IWGA President José Perurena drew up a positive balance sheet for "a year full of challenges". Following the last Executive Board (ExCo) Meeting of the year, Perurena said: "The pandemic has forced us to face unforeseeable issues. We overcame them together with our Member federations and partners. We succeeded as a team"
Among other things, the IWGA had postponed the 11th edition of The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, by one year to 7-17 July 2022. As a further challenge, the IWGA had had to conduct the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the beginning of November remotely: "The exchange with our members during the AGM was important for us. On the agenda was a paper outlining a new membership and programme content strategy. The clear vote in favour paved the way for the further development of our Organisation and our Event."
During the board meeting, also held via video conference, ExCo members looked back at the AGM, which was attended by all 37 member associations. "The planning and flow of the meeting basically reflected how we worked this year. We adapted to circumstances and found the appropriate solution in each case," IWGA CEO Joachim Gossow explained after the ExCo meeting. In this context, the board members had reluctantly accepted that it might be necessary to hold the AGM remotely again in the future.
José Perurena: "The developments related to Covid-19 still cannot be predicted. Therefore, at our first board meeting in the New Year, we will have no option but to discuss whether to use this option to meet online again in 2021."
The AGM, just over a year before the The World Games 2022, is scheduled for 27 May 2021, as part of the SportAccord Convention in Ekaterinburg, Russia. The IWGA President made clear: "We would like to meet again in person and discuss together in one room. However, this year we have also shown that we are flexible enough to adjust our plans when need be."
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.