The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports ( no, Norges idrettsforbund og olympiske og paralympiske komité; NIF) is the umbrella organization for sport in Norway. It is the largest volunteering organization in Norway, with more than 2 million members and 12,000 sports clubs in 19 region confederations and 54 national federations. The current president is

Berit Kjøll Berit Kjøll (born 30 November 1955) is a Norwegian economist, corporate officer and sports administrator. She served as the president of the Norwegian Confederation of Sports from 2019 to 2023. Early and personal life Born on 30 November 1955, K ...

History

The organisation was founded in 1861 as ''Centralforeningen for Udbredelse af Legemsøvelser og Vaabenbrug'', and has later changed its name several times. The current name dates from 2007.

Former presidents

The presidents before 1940:

Centralforeningen 1861–1910

*1861-1864 Otto Richard Kierulf *1864-1867 Nils Christian Irgens *1867-1869 Otto Richard Kierulf *1869-1878

Lars Broch Lars Marius Bing Broch (1 April 1826 – 1 July 1882) was a Norwegian topographer, military officer and sports official. Broch was born in Fredrikstad to Lars Ziegler Broch and Susanne Marie Bing, and married Justine Bing in 1853. He graduate ...

*1878-1881 Lars Christian Dahll *1881-1885

Edvard Eriksen Edvard Eriksen (10 March 1876 – 12 January 1959) was a Danish–Icelandic sculptor. Biography He apprenticed as a wood carver, after which he trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts between 1894 and 1899. Eriksen's most famous work i ...

*1885-1887

Olaf Wilhelm Petersen Olaf Wilhelm Petersen (13 December 1841 – 31 July 1909) was a Norwegian military officer and sports official. Personal life Petersen was born in Christiania to Peter Munch Petersen and Elisabeth Faye, and married Karen Faye in 1871. Car ...

*1887-1892

Anders Løwlie Anders Jensen Løwlie (6 April 1843 – 9 March 1924) was a Norwegian businessman and sports official. Løwlie was born in Romedal to farmer and blacksmith Jens Helgesen Løvlien and Randi Olsdatter Skee, and married Oline Augusta Jacobsen in ...

*1892-1902

Carl Sylow Carl Christian Weinwich Sylow (26 January 1838 – 12 December 1930) was a Norwegian military officer and sports official. Sylow was born in Christiania to government minister Thomas Edvard von Westen Sylow and Magdalene Mejdell, and was a ...

*1902-1904

Thorvald Prydz Thorvald is from the ''Old Norse'' name ''Þórvaldr'', which means "Thor's ruler". Despite this pagan origin, the name survived the conversion of Scandinavians to Christianity and remains popular up to the present. Thorvald may refer to: * Thorv ...

*1904-1906 Frithjof Jacobsen *1906-1916 Oscar Strugstad *1916-1919

Hans Daae Hans Daae (15 October 1865 – 10 December 1926) was a Norwegian physician, military officer and sports official. Personal life Daae was born in Kragerø to prison director Anders Daae and Anna Honoria Hansen. He married Anna Helen Alm in 1 ...

Norges Riksforbund for Idræt 1910–1919

*1910-1914

Johan Martens Johan Martens (20 November 1861 – 19 December 1932) was a Norwegian ship broker, politician for the Liberal Party and sports official. He was a co-founder of Bergens TF in 1882, the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation in 1890 which he chaired f ...

*1914-1918 Johan Sverre *1918-1919 Leif S. Rode

Norges Landsforbund for Idræt 1919–1940

*1919-1925

Hjalmar Krag Hjalmar Krag (2 July 1867 – 25 April 1954) was a Norwegian military officer, businessman and sports official. Krag was born in Vestre Aker to director of the Norwegian Directorate of Public Roads, Hans Hagerup Krag, and Anna Marie Pedersen ...

*1925-1930 Leif S. Rode *1930-1932

Jørgen Martinius Jensen Jørgen Martinius Jensen (1 January 1878 – 31 March 1970) was a Norwegian military officer and sports official. He was born in Kristiania and competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, where he placed 26th in individual jumping. He heade ...

*1932-1936

Daniel Eie Daniel Eie (24 April 1889 – 28 May 1961) was a Norwegian sports official. He was a member of the boys' clubs Spring and Løp as a child, but joined SFK Lyn in 1906. He served as vice president of the Football Association of Norway at the age of ...

*1936-1940

Carl Christiansen Carl Emil Christiansen (21 April 1886 – 23 July 1970) was a Norwegian post office official, sports official and organizational leader. Christiansen was born in Tønsberg to merchant Carl Emil Christiansen and Harda Paulsen, and married Ed ...

Arbeidernes Idrettsforbund The Workers' Federation of Sports ( no, Arbeidernes Idrettsforbund), often just called the AIF, was a sporting organization in Norway between 1924 and 1946.Heinemann, Klaus. Sport Clubs in Various European Countries'. Schorndorf: Hofmann .a. 1999 ...
1924–1940

*1924-1926

Harald Liljedahl Harald Liljedahl (19 November 1892 – 1940) was a Norwegian cigarmaker, trade unionist and sports official. He was born in Larvik. He was the first chairman of the labour movement's sports confederation Arbeidernes Idrettsforbund (AIF), from ...

*1926-1927

Oscar Hansen Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

*1927-1928

Thor Jørgensen Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, and f ...

*1928-1931

Thorvald Olsen Thorvald Matheus "Torden" Olsen (30 July 1889 – 2 November 1938) was a Norwegian wrestler and sports official. He became Norwegian champion in his weight class in 1912, 1914, 1915 and 1918. He became Nordic champion in 1918. He represented ...

