IOC president visits the 9th edition of The World Games 2013 in Cali
Athletes are the centre of attention – Jacques Rogge describes this as exemplary
CALI (27/07/2013). During his visit of the 9th edition of the multi-sport event in Cali, Colombia, IOC president Jacques Rogge emphasised his closeness to The World Games. As early as 1981, he participated in the premiere of The World Games as Chef de Mission of the Belgian team. Later on, he attended four further editions of The World Games as vice-president and president of the IOC.
Before Cali 2013, he was a guest in Duisburg in 2005. Jacques Rogge expressed his appreciation of the event with over 4500 participants from 101 nations during a press conference on Friday in which IWGA president Ron Froehlich and Colombia’s sport minister Andres Botero participated as well. He described the lean organizational structure of the IWGA as exemplary. He also praised the principle of The World Games to make the athletes the centre of attention.
Ron Froehlich stressed the closeness of IWGA and IOC. Since 1997 - established under IOC president Jose Antonio Samaranch - the multi-sport event is held under the patronage of the IOC. In this context, Ron Froehlich called The World Games the “window” for the Olympics. Numerous sports moved from The World Games to the Olympic programme. Currently, Rugby 7th gives its farewell from The World Games. The sport will be part of the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016. Besides wrestling, two sports of the current World Games’ programme, squash and softball, are on the shortlist for the Olympics.
Just like The World Games, the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 will also take place for second time on the South American continent.
