The International Federation of Basque Pelota

On May 19th, 1929, the Founding Act of the International Federation of Basque Pelota was signed in Buenos Aires (Argentina) on Jean Ibarnegaray's inititative (French Federation of Basque Pelota) and with the support of the Spanish Confederation of Basque Pelota and the Argentinan Federation of Pelota.

The F.I.P.V.'s statutes were ratified on March 2 nd, 1930 in Espelette (France).

Due to World War II and Spanish Civil War, its activity was minimum until 1945. Exhaustive work then began in order to determine the official specialities, to regulate the game and the playing areas and to unify the materials in accordance with the affiliated countries. One of the most important tasks was to organize World Championships.

The headquarters has always been in Spain: until 1978 in Madrid; from 1978 to 1992 in San Sebastián; and from 1992 to 2003 in the Palacio de Urdanibia of Irun (Guipuzcoa). As from 1 June 2003, the headquarters moved to Pamplona, provisionally in the Trinquete Mendillorri.

The following persons have been its Presidents:

Jean Ybarnegaray, Founding President 1929

Manuel Balet Crous, 1946 – 1954

Carmelo Balda Galarraga, 1954 – 1969

Javier Gil de Biedma, 1970 – 1978

Jesús Fernández Iriondo, 1978 – 1994

Enrique Gaytán de Ayala, 1994 – 2002

Dominique Boutineau, 2002

On the 11th of April 2007, the FIPV moved to its new, definitive address in Pamplona’s Calle Bernardino Tirapu