The Annual General Meeting each year is the only opportunity that allows the IBSF Board Members to verbally report directly to our Members of the activities of the year and to advise and discuss the financial situation and future projects.

It's always an exciting time, even if we have to limit the time in order to not make the meeting last too long, to become devoid of interest.

Each committee prepared the report of its activities and delegates are invited to make any comments.

I have in the context of my President’s report confirmed how much I have appreciated working this year with a full and committed team.

Always faithful to my concern for transparency, I have published on my blog my President’s report.

The strengths of this AGM are many, in my opinion.

I appreciated the many compliments received from the delegates on the work carried out by the Board, and it seems that the team in place is unanimously accepted by delegates.

The current enthusiasm for our sport is really pleasing, and the receipt of Championship applications for future years is the first sign of this enthusiam.

In 2008, France will be in charge of organising the World Snooker U21 Championships in July 2008 in Reims. India and the city of Bangalore in September will host the World Billiards Championships while Austria and the city of Wels made a very impressive presentation of their project for the Championships for Men, Women and Masters at the end of October 2008.

For 2009, Australia and the city of Perth have expressed their interest in the World Under 21 Snooker Championships, while India and Hyderabad is a candidate for the Championships for Men, Women and Masters.

In 2010, we have two countries expressing interest - Cape Town, South Africa and Scotland who have both indicated their intentions to bid for this major World IBSF Championship.

This multitude of candidacy for our Championships confirms to me a strong signal of the revival and growth of our Federation. IBSF Championships are certainly attractive, as such a perfect example that we have all just experienced at Korat,

It is now up to us to give as many of the advantages of staging the Championships to the host countries, to enable them to make these Championships not only a sporting event of high quality, but to enable the organising Federation to generate funding revenues.

To do this, I explained at the General Assembly, the IBSF will now commence a trading policy and marketing strategy to indentify the IBSF as a leading brand name of our sport.

We need though to protect our logo, our image and our name.

From the beginning 2008, the website under the control of our « Maestro » Adam Wyard, will offer an online store that will offer exclusive IBSF products.

From anywhere around the world you will be able to buy a whole range of products all under the quality IBSF brand name .

A lot of things remain to be done, but never has the challenge been as exciting as it is today.