Back in the early 80s through the impetus of Bob Levorsen (California) and Glenda Walling (Idaho), ISDRA and ESDRA were suggested to jointly apply for IOC recognition. But the IOC recognizes only International Sports Federations and so recommended that the two organizations form a single international organization.So in 1985 the IFSS was formed with ISDRA and ESDRA being its founding members. Glenda Walling of Idaho was elected President. Dona Hawley was appointed Secretary General. The other Council members were Morten Aspaas (Norway), Katy Frost (AK, USA), Bernard Pepin (France), Robert Levorsen (California, USA), Valerie Lougheed (Canada), Jrgen Lber (Germany), Ewald Volk (Austria).As a first step towards an application to IOC, the IFSS applied for membership and was approved in 1987 by the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF now renamed SportAccord) which groups together all the international sports federations. SportAccord is a member of the IOC.