Jean ROMANET

Marcel BOUSSAC

Created on the initiative of Marcel BOUSSAC and Jean ROMANET in Paris on October 1961, the International Joint Secretarial Liaison Committee (IJSLC) held two meetings a year where the Chief Executives of Horseracing Authorities from Great Britain, Ireland, United States and France discussed subjects of common interest.

This Committee has played an essential part for the development of international relations and the harmonization of rules of racing.

In the 80es, the Committee was renamed : International Executive Liaison Committee (IELC).

On March 2001, the IELC members recognised that there was an actual overlapping of functions with the Federation's Executive Council and concluded that it was necessary to simplify and not to hold too many meetings. Therefore, both entities should " merge ".

As a result, the Committee decided to combine the two meetings on an experimental basis by increasing the number of Executive Council members, with additional representatives from Asia and Americas, one from the British Horseracing Board and one from Horse Racing Ireland.

In October, 2003, the General Assembly of the Federation ratified an amendment to its bylaws to make the change permanent.