NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Pole dancing recognised by global sports body

By Harry Yorke
Daily Telegraph UK·
17 Oct, 2017 01:50 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

It is hoped that membership will pave the way to pole dancing becoming an event at the Olympics. Photo / 123rf

It is hoped that membership will pave the way to pole dancing becoming an event at the Olympics. Photo / 123rf

It was once considered a risque pursuit, performed in front of a paying clientele at late night establishments.

However, pole dancing has now been recognised by an international sporting body, following an 11-year battle by a British competitor to make the event an Olympic sport.

For the first time, the Global Association of International Sports Federation (GAISF) has granted seven events "observer status", meaning they are now provisionally recognised as sports, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The historic milestone means that the International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF), founded by Katie Coates, 41, from Hertfordshire, is now able to apply for membership of the International Olympic Committee.

If accepted, it is hoped that membership will pave the way to pole dancing becoming an event at the Olympics.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

At a national level, the British federation for pole dancing is now eligible to apply for national sports recognition through the Department for Digital, Culture and Sport.

It is also permitted to apply for membership of UK Sport and the British Olympic Committee, which could allocate it national and UK Lottery funding in the future.

The announcement follows more than a decade of campaigning by Coates, a pole dancing instructor, who set up the federation in 2009 after her petition for sports status garnered more than 10,000 signatures.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Since the federation was established, pole fitness has surged in popularity, with gyms and leisure centres holding classes across the UK.

The IPSF, alongside arm-wrestling, dodge ball and a number of other events, has two years to meet GAISF's requirements to become a fully-recognised sport.

They include becoming compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and increasing their membership across the world.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Coates said pole dancing had achieved something previously thought "impossible", adding that she was confident the event would become a regular fixture in the Olympics.

Discover more

Opinion

Rachel Smalley: Mind detox is better than therapy

09 Oct 05:48 PM
Sport

CrossFit nationals: The search for the fittest in New Zealand

13 Oct 07:59 PM
New Zealand

Kiwi travels world as lead performer

15 Oct 10:29 PM

"In the early 2000s people started doing it as fitness and taking away the sex stigma, so no high heels and making it accessible for average people," she added.

"Pole dancing is not like everyone thinks it is, you need to actually watch it to understand.

"I feel like we have achieved the impossible, everyone told us that we would not be able to get pole dancing recognised as a sport."

Pole dancing has been demonstrated at the New Zealand Fitness Expo. Photo / Dean Purcell
Pole dancing has been demonstrated at the New Zealand Fitness Expo. Photo / Dean Purcell

The IPSF is now made up of 25 national federations including Spain, Japan and Mexico, and is due to welcome new members from the US and China next year.

In 2012, it hosted the first World Pole Sports Championship, which launched to coincide the with London 2012 Olympic Games.

Coates said athletes had already been tested by WADA and none of them had failed.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She added: "To officially become a sport you need federations in 40 countries across four continents, and they need to be recognised by the highest sporting body in their countries."

Commenting on the announcement, Patrick Baumann, president of GAISF, said: "This is an exciting time for them and for us and we will do everything within our remit to help them realise their full potential as International Federations within the global sport's family and, one day, maybe become part of the Olympic programme.

"The new sports debuting at Tokyo 2020 and at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics are evidence that the pathway is there."

Pole position

A mixture of dance and acrobatics, pole dancing can be traced to 12th century India, where a form of gymnastics, mallakhamb, is described in a Sanskrit text written by a regional king.

In its modern-day form, pole dancing gained popularity from circus performances. And, by the Fifties, it had become a staple in stripclubs.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

More recently, there has been a campaign to recognise the event as a sport.

This article originally appeared on the Daily Telegraph and is republished with permission.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

WarriorsUpdated

Dominant Warriors make statement against Sharks

07 Jun 09:27 AM
live
Super Rugby

Hurricanes v Brumbies

07 Jun 09:25 AM
Super RugbyUpdated

Blues stay alive with last-gasp win over Chiefs

07 Jun 08:53 AM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Mega $15m Lotto prize not struck as presenter fondly remembers former co-host
New Zealand

Mega $15m Lotto prize not struck as presenter fondly remembers former co-host

07 Jun 08:56 AM
Blues stay alive with last-gasp win over Chiefs
Super Rugby

Blues stay alive with last-gasp win over Chiefs

07 Jun 08:53 AM
Frosts for Auckland? MetService predicts sub-zero temps for next couple of days
New Zealand

Frosts for Auckland? MetService predicts sub-zero temps for next couple of days

07 Jun 07:36 AM
Warriors take control against Sharks
Warriors

Warriors take control against Sharks

07 Jun 07:20 AM
Why Jesko could be NZ's next great steeplechaser
Racing

Why Jesko could be NZ's next great steeplechaser

07 Jun 06:37 AM

Latest from Sport

Dominant Warriors make statement against Sharks

Dominant Warriors make statement against Sharks

07 Jun 09:27 AM

The Warriors claimed their biggest win of the season to sit second on the NRL ladder.

Hurricanes v Brumbies
live

Hurricanes v Brumbies

07 Jun 09:25 AM
Blues stay alive with last-gasp win over Chiefs

Blues stay alive with last-gasp win over Chiefs

07 Jun 08:53 AM
Why Jesko could be NZ's next great steeplechaser

Why Jesko could be NZ's next great steeplechaser

07 Jun 06:37 AM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search