Helped to establish the British Dragon Boat Federation in 1987 and formerly their Vice President, and formerly the Chair Holder of the IDBF Competition and Technical Commission, Mike Thomas has been involved in the sport of dragon boat for the past 30 years. With his re-election in 2019, he will continue as the President to 2023 and make further improvements to the IDBF to strengthen its position as the World Governing Body for the sport of Dragon Boat.

Has been involved in dragon boating in Hong Kong since 1988 and is the President of Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. He was previously part of the Hong Kong National team and also also been part of their management group at World Championships. The Organising Committee of the successful 12th Club Crew World Championship in 2012 was Chaired by him. Among his other responsibilities, he is the Chairman of the Hong Kong Water Sport Council.

Mathew Smith is a career dragon boater. As the former president of Dragon Boat Canada from 2006 to 2017, he helped build the organization from scratch to one of the IDBF’s most prolific members. He has also coached the Canadian national premier women’s team since 2011, and premier mixed since 2017. On the club level, Matthew runs the 22Dragons dragon boat club, one of Canada’s largest and most successful clubs. He is also involved in the event production side of dragon boating, helping produce 55 community, charity and sport races annually in Canada and the United States.

Having started dragon boating back in 1991, Julie was one of the first female helms in the UK and has since gone on to helm and paddle for both the British and Irish Dragon Boat Teams. Back in 2010, she founded the Irish Dragon Boat Association and has seen the sport grow through her roles as Chairman, Event Organizer and a dragon boat Coach. Julie is also a Grade 3 IDBF Race Official and has officiated at a number of European and World Championships, and was lucky enough to officiate at the 1st World Dragon Boat Championship in Yue Tang, China back in 1995

Claudio Schermi is a graduate in Economics and Business Administration at the University of Rome. He is an entrepreneur and a coach in the field of sports management, events organization, corporate training and team building. 

He is the President of the European Dragon Boat Federation and the Vice President of the International Dragon Boat Federation. He was the founder and President of the Italian Federation of which he is Honorary President.
Claudio Schermi has always been practicing sport, particularly Canoe Kayak, Ocean Racing and Dragon Boating.

He also organized 3 editions of the EDBF European Nations Dragon Boat Championships, as well as one European Club Crews Dragon Boat Championships and the Dragon Boat Club Crews World Championships in 2002 and 2014.

Dr. Liu Aijie has been involved in dragon boat and water sports for more than thirty years. He led Chinese Team to participate in IDBF races since the beginning of 90s. As the member of Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and technical director of Olympic office COC, Dr. Liu Aijie was appointed by the General Administration of sport of China to lead the work related with dragon boat development in the country. Dr. Liu was elected as the IDBF Vice President on December 4th, 2021 at the 18th IDBF Congress. His vision is to unite all powers to develop dragon boat in the world, in order to increase its international influence and to let dragon boat enter the Olympic Family with the spirit of Faster, Higher, Stronger – together.

​

Dr. Liu Aijie is professor of Beijing Sports University, and expert of Chinese ministry of education in evaluation of China University Professional-degree rankings. He has won the Chinese National Award for Science and Technology Progress twice. 

​

刘爱杰博士从事龙舟和水上运动超过30年。他早在90年代初期就率领中国队参加国际龙联的赛事。作为中国奥委会委员和中国奥委会备战办技术总监，刘爱杰博士受国家体育总局委派，在中国领导龙舟运动发展的相关工作。刘博士于2021年12月4日在第18届国际龙舟联合会代表大会上当选为副主席。他的愿景是团结一切力量在全世界发展龙舟运动，提升其国际影响力，并推动龙舟以更快、更高、更强、更团结的精神加入奥林匹克大家庭。

​

刘爱杰博士是北京体育大学教授，中国教育部全国体育专业学位水平评估专家。曾经两次获得中国国家科学技术进步奖。

Former team leader of the China Macau Dragon Boat Team back in 2005-2007 World Nations Dragon Boat Championships in Berlin and Sydney. From 2006 onwards, he is the Race Director of the annual Macau International Dragon Boat Races. 

