International Skating Union
The ISU is the principle organization for short track speed skating. They set the rules for international competition.
Website: www.isu.org
Brief History
The ISU was founded in 1892 to formalize the rules for international competition in figure skating and speed skating. Speed skating competitions had held for 30 years before the ISU founding and the first major international speed skating competition took place in 1885.
The Dutch association organized the first meeting open to all countries interested in international competition. Fifteen European countries attended the meeting in Scheveningen, Netherlands and formed the ISU. Two years later, Canada joined the ISU expanding the ISU beyond Europe.
The ISU and Short Track Speed Skating
Though the first official short track competitions began in 1910, short track speed skating was not officially recognized by the ISU as a sport until 1967. It wasn't until a decade later in 1978 that the ISU organized the first Short Track Speed Skating Championships which became the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in 1981.
The ISU added the World Short Track Team Championships in 1991 and then the World Cup Series in 1997.