Lacrosse was in the programme of The World Games for the first time in 2017. Then, as will be the case in 2022 too, it was Women’s Lacrosse that had the honour of being in the official programme. After a successful debut for the sport, Men’s Lacrosse is however now added: it will be in the invitational sports programme of The World Games 2022.
Lacrosse is based on games played by various Native American communities as early as 1100 AD, and it was originally known as Stickball. It is the oldest organised sport in North America. Lacrosse is a team sport played with a stick and a ball. The head of a Lacrosse stick is roughly triangular in shape, and is strung with loose netting that allows the ball to be caught, carried, passed, or shot. The purpose of each team is to score by causing the ball to enter the goal of its opponent and to prevent the other team from securing the ball and scoring.
Lacrosse was in the programme of the Olympic Games 1904 and 1908 and as a demonstration sport in 1928, 1932 and 1948. Historically, Lacrosse has been played for the most part in Canada and the United States, with small but dedicated Lacrosse communities in the United Kingdom and Australia. In recent decades, however, Lacrosse has begun to flourish at the international level, with teams being established around the world, particularly in Europe and East Asia.
At The World Games 2022 a new modern discipline, 6 v. 6, is featured. The rule-set of 6 v. 6 includes a shot clock, face-offs only to start quarters, a smaller field, smaller rosters and an overall synchronicity between the men’s and women’s Lacrosse versions. The rule-set is designed to be friendlier to the requirements for Olympic inclusion.
The other invitational sports for The World Games 2022 are Wushu, Duathlon, Flag Football, and Wheelchair Rugby. The invitational sports complete the sports programme along with the 30 Official Sports.
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 World Games.
