Wiking Group Seizes Control of IFAF Funds

The turmoil surrounding the leadership of American football’s international governing body, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF),  seemed to have simmered down over the past few weeks as talks that were claimed to have been going on between the two sides had calmed the situation.

However, that was the calm before the storm it would seem as sources close to IFAF have confirmed that former President Tommy Wiking and his group have gained possession of the IFAF World bank accounts which are held with the Société Générale in Paris, France. When asked about the situation, Wiking responded by directing all questions to Robert Huber.

Details are murky, but the control of the accounts is related to banking regulations for non-profit organizations. Apparently the minutes of the recent Congress were required to be filed with the bank to determine who is the official signing officer for the organization and who thus controls the IFAF bank accounts. According to sources, this was not done, or at least not done in time to prevent Wiking’s actions.

It seems that Wiking allegedly stepped in and took control of the accounts, since in the bank’s eyes he was still the president of IFAF with signing authority. Apparently he removed the other signing officers and added new names to the list of signatories.

As more information arrives the picture will become more clear, but combined with the wresting of control of the IFAF Facebook page away from IFAF Managing Director Andy Fuller, it would seem that Wiking & Co are no longer in talks with IFAF and have instead launched a full scale assault on the organization.

 

Roger Kelly is an editor and a writer for AFI. A former PR Director the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League for 7 years, he now lives in Sweden writing about and scouting American Football throughout the world.