Lausanne, Switzerland – 3 September 2025 In line with the IWGA Constitution, two additional members have been appointed by IWGA President José Perurena to the Athletes Committee 2025-2029 to ensure balanced representation in terms of sport and geographical diversity.
The newly appointed members are:
- Bridgitte Ellen Hartley (RSA) – Canoe
- Andrés Acuña (CRI) – Racquetball
With these appointments, the Committee now reflects a truly global representation: six women and three men, with athletes from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. The seven other members of the Committee were elected by their peers during The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, from 3–16 August, when accredited athletes from across the Games cast their votes online to select their representatives. These 7 + 2 athletes were chosen from a pool of 20 candidates representing a wide range of sports and countries, all nominated by their respective International Federations.
These 7 + 2 athletes were chosen from a pool of 20 candidates representing a wide range of sports and countries, all nominated by their respective International Federations.
Now that the final composition of the Athletes Committee is confirmed, the first meeting of the new Committee will be convened. At this meeting, members will elect their Chair, who will also serve on the IWGA Executive Committee (ExCo) for the full 2025–2029 term. The date of this meeting will be announced shortly.
José Perurena, IWGA President and Chair of the Electoral Committee, welcomed the appointments:
“The Athletes Committee is the voice of our athletes within the IWGA. With the addition of Mrs Hartley and Mr Acuña, we now have a truly representative body that reflects the diversity of The World Games Family. Their perspectives will help ensure that athletes from all continents and diverse sports have a strong voice in shaping the future of our movement.”
To learn more about the IWGA Athletes Committee.