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.Sport | Organisation |
Aikido | International Aikido Federation |
Air sports | World Air Sports Federation |
Archery | World Archery |
Billiard sports | World Confederation of Billiards Sports |
Bodybuilding & Fitness | International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness |
Boules sports | Confédération Mondiale des Sports de Boules |
Bowling | World Bowling |
Canoe | International Canoe Federation |
Casting | International Casting Sport Federation |
DanceSport | World DanceSport Federation |
Fistball | International Fistball Association |
Floorball | International Floorball Federation |
Flying disc | World Flying Disc Federation |
Gymnastics | International Gymnastics Federation |
Handball | International Handball Federation |
Hockey | International Hockey Federation |
Ju-Jitsu | Ju-Jitsu International Federation |
Karate | World Karate Federation |
Kickboxing | World Association of Kickboxing Organizations |
Korfball | International Korfball Federation |
Lacrosse | Federation of International Lacrosse |
Life saving | International Life Saving Federation |
Muay Thai | International Federation of Muaythai Amateur |
Netball | International Netball Federation |
Orienteering | International Orienteering Federation |
Powerlifting | International Powerlifting Federation |
Racquetball | International Racquetball Federation |
Roller Sports | Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports |
Rugby Union | World Rugby |
Softball | International Softball Federation |
Sport Climbing | International Federation of Sport Climbing |
Squash | World Squash Federation |
Sumo | International Sumo Federation |
Surfing | International Surfing Association |
Tug of War | Tug of War International Federation |
Underwater sports | Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques |
Water Ski & Wakeboard | International Water Ski Federation |