Press Release 20230130_IWGA CEO Interview of the Month
The Worl
d Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association, organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee. The World Games 2022 was held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and 100 countries took part in the Games.
The 12th edition of The World Games will be held in Chengdu, CHN, in 2025.
In the year after The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA, the International World Games Association is now focusing more closely on the 12th edition of the multi-sport event in Chengdu, Peoples’ Republic of China, in 2025. In the Interview of the Month, IWGA CEO Joachim Gossow sets the agenda for 2023. And there really are a lot of milestones on the road to Chengdu.
Mr. Gossow: Usually, the year after an edition of the Games is a little bit more peaceful. Is that also true for 2023?
Joachim Gossow: That may have been the case in the past. It definitely does not meet what we expect for 2023. We have a very tightly packed year ahead of us, with a number of milestones, and that’s actually not surprising. After TWG 2022 was a year later than planned because of the pandemic, we now have to make up the time for TWG 2025 Chengdu. In addition, we are already planning for the future beyond 2025. There really is no breathing space.
Which milestone is the first?
Joachim Gossow: I would say the first highlight of the year is the awarding of the Athlete and Team of the Year titles. Online voting ends on 31 January. So far, we have seen an exciting neck-and-neck race. These awards allow us to take a look back to the Birmingham Games. All the candidates who have taken part in the voting were competing at The World Games 2022. After 1 February, however, when the race is over, we are primarily looking ahead. In the background, preparations are already underway for our Annual General Meeting and the elections of the Board for the period 2023-2026.
What does that mean?
Joachim Gossow: Next month, my colleagues Guillaume Felli, Chantal Boehi, Sebastian Garvens and I will be travelling to Chengdu. We want to exchange ideas with our counterparts there and draw the road map for the Games, which will be held in the People’s Republic of China from 7th to 17th August 2025. This trip is of great importance. Due to the pandemic, we have not been to Chengdu since 2019. What we learned during the remote-meeting period is that many things can be handled via video conferencing. However, there is no substitute for regular face-to-face meetings.
What will be on the agenda?
Joachim Gossow: We have a long list of topics. But the focus is not least on the sports programme for the 12th edition of our multisport event. Our Member Federations have submitted their applications to be on the programme. During our Board meeting in Madrid in January, the Executive Committee (ExCo) decided which sports and disciplines of our Member Federations shall be showcased. Our partners in Chengdu also have the opportunity to determine the inclusion of certain sports and disciplines. Together we will now work on a programme that meets all requirements and also takes into account the interests of our hosts and the sports fans in China.
