The Federation of International Touch is pleased to announce the affiliation of two new member countries: Ireland & Switzerland.

The Ireland Touch Association (ITA) was formed in November 2007 by a group of Touch players keen to further the growth of the game in Ireland. Ireland’s application to join F.I.T. was approved at an EGM of the FIT executive in July 2008.

The next 12 to 18 months for the ITA is about raising the profile of the game and bringing it to the major urbanisations; organising more reffing and coaching courses; developing links with other organisations that can assist the growth of the game and starting preparations for the 2010 Euros, the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 Euros. It is a target for the ITA to bring at least 4 competitive teams to each of those events.

Ireland participated at the 2008 European Championships as a fully affiliated nation. They took 3 teams: two Mixed Open teams and a Men’s Over 40’s side. As one of the mixed sides contained several overseas players it contested the Rest of the World competition, reaching the semi-finals. The Development squad had a steeper climb, but managed a notable victory over Germany.

The Men’s Over 40’s team defeated France 40’s in the final 9 – 3 to secure Ireland’s first European Championship title.

The Ireland Touch website will be launched in September 08.

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Touch has widely been played across Switzerland socially and as a warm-up game during rugby practices. In 2003 RC Geezers, the first Swiss Touch-only club, was formed in Zurich. The first ever Swiss Touch tournament was organised by RC Geezers in November 2005 with 4 teams from around Zurich participating. Given the success of the first tournament a second Swiss Touch tournament was launched in May 2006. This time with 5 teams comprising players from Zug, Luzern, Lausanne and Zurich participated.

The Switzerland Touch Association (STA) was born during the preparation of the tournament and enabled Swiss participation at the German Touch Finals in June 2006, the Bad Reichenhall exhibition match vs Touch Munich, the European Touch Championships in Edinburgh, and the 3rd Bavarian Touch Tournament in August of the same year. The STA was also invited to participate in the 2007 Touch World Cup in Stellenbosch, South Africa; before becoming a fully fledged FIT member in mid 2008.

The focus of Touch in Switzerland is currently in Zurich, where almost 100 players are listed. You can access the Swiss Touch website HERE