Marco Maria Scolaris

Born in Torino, climber Marco M. Scolaris turned his passion for the mountains into his profession, becoming a journalist and photographer. The son of Marcello, an engineer and expert in aeronautics, Marco founded FASI (Federazione Arrampicata Sportiva Italiana) in 1988 and, two years later, it became a member of the Italian National Olympic Committee. In international competition, he became a judge, as well as a trainer for new judges, and he was one of the leaders in the development of climbing competitions within the UIAA (International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation).

In 2007, with a vision to further shape the future of sport climbing, and in agreement with the UIAA, Scolaris created a new International Federation to govern the sport - the IFSC (International Federation of Sport Climbing). Elected President in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 and 2017, Scolaris was working for the future. Sport Climbing was present at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, and Scolaris led the sport onwards and upwards to the 2020 Olympic Games.