International Ice Hockey Federation The International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in - line hockey . Founded in 1908 in Paris as the Ligue Internationale de hockey sur glace par Louis Magnus , it is based in Zurich , Switzerland and counts 65 members . It is , additionally to its governing functions , responsible for arranging 12 international competitions and maintain the IIHF World Ranking . Its president is former Swiss player René Fasel . The federation celebrates its centennial in 2008 . Fuctions . The main functions of the IIHF are to govern , develop and organize hockey throughout the world . Also to promote friendly relations among the member national associations and to operate in an organized manner for the good order of the sport . The federation may take the necessary measures in order to conduct itself and its affairs in accordance with its statutes , bylaws and regulations as well as in holding a clear jurisdiction in what concerns to ice hockey and in - line hockey at the international level . The IIHF is the body responsible with arranging the sponsorships , license rights , advertising and merchandising in connection with all IIHF competitions . Another purpose of the federation is to provide aid in the young players ' development and in the development of coaches and game officials . On the other hand , all the events of IIHF are organized by the federation along with establishing and maintaining contact with any other sport federations or sport groups . The IIHF is responsible for processing the international players ' transfers . It is also the body that presides over ice hockey in the Olympic Games as well as over all levels of the IIHF World Championships . The federation works in collaboration with local committees when organizing its 25 World Championships , at five different categories . Even though the IIHF runs the world championships , it is also responsible for the organization of several European club competitions such as the Champions Hockey League or the Continental Cup . With its 100 anniversary , the federation launched a new annual club competition in 2008 , the Victoria Cup , named after the Montreal Victoria Skating Rink , the site of the first organized indoor ice hockey match . The federation is governed by the legislative body of the IIHF which is the General Congress along with the executive body , which is the Council . The Congress is entitled to make decisions with regard of the game ' s rules , the statutes and bylaws in the name of the federation . It is also the body that elects the president and the council or otherwise known as board . The president of the IIHF is basically the representative of the federation . He represents the federation ' s interests I all external matters and he is also responsible that the decisions are made according to the federation ' s statues and regulations . The president is assisted by the General Secretary who is also the highest ranked employee of the IIHF . History . The International Ice Hockey Federation was founded on May 15 , 1908 at 34 Rue de Provence in Paris , France , as Ligue International de Hockey sur Glace ( LIHG ) . The founders of the federation were representatives from Belgium , France , Great Britain , Switzerland and Bohemia ( now Czech republic ) . Louis Magnus , the French representative , was the fifth member to sign the founding document and also the first president of the LIGH . A year later , the first congress was held in Paris and then another one during the same year in Chamonix , France .