A 120-year-old institution

The FIM was founded on December 21, 1904, in the rooms of the restaurant Ledoyen in Paris, under the name of Fédération Internationale des Clubs Motocyclistes.

The Motocycle-Club de France organised a race called the International Cup in Dourdan, south-west of Paris, on September 25, 1904 with the participation from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Great Britain. The race was won by France, but disputes arose over the racing conditions. As a result, the sports authorities of the five countries represented joined together and put forward the idea of creating the Fédération Internationale des Clubs Motocyclistes (FICM).

The birth of this Federation was, however, premature. In July 1906, on the occasion of the International Cup in Patzau, Bohemia, the delegates of the participating countries - Austria, France, Germany and Great Britain - unanimously decided to dissolve the FICM. But, for a question of procedure, the FICM was not dissolved but just remained inactive, the British Federation (ACU) being the only subscriber as from 1907.

Five years later, the Auto-Cycle Union of Great Britain took the initiative of calling a meeting which was held at Olympia in London on 28 November 1912. Delegates from Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States were present. The FICM was re-established in order to control and develop the sporting and touring aspects of motorcycling and to assist motorcycle users in those fields. Two weeks later, a Congress was held in Paris in which - beside the countries already mentioned - Germany, Austria and Switzerland also took part. These ten countries are considered as the official founder members of the FICM. The Marquis de Mouzilly St-Mars was elected Patron and the Honourable Sir Arthur Stanley MP President. The following year the first international event held under the aegis of the FICM took place: the International Six Days Reliability Trial.

The number of national associations affiliated to the FICM went up from 10 in 1912 to 30 on the eve of the Second World War. In 1936 took place in the Wembley Stadium the first Speedway World Final, first official World Championship and first World Champion title for Australian rider Lionel van Praag.

In 1937, an agreement was drawn up by the FICM and the AIACR (the International Association of Recognised Automobile Clubs, FIA predecessor) defining their relationship and ensuring very close collaboration between both organisations.

After the war, the FICM resumed its activities in 1946. In 1947 in the Netherlands, an event called cross-country was held with riders of Great Britain, Belgium and Holland: it was the first Motocross des Nations. In 1949, the FICM became the Fédération Internationale Motocycliste (FIM). That same year was the start of the most prestigious motorcycling competition: the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix.

In 1951, the FIM was recognised by the Union of International Associations as a non-governmental international organisation. Since 1959, the FIM has been a member of the Federation of Semi-Official and Private International Institutions based in Geneva (FIIG).

Individual Motocross Championships were created during the 50s, first the 500cc then the 250cc, both eventually became World Championships in 1957 and 1962 respectively.

In 1958, Mr Thomas Wynn Loughborough, FIM Secretary General since its reconstitution in 1912, retired. In January 1959, the headquarters of the FIM were then transferred from England, where the FIM had been located since its re-founding in 1912, to Switzerland, more precisely in Geneva, for reasons of economic and political stability.

In the 60s, it was the turn of Trial to appear, first as a Trophy, then European Championship and finally World Championship in 1975. Enduro started as an Individual European Two Days Championship in 1968, and became a World Championship in 1990. The Individual Ice Racing World Championship was created in 1966, and the Long Track World Championship in 1971.

In 1967, the FIM became a founding member of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). In 1984, the FIM became a member of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE). In 1994, the FIM became a member of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC).

In January 1998, the FIM was granted, on a provisional basis, the status of Recognised Federation by the IOC. In May 1998, it became a member of the Association of the IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF).

In 1998, it was renamed Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. New Statutes were adopted at the Congress held in Capetown.

In September 2000 during the Olympic Games in Sydney, the FIM was granted the official status of a Recognised Federation by the IOC.

In 2001, the FIM became an Affiliate Member of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO).

Celebrations of the Centenary took place during the 2004 Congress held in Paris.

The FIM also signed a memorandum of cooperation with the United Nations Environmental Programme in 2006, 2008 and 2012.

A FIM Strategic Plan was developed as from 2007 under the presidency of Vito Ippolito, which led to important modifications to the structure for the FIM. New Statutes incorporating these changes were adopted by the General Assembly in Macau (October 2010).

The Headquarters
11, route Suisse
1295 Mies – Switzerland (since December 1994)
Permanent staff : 43 people

The affiliated Members
122  National Motorcycle Federations (FMN), divided in 6 Continental Unions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Oceania)

The FIM Structure
The Board of Directors is composed of:
President : Jorge Viegas (Portugal)
Deputy President: Ignacio Verneda (Andorra)
One Vice-President: Giovanni Copioli (Italy)
Four Members of the Board
Six Presidents of Continental Unions

The Executive Board is composed of the President, the Deputy President, the Vice-President and a CONU President representing the Continental Unions.

The Chief Executive Officer is a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board without voting rights.

The Board of Directors shall meet four times per year (in principal in March, June, September and November/December). This last meeting should be held at the same place than the General Assembly.

The President and the Members of the Board are elected by the General Assembly (four year mandates). The 2 Vice-Presidents are appointed by the Board and the Deputy President is proposed by the President

Commissions
Circuit Racing – Motocross – Trial – Enduro - Cross-Country Rallies – Track Racing – E-Bike - Technical – Women in Motorcycling – Tourism & Leisure  – Mobility – Sustainability – Medical – International Judges.

The Commissions, including the Technical, Medical Commissions and List of International Judges, meet twice a year in a venue of their choice. The Commissions have a new structure: they are chaired by a Director. The Bureau of each Commission is composed of the Director, the Coordinator (without voting rights) and the Bureau Members. The other Commission Members are Officials or Expert Members.

Sport and other activities
Motorcycling sport is run, at FIM World Championships and Prizes level, in seven different disciplines. Circuit Racing, which include Grand Prix, Superbike, Supersport, Sidecar and Endurance: Motocross (with three solo classes, women, veterans and the sidecars), the Motocross of Nations (competition with National teams), Supercross, SuperMoto, Snowcross; the Trial, with Individual Trial, Indoor Trial, Trial des Nations, with competitions for men and for women; Enduro, with the Individual World Championships including women and junior, and the International Six Days – run since 1913, the oldest competition held under the aegis of the FIM. The Cross-Country Rallies, Track Racing includes Individual Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway of Nations, Junior Speedway, Long Track (Individual and Nations), Flat Track and Ice Racing (individual and Team). Finally, E-Bike with EX-Bike and E-Bike Enduro World Cups. All this represents a total of 64 FIM World Championships and Prizes.

The FIM is also engaged in non-sporting activities – tourism, gatherings and leisure, public affairs, or activities linked with sport, such as women in motorcycling; technical, medical and judicial aspects. Last but not least, sustainability is linked to both sporting and non-sporting domains.