Minutes of 23rd General Meeting of the International Go Federation
Date: 	15:00—16:00, Saturday, 5th June 2004
Venue:	The Opal Room, Ivy Square Hotel, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture

Agenda

1. 	Report by the president or Erik Puyt, IGF director, on the final decision of the General 
	Assembly of GAISF, held on 20th May 2004 in Lausanne, to which the IGF’s membership 
	application was submitted.

2. 	Report by Mr. Puyt on the possibility of a ‘Mind Sports Games” under the auspices of GAISF 
	being considered by the leading international mind sports federations, namely, the WBF, 
	FIDE, the FMJD, and the IGF.

3. 	(a) Confirmation that the IGF wishes to pursue the idea of the Mind Sports Games with the 
	cooperation of the above-mentioned federations;

	(b) Confirmation that IGF members not yet recognized by their NOCs or national sports 
	authorities should capitalize on GAISF membership.
   
4. 	Election of eight directors; election of three vice presidents; election of president.

5. 	Operations Report and Financial Report for 2003.

6. 	Operations Plan and Budget for 2004.

7. 	Election of auditors for 2004.

8. 	2005 World Amateur Go Championship.

9.	Other business

Attachments (supplied at the time)
1. 	Candidates for office for the 2004–2006 term 
2.	Statement of Income and Expenses 2003 
3. 	Statement of Income and Expenses 2004, Budget


In the absence for health reasons of the president, Mr. Matsuo Toshimitsu, the chair was taken by 
Mr. Norio Kudo, Office Director, in accordance with the IGF statutes; Mr. Kudo had been elected 
a director of the IGF in 2003. He made an opening address, welcoming the WAGC participants 
from 64 countries and territories to Kurashiki. In particular, he welcomed the representatives 
from Nepal, which had become a member of the IGF two years earlier, and Mongolia and 
Panama, which had become the 65th and 66th members of the IGF the previous year; all three 
countries were making their debuts in the tournament. 

Next, the chairman introduced Mr. Masao Kato, who had become Acting Chairman of the Board 
of Directors of the Nihon Ki-in after Mr. Toshimitsu resigned for health reasons. The chairman 
explained that Mr. Toshimitsu had also expressed his desire to resign as President of the IGF, and 
that he had asked Mr. Kato to stand for election in his place. 

At this point, the representatives of each country or territory were introduced.

The chairman then introduced Mr. Suguru Umeki, whom Mr. Kudo had appointed as Assistant 
Office Manager after the 2003 GM. The other new director elected last year was Ms. Puerta, 
President of the Venezuelan Go Association, who had been recommended by the Iberoamerican 
Go Association, but she was not present at today’s meeting.
 
The chairman then referred to two items that had been passed by large majorities at last year’s 
general meeting: increases in the IGF membership fees in connection with the affiliation with 
GAISF and the decision to explore the possibility of holding Mind Sports Games. The first items 
on the agenda of the GM were connected with these matters. 
 
Item 1 - Result of the Application to Join GAISF

It was reported that the IGF’s application to become a member of GAISF (the General 
Association of International Sports Federations) had been accepted at the General Assembly of 
GAISF held at Lausanne on 20 May. Based on a resolution passed at the IGF GM in 2002, the 
IGF had lodged an application for membership in August 2003. After being subjected to two 
vetting processes, our application received final approval at the GA. The IGF was recognized as 
the only body representing go around the world, thus putting us on the same basis as the other 
mind-sports federations already recognized by the IOC or GAISF.

Our president, Mr. Toshimitsu, had been requested to attend the GA as an observer, but was 
unable to do so for health reasons. Mr. Puyt attended in his place. We are told that it was 
necessary for him to reply to some expressions of opposition. After our affiliation was approved, 
Mr. Puyt gave an acceptance speech. 

The GM expressed its gratitude to Mr. Puyt for his efforts on our behalf and asked him to give a 
supplementary report.

Item 2 - Possibility of Holding Mind Sports Games

In February this year, we received a communication from the World Bridge Federation 
transmitted through the Japan Contract Bridge Federation. The WBF message concerned the 
necessity of obtaining the IGF’s cooperation, after we became a member of GAISF, in exploring 
the possibility of the world’s leading mind sports federations holding a Mind Sports Games under 
the auspices of GAISF. This was a reaction to a suggestion at last year’s Council Meeting of the 
WBF concerning the possibility of holding such Games. The FIDE (World Chess Federation) also 
approved this idea. 

Mr. Puyt gave a supplementary report. In particular, he emphasized the point that GAISF 
membership would assist many IGF members in obtaining recognition of go by the NOCs.

The WBF is particularly concerned with obtaining the cooperation of major Asian go-playing 
countries, so we have contacted these associations. Under the new conditions, that is, affiliation 
with GAISF, we are now in a position to push ahead with this plan, but we have taken only the 
first step and there is still much to be done.
 
Before continuing with the agenda, the chairman commented that all the items below had been 
approved at the Directors Meeting held prior to this meeting.

