The World Games: great opportunity for korfball

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The World Games 2017 is around the corner! The 10th edition of the Games will be held in Wroclaw, Poland, 20–30 July 2017. More than 3,000 athletes from 31 sports and 111 countries will take part in the biggest sport event ever staged in Poland. The Korfball event will start 21 July and the finals will be played on 25 July.

The World Games are a big multi sports event and are a great opportunity to show korfball to a big crowd and accent the unique characteristics of the sport. This can be very helpful for the development of korfball in general and coming closer to the Olympic dream.

Former World Games sport Rugby made it to the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 and Karate, Sport Climbing, Surfing and Baseball/Soft­ball will be present in Tokyo 2020. Earlier, The World Games sports Badminton, Triathlon and Taekwondo became Olympic sports in 2000 and Beach Volleyball in 1996. Dance Sport will be on the programme of the Youth Olympics 2018 as well as Karate and Sport Climbing. IWGA President José Perurena states it clear: “The World Games are a stepping stone to the Olympics.”

IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell says: “As we look for getting more flex­ibility into the programme of the Olympic Games in the future, certainly The World Games is one of the areas we are looking to observe, see the sports, see them per­formed at a very high level and with the best athletes in those sports. Obviously we are looking for sports that bring a real value to the programme.”

Dr. Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, has confirmed that he will be present at The World Games Opening Ceremony in Wroclaw on 20th July 2017. In his letter to IWGA President José Perurena, the IOC President states that he will also attend several sports events during his stay. It will not be the first time that Dr. Bach attends an Opening Ceremony of The World Games. He was also present at the opening of The World Games 2013 in Cali/ Colombia, together with Jacques Rogge, his predecessor in office. Thomas Bach was Vice President of the IOC at that time.

Continental Championships 2018: Africa and the Americas Group draw IKF Open European Beach Korfball Championship 2017