In 2008 New Zealand Tag Football Inc played a significant role in the creation and formation of the International Tag Federation as we have today. It was initiated due to the New Zealand Rugby League and Auckland Rugby Leagues reluctance to recognise Tag football as a stand alone sport in its own right.
In order to achieve self autonomy an International tag body needed to be formed. With the recommendation and advice from the ARL’s Sel Pearson the ITF was then formed at a meeting held between Oztag Australia and New Zealand Tag Football Incorporated in Auckland in the summer of 2008. Attendees included Perry Haddock (Oztag Australia), Claude Iusitini (NZTFI), Darryl Bovaird (NZTFI) and Jason Koroheke (NZTFI). Items discussed varied from Tag Laws to Equipment, Organisational Structure to Constitution and Merchandising to Upcoming Events.
As a result of this initial meeting, an International Board was formed with Oztag Australia acting as the Secretariat, bearing the costs of running the organisation until the international body was officially up and running. Currently there are 5 nations who have full ITF membership status. They are Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa. There are also well over 26 Tier Two Heritage Nation members (Nations based in Tier One countries who select their players from those nations playerbase and leagues) such as Greece, Samoa, Italy, Tonga, Malta, Cook Islands, Lebanon, Niue, Vietnam, China, Phillipines to name a few.
Our ITF affiliation has allowed us to develop a pathway for players to play in the Junior and Senior Oceania Cup Tournaments, The Trans Tasman Tag Series and naturally the Tag World Cups every three years. The NZTFI are proud to be affiliates to the world body and will continue to be a key member of this organisation for many years to come.
Please contact claude.i@itagfed.com for more information or click on the ITF Tier One Nation logos below for further details
