The remotely held online Annual General Meeting of the International World Games Association (IWGA) last Friday approved a new future strategy for The World Games, with overwhelming support.

IFMA was represented at the meeting by President Dr Sakchye Tapsuwan, Vice President Udomdet Sitabutr and Director Charissa Tynan.

According to the decisions ratified by the General Assembly, only International Federations that are members of ARISF can from now on become new full members of the IWGA, but current ASOIF and AIMS Members of the IWGA will retain their Full Membership. Federations that are not members of the IWGA can still have their events selected by the AGM to feature on the programme of a single edition of The World Games – or of other events that the IWGA organises. These Federations are then granted temporary Affiliate status, as recommended in the strategy paper.

In addition to the membership matters, the strategy paper included concrete plans for the programme of The World Games. For example, the leading, sustainable, principle of The World Games remains that host cities are not required to build new facilities. The maximum number of athletes will be raised from 4200 to 5000, and the invitational sports programme will be replaced with a more flexible display programme. Additionally, the IWGA will move towards financially supporting the International Federations taking part in The World Games.

Following adoption of the new strategy the necessary changes to the IWGA Constitution were also approved, including the creation of Affiliate status. The Constitution was also amended to allow for remote online meetings to be held in the future, should the circumstances require this.

 

"We were pleased that this important meeting was able to be convened remotely as an adaptation to the current situation. It was uplifting to see the outcome of the ballot on the various matters put to the vote at this year's AGM, reflecting unity of the members in the strategic principles put forward by the hard working IWGA board."
Charissa Tynan
IFMA Director

The Annual Meeting also approved the new Code of Ethics and the new Anti-Doping Rules for The World Games 2022.

This year’s virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) fell under a special dispensation granted by the Swiss government for 2020 only. The meeting went smoothly with no technical problems, and all 37 member federations took part.