FISA Congress votes on changes to Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic rowing programmes

FISA will recommend to the IOC that Para-rowing events expand to 2,000m in length, and to drop the LM4- from the Olympic programme in favour of the W4-

Two big decisions were taken at the FISA Extraordinary Congress in Tokyo on Saturday morning.

Para-rowers will now race over 2,000m instead of 1,000m. This will be the case at all World Rowing events as well as the Paralympic Games. The move to 2,000m racing for Para-rowing is a signal of further integration of Para disciplines at the top level of international competition.

The FISA Congress delegates, made up of representatives nominated by national rowing federations, were presented with two proposals that would create a gender equal programme at the Olympic Games. The outcome of the vote will see the women’s four added to the programme.

FISA, rowing’s world governing body, will now recommend 14 boat classes to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the Tokyo Olympic Programme, which will deliver gender equity, bring the women’s four back into the Games and hopefully ensure the future of lightweight Olympic rowing.

Annamarie Phelps CBE, Chairman of British Rowing said: “These decisions have been hotly debated with emotions running high at times. We welcome both outcomes as the right ones for our sport at this time.”

Sir David Tanner, British Rowing’s Performance Director said: “With these good outcomes for our sport, our senior rowers and coaches can now focus on the job in hand – producing strong results in this year’s World Championships as the first step on the road to Tokyo 2020.”