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6/26/2018 1 Comment E-Force Signs Agreement with International Racquetball Federation for Official RacquetJune 26, 2018 – In a significant announcement made by E-Force and the International Racquetball Federation (IRF), E-Force was named the “Official Racquet” of the IRF. According to Ron Grimes, owner of E-Force, the decision to continue supporting the IRF and its focus on international growth was an easy one. “As racquetball’s racquet technology leader, E-Force is excited to extend its over 12-year International Racquetball Federation sponsorship. E-Force is committed to growing racquetball internationally. The IRF, with its efforts towards this shared goal, is the perfect partner.” E-Force has been a longtime supporter of international racquetball, and IRF Secretary General Luke St. Onge was delighted with the outcome of this agreement. “We have been working with E-Force to grow racquetball internationally for many years,” he said, “and we’re happy and excited to see Ron and his company continue supporting international racquetball as the Official Racquet of the Federation.” E-Force will be the “Official Racquet” for all IRF World and Continental tournaments in addition to the Olympic chain of events including the Pan American Games, South American Games, Central American Caribbean Games, and World Games. 
1 Comment
 A very special greeting to the international racquetball family!
The IRF officially confirms that the 2018 IRF World Championships will be competed in the city of San José, Costa Rica, August 10-19, 2018. This is the first time in my many years as a leader that the IRF has had to change the venue of the IRF World Championships. In 2018, for different reasons, multiple venues that have found they could not host the World Championships. When China met challenges as intended host of this year's World Championships, Juan Manuel Gutiérrez of Cali, Colombia, came forward to host. I wish to share what happened in the city of Cali, Colombia, where I worked closely with Sr. Gutiérrez. For many days, he was told that he needed to improve and maintain security at the courts. However, we really never felt security was an issue. On the very day that Sr. Gutiérrez was waiting for the final meeting to authorize going ahead with hosting the World Championships, the eight courts where we have enjoyed so many great IRF and PARC tournaments were being secretly demolished. We deeply regret the situation in which Sr. Gutiérrez has been placed. Under his leadership, we are sure that we will soon be able to return to Cali to compete at new facilities that will undoubtedly be created. Just three days after this devastating news, the IRF was given the opportunity to hold the World Championships in both Costa Rica and Bolivia. This is thanks to the efforts of Marcelo Gómez from Costa Rica and Gonzalo Alcoreza from Bolivia. My sincere thanks to both and to their Federations for taking charge of a difficult situation and offering to organize a World Championships in just two months. We have decided on Costa Rica as the venue. One of the main reasons for this is that some countries and IRF staff had already purchased their flights to Cali, and rebooking tickets to Costa Rica is easier and less expensive than to Bolivia. In the face of these unexpected difficulties, the IRF and I appreciate your patience and support. We will work hard to ensure that the World Championships are a success, and we look forward to seeing you in San José. With sincere regards, Osvaldo Maggi President International Racquetball Federation June 14, 2018 Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA -- The IRF World Championships to be held later this summer at Club Cañasgordas in Cali, Colombia is to be relocated, and a new location will be announced soon. Unfortunately, the host club in Colombia unexpectedly demolished their racquetball and squash courts, which necessitates a change in venue. The venue was the host of numerous IRF-sanctioned events including the 2013 World Games, 2014 Junior World Championships, and 2016 World Championships. IRF Secretary General Luke St. Onge expressed his disappointment. "This is obviously distressing news for both the IRF and for the Colombian Federation, both of whom worked very hard to try and stop the host venue’s decision. However, we do have an alternate location willing and able to host the World Championships on short notice and hope to make a formal announcement within the next few days. We offer our appreciation to Juan Manuel Gutierrez, the Federación Colombiana de Racquetball, and the Colombian racquetball players for the many wonderful memories of excellently hosted events in Cali over the years."  About the IRF
The International Racquetball Federation is the international governing body of the sport of racquetball under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee. Founded in 1979, the IRF provides governance, rules, and leadership to its 83 national federation members. A member of GAISF beginning in 1980 and recognized by the IOC in 1985, the IRF offers three events annually and one, the IRF World Championships, biennially. It is the international umbrella organization for racquetball over the Olympic Chain of events such as the Pan American Games, World Games, Central American Games, Central American and Caribbean Games, and IRF Regional competitions. Social Media Find the IRF on Facebook, YouTube, or visit www.internationalracquetball.com. |
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