Why a FAI licence?

Most international Federations have implemented a mandatory international licence for their competitors. FAI has done the same. This is why… Since 1905, the FAI has set out rules for the administration of category 1 competitions (continental and World championships) and category 2 competitions (other international meets). A competition is truly international when the pilots who participate officially represent their country. For the organisers of these competitions to be sure that the participants do represent a country, the FAI entrusts the national federations to give to their pilots an international licence called the Sporting Licence. Pilots must show this Licence when they enter a competition. The FAI gives licences free of charge to the National Airsport Commissions (NACs). Most NACs charge pilots a fee for these licences : some charge a modest fee that covers administrative costs, others charge a fee that could be considered as expensive. Whatever the cost, the pilots must not forget that the money collected by the federations is reinvested in the sport in one way or another. Deciding who pays what, and why, and for who, are policy decisions for the federations, not for the FAI or CIVL.