Lausanne, Switzerland – 10 October 2025 — The International World Games Association (IWGA) is pleased to announce that the members of the IWGA Athletes Committee have elected Sandra Sánchez from Spain (Karate) as their Chair and Xiaoxiao (Sunny) Lai from China (Wushu) as the Vice-Chair during the Committee’s first meeting on Friday 10 October 2025.
The nine members of the Committee - seven elected by their peers during The World Games 2025 in Chengdu and two appointed by the IWGA President - gathered online to determine their leadership for the 2025-2029 term. As Chair, Ms Sánchez will also serve as a member of the IWGA Executive Committee, ensuring that the voice of athletes is represented at the highest level of decision-making within the IWGA.
The Chair plays a pivotal role in guiding the Athletes Committee’s work, facilitating dialogue between athletes and IWGA leadership, and advocating for the interests, rights, and welfare of athletes across all sports represented in The World Games.
Sandra Sánchez (ESP) - Karate
Sandra Sánchez is one of the most successful karatekas in history, dominating the women’s kata discipline for nearly a decade. She won the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, becoming the first Olympic champion in karate history. Sánchez is also a two-time World Champion, claiming titles in 2018 (Madrid) and 2021 (Dubai).
Her excellence extended to The World Games, where she earned silver in 2017 in Wrocław (POL) and gold in 2022 in Birmingham (USA). At the continental level, she achieved unmatched consistency, winning seven European Championship titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) and two European Games gold medals (2015 and 2019).
Before her election, Ms Sánchez served as the Interim Chair of the IWGA Athletes Committee from 2022 to 2025, leading the group during its establishment phase until formal elections could be hosted. Her experience in this role has been instrumental in shaping the foundation of the Committee’s work and athlete engagement strategy.
“This election as Chair is very special to me because it comes with the trust and support of the athletes and the Athletes Committee. The past three years have been both a challenge and an inspiring journey, and now I begin the next four years with more experience and even greater motivation to give voice to all athletes and to create projects that will improve their experience. The IWGA Executive Committee is an excellent team, setting high standards and fully committed to achieving the best for the Games, and it is an honour to continue being part of it,” she said following the election on Friday 10 October.
World Karate Federation President, Antonio Espinós said:
“Sandra Sánchez embodies the very best values of karate — discipline, respect, perseverance, and humility. Following her successful first tenure as the appointed Chair of the IWGA Athletes Committee, Sandra’s election by her peers stands as a powerful recognition of her integrity, her influence, and her dedication to advancing the role of athletes within the international sports community. It is also a testament to the tremendous added value that karate continues to bring to global sporting organisations such as the IWGA. We are confident that Sandra will continue to serve with the same excellence and spirit that defined her athletic career, contributing to the empowerment of athletes around the world.”
Newly elected Vice-Chair, Xiaoxiao (Sunny) Lai said:
“I am deeply grateful to my colleagues on the IWGA Athletes Committee for placing their faith in me to serve as Vice-Chair. The World Games is a remarkable stage for athletes from every corner of the world to showcase the fruits of their vigorous training. As Vice -hair of the Athletes Committee, I will draw on my 20-year athletic career to further enhance the athlete experience in this incredible sporting event.”
IWUF Secretary General Zhang Yuping said:
“The IWUF is delighted to learn that one of our most dedicated Wushu athletes, Xiaoxiao (Sunny) Lai, has been elected as Vice-Chair of the IWGA Athletes’ Committee for the term 2025-2029. Xiaoxiao’s remarkable Wushu career and strong leadership abilities will undeniably contribute to her work in support of the IWGA’s core values of excellence, sustainability and inclusiveness. Xiaoxiao’s election is also an honour for the sport of Wushu and a reflection of the IWUF’s essential values, including our mission to enrich the lives of people around the world and promote, through sport, friendship, harmony and understanding between all people.
“We celebrate that since IWUF became a full member of the IWGA family in 2021, Wushu has reached many more fans around the world, especially through The World Games in Chengdu this year. The IWUF deeply supports the IWGA’s efforts to promote the friendship, equality and respect that we collectively work towards to help build a better world through sport.”
IWGA President José Perurena congratulated the new Chair and Vice-Chair on behalf of the Executive Committee:
“On behalf of the IWGA, I extend my warmest congratulations to Sandra Sanchez and Xiaoxiao Lai on being elected Chair and Vice-Chair of the Athletes Committee. The Chair holds a vital responsibility in connecting our athletes with the governance of our organisation, and we are confident that under their leadership, the Committee will continue to strengthen its contribution to shaping the future of The World Games.”
The Athletes Committee represents a diverse group of athletes from all five continent and a wide range of sports. Together, they work to provide advice and feedback to the IWGA Executive Committee and ensure that athletes’ perspectives remain central to IWGA policies and decisions.
The full list of Athletes Committee members for the 2025–2029 term can be found here: https://www.theworldgames.org/committees#cat_61