Q&A The World Games 2022

Q&A The World Games 2022

This Q & A has been designed to provide current answers to questions related to the postponement of The World Games from 2021. It will continue to be updated in order to take into account the changing nature of the situation.

As of 23 April 2020:

When will the next edition of The World Games be staged?

The next edition of The World Games will be staged 7–17 July 2022 in Birmingham, USA.

What exactly triggered the postponement?

The postponement was based on the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic Games. The new dates of the Olympic Games clashed with the ones for The World Games in 2021. The Olympic Games were postponed due to the dynamic spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sequence of events that led to postponement has been explained by the IWGA President and CEO earlier and can be found here: https://www.theworldgames.org/news/The-World-Games-2021-32/The-World-Games-in-Birmingham-Alabama-moves-to-JULY-2022-2010

Have the Games been postponed or cancelled before?

No. Once, in 1997, The World Games were supposed to be organised in South Africa, but had to be moved to a new host city: Lahti, Finland.

Does the new date affect The World Games 2025 in Chengdu?

No, The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China is not affected by this decision at all. We already had discussed and decided a proper timeline for the preparation work by Chengdu for this project, which does not need to be revised.

Will the sports programme be the same in 2022 as it would have been in 2021?

Yes.

What do you hope will be the legacy of The World Games for the people of Birmingham, Alabama, now that the Games have been postponed?

Sports are some of the most unifying activities in the world. That’s why we’re so excited that The World Games in Birmingham will represent a great re-connection for sports fans, as it will be the first major international multi-sport event on American soil following this global pandemic.

Do The World Games 2021 need to be adjusted after the postponement to 2022?

All operational questions related to the organisation of the Games, venues, accommodation, etc. will be addressed. All our partners are aware of the postponement and are willing and happy to help us in adjusting the contracts for 2022.

Is the IOC supporting the postponing and organising The World Games in 2022 instead of 2021?

The IWGA has been permanently in contact with high-ranked IOC officials during this process. They have assured us to give their support to make the postponement of The World Games to 2022 as smooth as possible. This came as no surprise; we know that we can count on the support of the IOC at all times, not only in this kind of difficult situations.

How are you going to handle the qualification process for these Games?

Most of the participating 27 IFs in the official programme have had to cancel their qualifiers this year. Subsequently we have adjusted our deadline for the qualification process by one year: the qualification process will be extended to 31 January 2022, and the registration will in general remain open until 31 March 2022. It is up to the federations to decide on their qualification criteria for The World Games.

How are you going to handle the rescheduling of World Championships and other competitions to allow The World Games to take place?

The IWGA has been and will be liaising closely with all the International Federations to assess how the postponement of the Games impacts their own calendars. All the federations that will participate in the next edition of the Games have supported the postponement.

How did the sponsors, partners and broadcasters react to the announcement?

Our partners have been very supportive in the decision, and together with them we were able to find the new suitable dates for the next edition of The World Games. We would like to thank them for their continued cooperation, and we look forward to working together to ensure that The World Games are an incredible experience for all.

How did the federations react to the announcement?

International Federations have been extremely supportive of the announcement, and have reiterated their support and commitment to contribute to the success of The World Games in 2022. Read more: https://www.theworldgames.org/news/The-World-Games-17/Federations-support-IWGA-s-decision-2011

Are there many athletes who compete both in the Olympic Games and in The World Games?

Several of our member federations have athletes who will compete in Tokyo in 2021 and at The World Games in Birmingham, USA, in 2022.

 The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in the Games.

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