World Archery President Prof Dr Ugur Erdener opened the 56th World Archery Congress in Gwangju (Korea) on the morning of 2 September 2025, welcoming delegates from 151 national federations (plus proxies) and expressing his hope for a productive and memorable meeting.
Reflecting on his 20 years of service, Erdener highlighted archery’s growth and the transformation of World Archery into a modern, globally recognised federation. He recalled the sport’s precarious Olympic status in 2005 and described how governance reforms, transparency measures and innovative competition formats helped secure its core position in the Games.
“Today I’m really very happy and proud, also a little bit sad, because this is my last speech to you during our 56th World Archery Congress here in beautiful Korea,” he said. “Of course, I feel some sadness for leaving my position, but in any case, we will be together in our great family, I know.”
Erdener expressed pride in expanding the federation to 168 member associations, reflecting the sport’s rising international appeal, and in promoting unity and harmony within the World Archery family, which he described as a core element of its ongoing success.
Among his achievements, he cited the establishment of the World Archery Excellence Centre in 2016, a training hub for archers from grassroots to elite levels, and the launch of the World Cup series. He also highlighted innovations to make the sport more TV-friendly, including match set systems, live biometric broadcasts, and social media streaming, which drew record audiences at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
He also highlighted marketing and sponsorship programmes that strengthened World Archery’s global reach, as well as the expansion of Olympic medal events, including the mixed team format and greater gender balance.
