FISAF International may sound like a distant, global body, but its work is very much at home here in South Africa—helping our coaches, athletes and fitness entrepreneurs reach higher, stay healthier and build sustainable careers in sport aerobics, fitness and hip hop.
Established under the Czech Republic’s Act No. 116/1985 Coll. on organisations with an international element, FISAF International is entirely independent, democratic and non-profit. Its mission is simple: to grow sports aerobics, fitness and hip hop worldwide—and that starts with strengthening local federations like ours, SASAFF (South African Sport Aerobics & Fitness Federation).
What does “strengthening” look like in practice? For starters, FISAF International runs competition circuits that give our athletes a stage to perform—and a chance to earn international ranking points. Whether you’re part of a club in Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town, you can register for regional qualifiers that feed into global championships. That background of competitive excellence raises standards across the board: coaches know they need to upskill, and athletes push each other to new personal bests.
Education and certification are another cornerstone. FISAF’s coaching courses and judge-training programmes ensure a consistent, safe and high-quality experience for everyone involved. Locally, SASAFF organises workshops endorsed by FISAF standards, so when you earn your coach or judge qualification here, it’s recognised around the world. That means a South African judge can travel to, say, the World Championships in Ostrava or Obidos with full confidence in their credentials.
On the business side, FISAF International isn’t just about medals and certificates. They foster a global community through regular communications, conventions and expos—digital newsletters, webinars and face-to-face gatherings where South African club owners can swap ideas with peers in Europe, Asia or the Americas. You’ll often find a SASAFF delegation at an expo, picking up the latest equipment, discovering innovative soft-goods or learning how to market classes more effectively.
Finally, the federation’s business-network initiatives link manufacturers, suppliers and service providers directly with local entrepreneurs. Think studio owners sourcing heart-rate monitors at bulk rates, or choreographers licensing fresh hip-hop routines for their cadet crews. FISAF products—from branded apparel to judging software—flow through these networks, ensuring South African members benefit from economies of scale and the latest industry innovations.
In short, FISAF International’s global reach translates into real, practical advantages for our grassroots: fair competition, top-tier education, valuable industry connections and ever-expanding business opportunities. And as SASAFF grows its membership and activities across all nine provinces, those benefits ripple out—helping every South African athlete, coach and fitness professional to perform, teach and thrive on an international stage.