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Australian Football International
Founded2005[citation needed]
TypeInternational sport federation
HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
Region served
Worldwide
Websitewww.aflinternational.com

Australian Football International (AFI), is a world development body for the sport of Australian rules football. The organisation has developed a version of the sport known as Footy 9s that it claims will support global expansion of Australian rules football, and lead to it becoming an Olympic sport.[1][2]

The AFI hosts and supports Aussie rules matches in various countries, with the nine-a-side sport played on soccer, rugby and gridiron pitches, with both contact and non-contact versions of the game.[1] It has also developed the Australian Football Harmony Cup,[3] which has been played annually in Melbourne since 2010 between teams from migrant communities.[4][5] In January 2018, AFI held its inaugural "United Nations of Footy" march as part of the Australia Day Parade in Melbourne, with participants wearing football jerseys representing their country to "celebrate diversity and harmony."[6]

Australian Football International's headquarters are in Melbourne, Australia. AFI's CEO is Brian Clarke and its board includes high-profile former AFL players Ron Barassi, Allen Aylett and Brian Dixon.[7] The organisation has no official relationship with the Australian Football League,[2] which has hosted its own shortened variation of the sport AFLX.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "The pathway for Aussie rules to become an Olympic sport". Herald Sun. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b "AFL at the Olympics? It's the X-factor that sells it". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  3. ^ Schout, David (11 December 2018). "Spreading word from the heartland". Southbank Local News. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  4. ^ Velissaris, Helen (22 March 2013). "Team Hellas vying for Aussie rules Harmony Cup". Neos Kosmos. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  5. ^ Hinschen, Katrina (16 March 2016). "Macedonians compete at international football competition". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  6. ^ Smith, Maria (12 February 2018). "AFCS-AFI first Filipino footy team joins Australia Day". Phil Times. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  7. ^ a b Carney, Shaun (February 2019). "AFL Expansion Strategy starts with Worlds 9s this weekend". Ministry of Sport. Retrieved 2 November 2019.

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