*1931-1935 Trygve Lie *1935-1939

Arthur Ruud Arthur Ruud (7 November 1905 – 29 September 1974) was a Norwegian civil servant, trade unionist and sports official. He chaired the trade union ''Norsk Telegraf- og Telefonforbund'' from 1930 to 1949. He was a leader of Arbeidernes Idrettsforb ...

*1939-1940

Rolf Hofmo Rolf Hofmo (10 August 1898, in Kristiania – 11 May 1966, in Oslo) was a Norwegian politician and sports official. He was chairman of Arbeidernes Idrettsforbund (AIF) from 1939 to 1940, and central in the merge negotiations with Norges Landsforb ...

Rød Sport 1931–1934

*1931-

During the German occupation of Norway

NLF and AIF were merged in September 1940, but the new organization was soon usurped by the Nazi authorities during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. *1940-1940

Olaf Helset Olaf Helset (28 July 1892 – 21 August 1960) was a Norwegian military officer with the rank of Major General, and a sports administrator. He played a central role in the early resistance during the German occupation of Norway, both civil and mil ...

(deposed) *1940-1942

Egil Reichborn-Kjennerud Egil Reichborn-Kjennerud (4 February 1903 – 10 April 1974) was a Norwegian judge, cyclist and sports administrator. He was a Norwegian champion in cycling. During World War II he was a sports leader under the Nazi rule, leading the Norwegi ...

*1942-1944

Charles Hoff Charles Hoff (9 May 1902 – 19 February 1985) was a Norwegian athlete, coach, sports journalist, novelist and sports administrator. As an active athlete he competed in pole vault, long jump, triple jump, sprints and middle distance running ...

NIF 1946–1996

*1946-1948

*1948-1951

*1961-1965

Axel Proet Høst Axel Proet Høst (1907 – 1985) was a Norwegian sports official. He was president of the Norwegian Boxing Association from 1938 to 1949. He was president of the Norwegian Confederation of Sports The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committe ...

*1965-1967

Johan Chr. Schønheyder Johan Chr. Schønheyder (12 February 1915 – 14 March 2015) was a Norwegian insurance manager, orienteer and sports official. Personal life Schønheyder was born in Kristiania to engineer Johan Franciscus Schønheyder and Anna Kristine ...

*1967-1973

Torfinn Bentzen Torfinn Bentzen (1912–1986) was a Norwegian jurist and sports official. He chaired the Norwegian Confederation of Sports The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports ( no, Norges idrettsforbund og olympiske og ...

*1973-1984 Ole Jacob Bangstad *1984-1990

Hans B. Skaset Hans Bernhard Skaset (born 10 April 1935) is a Norwegian civil servant and sports official. He was born in Åfjord. He competed in athletics and was national champion in pentathlon and decathlon. He was a professor at the Norwegian School of Sport ...

*1990-1994 William Engseth *1994-1996

Arne Myhrvold Arne Myhrvold (born 12 June 1945) is a Norwegian sports official. He was president of the Norwegian Olympic Committee from 1989, of the Norwegian Confederation of Sports from 1994, and of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confedera ...

Norges Olympiske Komite 1965–1996

*1965-1969

Jørgen Jahre Jørgen Jahre (29 October 1907 – 24 April 1998) was a Norwegian shipowner and sports official. Jørgen Jahre was born in Tjølling, in Vestfold county, Norway. He was a nephew of Norwegian shipping magnate Anders Jahre. He was secretary of ...

*1969-1985

Arne B. Mollén Arne B. Mollén (2 May 1913 – 4 July 2000) was a Norwegian sports official. Representing the club IF Vestheim, he was the president of the Norwegian Athletics Association from 1953 to 1955, vice chairman of the Norwegian Olympic Committee from 1 ...

*1985-1989

Jan Gulbrandsen Jan Gulbrandsen (29 May 1938 – 4 September 2007) was a Norwegian hurdler, politician and sports official. His main event was the 400 metres hurdles. He became Norwegian champion in the event from 1957 through 1964, and won a silver medal in ...

*1989-1996

Norges Idrettsforbund og Olympiske Komite 1996–2007

*1996-1999 Arne Myhrvold *1999-2004

Kjell Olav Kran Kjell Olav Kran (born 10 August 1937) is a Norwegian business administrator and sports official. He was CEO of Sparebanken NOR from 1990 to 1999, and chairman of the board of Statoil from 1996 to 1999. He was president of the Norwegian Olympic Co ...

*2004-2004

Grethe Fossli Grethe Fossli (born 21 December 1954 in Bærum) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. She was elected to the Norwegian Parliament The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, establi ...

(acting) *2004-2007

Karl-Arne Johannessen Karl-Arne Johannessen (born 30 June 1952) is a Norwegian physician, health administrator and sports official. He was president of the Norwegian Handball Federation from 1999 to 2004, and the Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sports ...

*2007-2007 Odd-Roar Thorsen (acting) *2007-2007

Tove Paule Tove Paule (born 11 January 1951) is a Norwegian sports official. She was the secretary general of the Norwegian Gymnastics Federation from 1995 to 2000, and became the president of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation ...

Norges Idrettsforbund og Olympiske og Paralympiske Komite 2007–

*2007–2011

*2011–2015

Børre Rognlien Børre Rognlien (born 26 December 1944) is a Norwegian sports official and politician for the Conservative Party. He started his career as a journalist and military officer. He is best known for administrating speed skating, and as a politician ...

*2015–2019

Tom Tvedt Tom Tvedt (born 31 January 1968) is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. He became county mayor of Rogaland following the 2007 Norwegian local elections. Before this he was the mayor of Randaberg for eight years. He also served as a dep ...

*2019–

References

External links

Official website
Sports organisations of Norway Sports organizations established in 1861 Organisations based in Oslo Norway Norway 1861 establishments in Norway {{Norway-sport-stub