World Sailing has appointed Koray Ezer as Director of Sport, handing him the reins of a newly formed Sport Department tasked with growing the sport and opening it up to more people worldwide.
It's a homecoming of sorts. Ezer previously served as Head of International Development at World Sailing before taking up the new post.
The department consolidates several programmes that had previously operated separately: Participation & Development, Sustainability, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Para Inclusive Sailing, and Steering the Course, World Sailing's initiative to create and promote more opportunities for women in the sport.
Ezer is a former national champion in Türkiye, and brings a blend of on-water credibility, performance expertise and international development experience to the role.
Before his first stint at World Sailing, he was Head of Performance at Oman Sail. There he supported youth, senior and national windsurfing teams and led the restructuring of the organisation's sailing department. His remit also covered the national Olympic Sailing Programme, world championship-winning racing teams and offshore sailing teams.
The appointment gives World Sailing a dedicated senior leader to connect grassroots participation, inclusion, sustainability and high-performance pathways, strengthening the federation's ability to support sailors, Member National Authorities and the wider sailing community.
David Graham, CEO of World Sailing, welcomed the appointment.
"I am delighted to welcome Koray back to World Sailing as our new Director of Sport. This is a pivotal role in our new structure, and his extensive experience on and off the water makes him ideally placed to lead the new Sport Department."
"Koray's appointment is an important step forward for World Sailing. His track record in performance, development and organisational leadership will be invaluable as we work to grow the sport, remove barriers to participation and create stronger pathways for sailors at every level."
For World Sailing, the move marks more than a restructure. Bringing sport development, participation and inclusion under one roof gives the federation a clear mandate to build a stronger, more accessible and more sustainable future for the sport.