Item 3 - Mind Sports Games and NOCs

(a) At the 2003 IGF GM, a resolution was passed to explore the possibility of holding a Mind 
Sports Games in cooperation with other members of GAISF. Out of the total of 51 votes cast, 48, 
equivalent to 75% of our membership, were in favor; the project has now become more concrete. 

The resolution to explore the possibility of holding Mind Sports Games along the lines of the 
WBF proposal was approved. 

(b) In connection with the affiliation with GAISF, mentioned above, it was suggested that 
members of the IGF who had not yet been granted recognition by their National Olympic 
Committees or national sports authorities should make use of the GAISF affiliation to obtain 
recognition.

The IGF Office had prepared two model letters to assist members in obtaining this recognition:  
one from the IGF to the NOC informing it of the affiliation with GAISF; the other a letter making 
enquiries about the relevant procedures necessary to obtain recognition in the country concerned.  
They were to be distributed to about 50 countries.

Item 4 - Election of Directors, Vice Presidents and President

(a) Directors

The term of office of the eight directors elected at the 21st GM in June 2002, that is, Chen Zude, 
Her Dong Soo, Korsak Chairasmisak, Zoran Mutabzija, Erik Puyt, Chen Dao Lin, Eduardo 
Lopez, and Brad Melki, expired in June 2004. Korsak, Her, Puyt, Lopez and Melki had indicated 
that they wished to stand for reelection. In place of the other three, that is, Chen Zude, Mutabzija, 
and Chen Dao Lin, the Chinese Go Association had recommended Wang Runan, the European 
Go Federation had recommended Martin Stiassny, the President of the German Go Association, 
and the American Go Association had recommended Thomas Hsiang as candidates for directors 
for the next term. 

The above persons were elected by the meeting.

The chairman of the meeting expressed his appreciation of the service rendered to the IGF by 
Zoran Mutabzija, who was in attendance, and by Chen Zude, who was not present.

Also, two other directors, Yusuke Oeda and Takeo Ando, had resigned their office in the DM and 
GM held by correspondence in 2003. Appreciation was expressed of the outstanding services 
rendered by both of them to the IGF over a long period of time. 

Next, the chairman explained that at the Directors Meeting it had been decided that if the slate of 
candidates approved by the DM were elected at the GM, the directors would elect the following 
persons as vice presidents: Wang Runan, representative of the Chinese Go Association, Erik Puyt 
as the successor to Zoran Mutabzija representing Europe, and Eduardo Lopez of the Central and 
South American zone.  

(b) President

Mr. Masao Kato was elected as President.

Appreciation was expressed of the services rendered by Matsuo Toshimitsu, ex-president, who, 
over a long period devoted himself to the internationalization of go and who became president of 
the IGF in June 2001.

Item 5 - Operations Report and Financial Report for 2003

(a) Operations Report

Owing to the SARS epidemic, it was not possible to hold the 25th World Amateur Go 
Championship as scheduled in Kurashiki in June 2003. The decision to postpone the tournament 
was made jointly by the sponsor Japan Airlines, the Nihon Ki-in, Okayama Prefecture, and 
Kurashiki City, in consultation with the IGF.

The other main event organized by the IGF, the 14th International Amateur Pair Go 
Championship, was held as scheduled. 

The above item was approved by the meeting.

(b) Financial Report

The relationship between the total IGF membership fees and the running costs of the IGF, and 
also the Nihon Ki-in subsidy, was explained in detail.

Mr. Gionata Soletti, representative of the Italian Go Federation, pointed out in particular that the 
IGF’s dependence on the Nihon Ki-in’s subsidy should be rectified in the future. He commented 
that a son’s debt to his father should be repaid after the son grows up.

It was explained that the reduction in the length of Ranka, the IGF Yearbook, in 2003 (issue no. 
19) was possible because of the introduction of the IGF’s home page in 2002.

The Operations Report and Financial Report for 2003 were approved by the meeting.

Item 6 - Operations Plan and Budget for 2004

(a) Operations Plan

The IGF was to organize two main events this year: the 25th WAGC, beginning the day after this 
meeting, and the 15th International Amateur Pair Go Championship, scheduled to be held in 
Tokyo on 13th & 14th November 2004.

(b) Budget 

A new expense is the annual membership fee of GAISF. As a result of the raises in membership 
fees decided in 2003, there was an increase in revenue from this source of about ¥330,000. Also, 
Ranka was not published in 2004. For the above reasons and other factors, the amount to be 
carried forward to 2005 in the draft budget is to be approximately ¥2,900,000.

The above items were approved by the meeting.

Item 7 - Election of Auditors for 2004 

Japan and Korea were elected as auditors.

Item 8 - the 26th JAL Cup World Amateur Go Championship (2005)

It may be possible to stage the 26th WAGC at the end of May or the beginning of June 2005 as 
one of the events of the international exposition, namely, EXPO 2005 Aichi Japan, scheduled to 
be held in the area adjacent to Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from March to September 
2005. A final decision cannot yet be made, but we believe that holding the tournament as part of 
an international event like an Expo would be good for promoting go and gaining publicity. The 
IGF members will be informed as soon as a decision is made.
  
The above concluded the business of the meeting.

Signed

KATO Masao
President
International Go Federation