IOC-IWGA cooperation pact signed

In News, News by WFDF

The International Olympic Committee and the International World Games Association will work more closely together following an historic agreement signed in Monaco.

THE LATEST FROM THE WORLD GAMES

Closer co-operation between International Olympic Committee and World Games

Twenty years after the foundation of the International World Games Association (IWGA), 1980 in Seoul (KOR), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IWGA signed on 27th October 2000 in Monte-Carlo a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations for further co-operation.

The agreement was signed by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch and IWGA President Ron Froehlich. The ceremony was attended by Dr Un Yong Kim, the IWGA Founder President and current IOC Executive Board Member, Dr Jacques Rogge, the IOC Observer to the IWGA Executive Committee and also current IOC Executive Board Member as well as Gilbert Felli, the IOC Sports Director.

Organising Committees of World Games events will be granted IOC patronage and will be provided with technical assistance through the transfer of the IOC knowledge programme.

The IOC will also encourage the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to support and assist their national multi-sport delegations taking part in the World Games. The IWGA is willing to review and further develop the sports programme of the World Games with the help and the input of the IOC.

Furthermore, the IWGA shall continue to develop a close working relationship with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) while the IOC agreed to grant funding to the Organising Committee of a World Games event for anti doping control.

The World Games is a four annual multi-sport event, organised in the year following the Olympic Summer Games, including these sports or disciplines of sports not yet included in the programme of the Olympic Games.

The first World Games took place in 1981 in Santa Clara, California (USA), followed by 1985 London (GBR), 1989 Karlsruhe (GER), 1993 The Hague (NED) and 1997 Lahti (FIN). The first World Games in the new millenium will also be the first World Games be ever held on the Asian continent, in Akita (JPN), 16-26 August 2001.

Very recently an agreement had been signed between the IWGA and the City of Duisburg, Germany, for hosting the World Games 2005. At date there are already six cities showing interest in bidding for hosting the World Games 2009. Among them one in Europe, two in Asia and three in North America.

The programme for a World Games event is based on existing facilities within the host city and from 2005 on, there is a limited number of participating athletes and officials of no more than 3.000 in total, which either to participate in the Opening or either in the Closing Ceremony of the World Games.

Despite of the restriction mentioned above towards the inclusion in the competition programme, at the moment 31 International Sports Federations are affiliated with the IWGA. Among them five Olympic Federations for their disciplines not included in the Olympic programme, i.e. Archery, Canoe, Gymnastics, Handball and Hockey. Furthermore almost all Olympic Recognised Sports Federations are involved, i.e. Air Sports, Billiards, BodyBuilding, Boules Sports, Bowling, DanceSport, Karate, Korfball, Lifesaving, Netball, Orienteering, Pelota Vasca, Racquetball, Roller Sports, Rugby, Squash, Surfing, Tug of War, Underwater Sports and Water Ski.

See also, a picture of the formal signing of the Memorandum

Pictured are, the IWGA Executive Committee together with the IOC President, the IWGA Founding President Dr Un Young Kim, the IOC Observer Dr Jacques Rogge and the IOC Sports Director Gilbert Felli.