NSSF President, Joseph, Elected to ISF Management Committee

President Nigeria School Sports Federation, NSSF, Olabisi Joseph has added another milestone to her trailblazing career in international school sport governance with her nomination to the Management Committee of the International School Sports Federation (ISF).

Joseph, already celebrated as the first female African and the first woman worldwide, to be elected to the ISF Executive Committee as Continental President of Africa, received her nomination during the federation’s Annual General Meeting on July 21. The following day, the newly elected Executive Committee selected Joseph and Elena Mickovska of North Macedonia to serve as representatives on the Management Committee.

Their inclusion completes the seven-member team that will oversee the federation’s governance for the 2026–2030 term. The committee now comprises ISF President Željko Tanasković, Vice-Presidents Antônio Hora Filho, Youssef Belqasmi, and Lianshuai Teng, Secretary General Hasnae El Ayoubi, alongside Joseph and Mickovska.

The ISF described the formation of the Management Committee as a key milestone in establishing the governance framework for the new term. In the months ahead, the Executive and Management Committees will renew specialised bodies, including the ISF Technical Commission, to strengthen the structures that support school sport development worldwide.

The inaugural meeting of the new Executive Committee was attended by Dejan Bojović, Secretary General of the Olympic Committee of Serbia. Bojović welcomed the members and reaffirmed Serbia’s support for the ISF and its mission to advance school sport globally. His remarks underscored the importance of international collaboration in shaping the future of youth sport.

Joseph’s nomination not only highlights her continued leadership but also reflects Nigeria’s growing influence on the global stage.

Meanwhile, the ISF has hailed her election as the first female in the world to hold such a position as a reflection of the federation’s increasing diversity.

“The new Executive Committee reflects the growing diversity of the ISF community. Gender representation continues to develop across the Federation, with three new female assessors elected to the Executive Committee. Olabisi Joseph of Nigeria, a former ISF Executive Committee member, was also elected as the first ever female ISF Continental President,” the federation stated.

This achievement cements Joseph’s role as a pioneer in school sport governance and signals a new era of inclusivity and representation within the ISF.