The World Games has always hosted the world’s best competitors, and this year is no exception. To field such extraordinary competition, it’s necessary to seek the best of the best, wherever they may be. So, for the first time in any multisport global event, the Haudenosaunee Nationals will compete for gold in both Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama.
While this inclusion represents a great stride for The World Games family, the competition represents more for the players of the indigenous nations who comprise the Haudenosaunee Nationals. The Haudenosaunee, a confederation of six first nations, first played the game of Lacrosse nearly 1,000 years ago in North America.
As the inventors of Lacrosse, the game holds a “much deeper meaning” than simply an athletic pastime, according t Jeremy Thompson’s statement at a July 9th press briefing. While all players at The World Games have devoted countless hours to perfecting their craft, perhaps no players have been raised with their sport in the ways that Haudenosaunee can claim, as they are “born with Lacrosse in [their] cradle boards,” Kason Tarbell stated
When asked what the inclusion of their nation into The World Games means to them, players noted the significance of the Opening Ceremonies. For the first time, the athletes saw their nation’s flag among the flags of the rest of the world, a recognition of the sovereignty that has for so long been questioned.
The World Games are important for more people that the players, coaches, and trainers that are representing their nation in person. Across the globe, viewers will see the Haudenosaunee Nationals compete under their own flag for the first time at a global multisport event. For the Haudenosaunee people watching at home, Cody Jamieson says that this visibility and inclusion “means everything to us.”
The change to eligibility rules that allowed the nation to qualify to The World Games is not the only reason the Haudenosaunee Nationals are vying for gold at this year’s Games. After the rules change, Ireland Lacrosse, who had already qualified to The World Games, chose to vacate its position to allow the Haudenosaunee Nationals to compete. This immense commitment to sportsmanship and inclusivity is precisely what makes The World Games so special.
You can watch the Haudenosaunee Nationals compete in Women’s Lacrosse on Jul 12th, 13th, and 14th in qualifying matches, with semifinal and final matches occurring on the 15th and 16th.
The World 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 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and over 100 countries will take part in The World Games.