Promoted to the IDBF Level 4 race official in 2009, he served in the IDBF Club Crew and World Nations Championships, World Nations Cup events. At the Asian Dragon Boat Federation's events, such as Asian Dragon Boat Championships, South Asian Sea Games, East Asian Games, and more, he served as the Chief Race Official, Technical Director, and Race Jury. 

​

In 2013, he was appointed as an Acting General Secretary and was elected as General Secretary for a four-year term at the 2017 IDBF Members Ordinary Congress in Kunming, China.

Mr.Yu Hanqiao was a rowing athlete  from 1980 to 1987 and won the champion in the Asian Games 1986. Since 2010, he has been engaged in the development and management of Dragon Boat in China. He has served as jury and technical delegate in many major championships such as IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships and Asian Games Dragon Boat events. He is currently Deputy Secretary-General of the International Dragon Boat Federation, Secretary-General of the Asian Dragon Boat Federation and Vice Presidnet of the Chinese Dragon Boat Association.

Co-founder of the Dutch Dragon Boat Association and EDBF Honorary President, Alan has been serving the IDBF since 2012 as the Treasurer and a Member of the Competition & Technical Commission. Also the Chair of our Technical Equipment Commission, he is involved in the certification of boats and paddles, and equipment development.

Commencing paddling in 1989, she competed in several IDBF World Club Crew and IDBF World Championships for Australia.

With a background in sports management and business, Loretta has been a great contribution to the strategic planning and sustainability of the sport and the federation since 2011. By managing all the accounting and financial reporting, she ensures the IDBF has sound accounting practices and budgeting process.

Began as a competitive paddler and discovered her passion in sport administration and officiating, she has been involved in the sport for over 24 years. Elected as the Chair of the Competition & Technical Committee back in 2015, she collaborates with the Race Officials and IDBF Leadership Team to ensure conduct and fairness for all competitors. 

An Olympic Silver and Bronze medallist in sprint kayak, and the first women to compete in the Molokai Hoe Outrigger Race, Sue Holloway is very involved in the sport of paddling. Having participated and medaled at numerous World National Championships and Club Crew Championships since 2004 with the Canadian Senior National Team and Galley Girls Club Crew, she represents the dragon boat community as the Chair of the Athlete's Commission.

Belinda was elected the Chair of Marketing and Media in August 2019. She has twenty years commercial experience in online marketing and communications. 

​

Her portfolio includes IDBF merchandising, sponsorship liaison and the long-anticipated publication of the IDBF 30th Anniversary book – Modern Day Dragon Boat Racing.

One of her key achievements includes producing content and hosting IDBF's 30th anniversary celebrations via Facebook Live in November 2021. Belinda is also responsible for the website, social media and digital publications such as Longzhou news.

​

Belinda's contributions were recognised at the 18th IDBF Members Ordinary Congress held in early 2022, where her role was formally incorporated into the IDBF Executive Committee. It highlights the IDBF’s focus on marketing and communicating the sport of dragon boating to the world.

​

Belinda started dragon boating in 2004. She still paddles competitively at local, national and international events. She also coaches corporate teams and has been a team manager for various clubs and crews. Belinda has been an IDBF Race Official since 2008, obtaining her Level 3 qualification in 2011. 

Bridget was born in the UK and moved to Switzerland in 1990. She was the inaugural President of the Swiss Dragon Boat Federation when it was formed in 1995,  remaining as its President until 2000 when she became its Treasurer. Having first discovered dragon boating in a festival she
competed for Switzerland in World and European championships 1994-2015.

She is a highly experienced International Race Official and regularly officiates at World and European Championships. She was chair of the European Competition Commission from 2001 to 2015 and became Vice Chair of the IDBF Medical & Sports Science Commission in 2013, becoming its chair in 2019. Bridget works closely with the 4 physicians on the Commission leads the IDBF on all matters to do with Anti-Doping including testing and education. She coordinates all aspects of compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency and International Testing Agency.