International World Games Association


The International World Games Association is an international association, recognised by the International Olympic Committee, that organises every four years since 1981 the multi-sport event called The World Games.

History

The IWGA was founded on 21 May 1980 in Seoul, South Korea, as World Games Council by 12 international sports federations with a worldwide dissemination, of that were not yet part of the Olympic Games. The intention was to increase the popularity of the sports represented by these federations. The IWGA was constituted under Swiss law as a non-governmental and non-profit-making organisation. In 1996 the World Games Council was renamed into International World Games Association. Since its creation, the number of member federations has increased to 37 with the most recent admission being the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur in April 2014.

Membership

Federations that intend to become a member of the IWGA have to be part of GAISF. The IWGA itself is also a member of GAISF and is represented on its council. Sports that want to be recognised by the IWGA need to have a worldwide significance but actually must not be in the programme of the olympic games.
The highest body of the IWGA is the general meeting, that takes place each four years one year after The World Games event. The general meeting elects a seven-member executive committee that hosts four years and also decides about upcoming host cities for The World Games.

Member federations

The following 37 international sports federations are members of IWGA.
SportOrganisation
AikidoInternational Aikido Federation
Air sportsWorld Air Sports Federation
ArcheryWorld Archery
Billiard sportsWorld Confederation of Billiards Sports
Bodybuilding & FitnessInternational Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness
Boules sportsConfédération Mondiale des Sports de Boules
BowlingWorld Bowling
CanoeInternational Canoe Federation
CastingInternational Casting Sport Federation
DanceSportWorld DanceSport Federation
FistballInternational Fistball Association
FloorballInternational Floorball Federation
Flying discWorld Flying Disc Federation
GymnasticsInternational Gymnastics Federation
HandballInternational Handball Federation
HockeyInternational Hockey Federation
Ju-JitsuJu-Jitsu International Federation
KarateWorld Karate Federation
KickboxingWorld Association of Kickboxing Organizations
KorfballInternational Korfball Federation
LacrosseFederation of International Lacrosse
Life savingInternational Life Saving Federation
Muay ThaiInternational Federation of Muaythai Amateur
NetballInternational Netball Federation
OrienteeringInternational Orienteering Federation
PowerliftingInternational Powerlifting Federation
RacquetballInternational Racquetball Federation
Roller SportsFédération Internationale de Roller Sports
Rugby UnionWorld Rugby
SoftballInternational Softball Federation
Sport ClimbingInternational Federation of Sport Climbing
SquashWorld Squash Federation
SumoInternational Sumo Federation
SurfingInternational Surfing Association
Tug of WarTug of War International Federation
Underwater sportsConfédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques
Water Ski & WakeboardInternational Water Ski Federation