On 30 May 1983, the 21 International Federations governing the sports included at the time on the programme of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games decided to form the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).
ASOIF was formed, as stated in the first article of its constitution 'to co-ordinate and to defend the common interests of its members' and to 'ensure close co-operation between its members, and members of the Olympic Movement and other organisations'.