Earlier this year, Ireland Lacrosse made the decision to voluntarily vacate its position in the men’s Lacrosse competition at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, to make way for the Iroquois Nationals to compete. In voluntarily vacating its position in favour of the Iroquois Nationals, Ireland Lacrosse helped ensure one of the top-ranked teams in international Lacrosse, and the originators of the game, would have the opportunity to compete on this international stage.
This selfless gesture has resonated with sport participants and fans around the world, and in recognition, Ireland Lacrosse is being honoured as a recipient of The 2020 Musial Award. Presented annually by the St. Louis Sports Commission and the National Sportsmanship Foundation, The Musial Awards celebrate the year’s greatest moments of sportsmanship and those in sports who embody class and character.
The awards are named in honour of Stan Musial, the beloved St. Louis Cardinal Baseball player and Hall of Famer who personified the very best virtues of sportsmanship and fair play. In addition to keeping Stan’s legacy alive, the mission of The Musial Awards is to encourage kindness, integrity and civility in sports and society – and to inspire people across the nation and world to be good 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.