Born in Torino, Italy, in 1958, climber Marco Maria Scolaris turned his passion for the mountains into his profession, becoming a journalist and photographer. Involved in Sport Climbing since the first organised Lead competition, SportRoccia, in 1985, Scolaris was also among the founding members of FASI (the Italian Sport Climbing Federation: Federazione Arrampicata Sportiva Italiana) in 1988, acting as its Sport Director for 10 years. On the International competition scene, he became a Judge as well as a trainer for new Judges and, having attended over 40 international events as an Official, Scolaris was one of the leaders in the development of climbing competitions within the UIAA. 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. Elected IFSC President in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 and 2017, Marco Scolaris is working to lead Sport Climbing to a youthful and urban future. Securing Sport Climbing’s presence at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and Olympic Games Paris 2024, Scolaris is now guiding the sport onwards and upwards.