IDA history in Poland

International Diving Association (IDA) is a professional organization of a international scope, founded in Germany - associating diving and free diving instructors. Federation began its activity in the spring of 1966. The main goal of the organization is to train divers of all levels of diving as well as conducting specialized training for recreational and technical diving.

Responsibilities of management of a newly formed organization are split up between Presidents: Jean Pierre Mangeot, Horst Habermehl and Karsten Reimer. IDA Germany developed its own training program consistent with CMAS program enabling collaboration with other free diving associations, including CMAS.

In November 1966 IDA signed an agreement with VDST (representative of CMAS federation for Germany) on cooperation and belonging to the CMAS.

Due to the agreement IDA free divers and diving instructors have the right to apply for issuance of the relevant CMAS certificates as well.

Presidents of IDA Germany aimed to conduct professional training and to expand organization outside Germany. Therefore, in 1998, IDA was established in Poland. Our colleague and diving instructor Zbigniew Domański, who permanently lives in Germany and has an understanding of free diving environment in our country, has been appointed to build organizational structures.

The first IDA office in Poland was established in Gniezno, on Mieszka 1 Street and was conducted by Krzysztof Robakowski with the active help of Jarosław Maciejewski. They have created the first organizational structure of IDA on Polish territory.

The first verification tests for free diving instructors of other federations took place in Powidz in 1999. After passing the exams instructors received the powers of CMAS federation also confirming their membership of the newly formed International Diving Association structure on Polish territory.

Working closely with dr med. Piotr Siermontowski from the Department of Maritime and Hyperbaric Medicine, dr hab. inż. Ryszard Klose and instructor and lecturer Rudolph Tyblewski , a specialized and verification trainings for free diving instructors IDA in Poland were conducted.

In July 2001, in France, in Saint-Malo jointly by the Presidents of HIF France G. Larondelle and IDA Germany J.P. Mangeot was organized a course authorizing the instructors to train diving for people with disabilities. Six years later, in 2007, on Polish territory in Częstochowa a similar course for Polish instructors took place. The course was conducted by CD Jurgen Mittermaier.

In 2003, headquarters of the IDA office in Poland has been transferred to Łódź, where colleague Jarosław Maciejewski simultaneously conducted the office as well as organized and developed the IDA activities in Poland.

On 01.10.2009 at the request of Zbigniew Domański the office was moved again, this time to Poznań and running the office was assigned to Joanna Lewandowicz. Responsibilities of the coordinator of the training and further development of IDA activities in Poland was entrusted to Andrzej Ratajczak.

In 2010 IDA in Poland organized a subsequent instructor exam in Egypt, which resulted in the expansion of a group of instructors.

Another important event of IDA organization in Poland was creation of the Commission of Diving Activities IDA in Poland on 14th January 2012, while on 24th August a consultant was appointed  - a specialist for the diving medicine. The Commission's task is to organize diving activities, conducting and supervising the training and expansion of IDA activities in our country.