and as Commissions members/experts/agents of the FIM. As a result, no Russian and Belarusian riders, teams and officials can take part in any FIM Events and activities.
To suspend the registration of and to cancel all FIM Events such as FIM International Meetings, FIM World Championships and FIM Prize Events taking place in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine and, if applicable, to relocate these FIM Events to another country.
To interrupt any other FIM activities including but not limited to seminars, commissions meetings, training camps taking place in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends to all Affiliated Members and Continental Unions to apply these measures at the national and continental levels.
Sport: All disciplines were discussed with a focus on the promotion of the FIM EBKGP World Cup/Championship, an electric pedelec discipline. The promotion of the FIM Flat Track World Championship/Cup was also presented. In addition, the definition of the participation of CONU teams in a FIM event as well as that of the vehicles under the aegis of the FIM were also addressed. The Board decided to award the 2023 edition of the FIM International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) to the CAMOD (Argentina) and the 2024 ISDE to RFME (Spain).
120th anniversary of the FIM: The FIM will celebrate its 120th anniversary in 2024. The Board agreed on several initiatives for this special occasion such as the launch of the Intercontinental Games, a biennial sporting competition with continental teams only, the creation of a new FIM logo, the editing of a FIM book tracing the history of the Federation over the last two decades as a continuation of the book edited for the centenary of the FIM, as well as the inauguration of the new FIM HQ and the creation of the Motorcycle Sport Museum, including a Hall of Fame.
Finance: The Board approved the 2021 audited financial statements that will be submitted to the General Assembly on 2 December 2022 in Rimini (Italy). In addition, the 2022 forecast was presented to the Board.
Sustainability: In the framework of the 2022 FIM Sustainability Week, a proposal to establish a sustainability accreditation programme for circuits was presented to the Board for consideration. The aim of this programme is to help the FIM circuits to assess and improve their environmental and sustainability performance.
Marketing and Digital: Topics such as the creation of a dedicated website for the FIM Long Track World Championship, an update on the 2022 edition of the FIM ISDE, the launch of the 2nd edition of the “FIM Rides the World” video series, social media initiatives as well as the FIM Brand Identity tender were presented to the Board.
Liaison with National Federations/Continental Unions: The Board decided to submit the affiliation of Senegal (FSAM) for approval to the 2022 General Assembly. An update on the National Federations/Continental Unions liaison initiatives and activities was presented. They mainly related to communication, education, mentoring programmes and sharing of best practices amongst FMNs and CONUs.
Amendments to the Codes: The Board approved amendments to the Sporting Code that will be submitted to the 2022 General Assembly for consideration. Several amendments to the Medical Code as well as to the Anti-Doping Codes were also approved by the Board.
International Foundation for Motorcycling (IFM): The Foundation Board will meet on 4 June and will address the following main topics: approval of the 2021 audited financial statements, the 2022 activities and donations as well as the fundraising initiatives.
Commissions: It was reminded to the Board that all Commission Directors’ and Members’ terms of office will expire at the end of this year. The online application system is now open until 30 September. Commission Directors and Members (with the exception of the LJI Director and Members) will be appointed for 2023-2026 by the Board during its meeting to be held on 3 December. The following changes were made to the composition of the FIM Commissions:
• CPM – Member, Mr Craig CAREY-CLINCH (ACU) The Board further ratified the withdrawal of Mrs Susanne NEUHAUSER (AMF) from the CFM and as CCP referee. In addition, the CONU Presidents, the Board Committees, the Working Groups and the Departments of the Administration presented their progress reports.
