IWAS World Games 2022 heading to Sochi, Russia
The International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) has announced that the IWAS World Games 2022 will be hosted in Sochi, Russia, from 2-9 October.
The Games, which will return to the impressive venues of the 2015 edition, will once again host an exciting provisional sports programme comprised of archery, athletics, cerebral palsy football, ParaVolley, swimming, table tennis & Para badminton.
IWAS President, Rudi van den Abbeele, said: “As we begin to see the light at the end of a challenging couple of years for us all, we are delighted to announce the next edition of the Games in the city of Sochi. We look forward to continuing the legacy of both the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games and the 2015 IWAS World Games while benefitting from the accessible and inclusive infrastructure that remains in the city.”
“Attracting hundreds of competitors year on year, the IWAS World Games are where champions are born. The IWAS World Games offer a unique opportunity where established and experience Paralympians compete against the up-and-coming athletes of the future. I have no doubt the experienced Local Organisers will host another unforgettable IWAS World Games next year.”
Competition will be hosted from 4-8 October in open categories with youth categories also included for athletics, swimming and table tennis. As well as International Federation sanctioning, IWAS is also working to secure classifiers for all sports to allow athletes to benefit from a much-needed classification opportunity while at the Games.
With cerebral palsy (CP) football due to make its debut in the cancelled 2020 Games, Jan-Hein Evers, President of the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football said of the sport’s inclusion in the 2022 programme:
“We are excited that CP Football will be part of the IWAS World Games, working in cooperation with IWAS to provide more competitive playing opportunities for our athletes at an international level. It is also great that the Games will be held in Russia who are not only one of the most successful countries in our sport but are also a leading country in the development of CP Football for all.”
With the final list of sports to be confirmed, organisers plan to host CP football in the Yunost Sport Complex alongside archery and ParaVolley. Athletics and table tennis returns to the facilities of Youg Sport Complex, this time with the addition of Para badminton. Swimmers will also be welcomed back to the picturesque swimming venue in the heart of Krasnaya Polyana in the Sochi Natural Park.
President of the Local Organising Committee and IWAS 2nd Vice President, Pavel Rozhkov added: “On behalf of the Russian Paralympic Committee and All-Russian Federation of Sports for Persons with Physical Impairment, I’d like to express my appreciation to the International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports Federation for the opportunity to host the IWAS World Games 2022 in Sochi; it is a great honour for us.
“We will make every effort to ensure that as in 2015, these Games are held at the highest standard, giving celebration to all participants in the promotion of Para sport worldwide.”
Intentions to compete will be sent to IWAS Members in the coming week with entries opening in late spring 2022.
About the IWAS World Games
Hosted to provide a steppingstone on the sporting pathways of aspiring Paralympians and emerging athletes getting their first taste of international competition, the Games have helped produce many of the world’s Paralympic stars.
These include the USA’s seven-time Paralympic track champion Tatyana McFadden and Great Britain’s double gold-medallist sprinter Jonnie Peacock. World recorder holder and Tokyo 2020 double gold-medallist, South African sprinter and long jumper Ntando Mahlangu and Italian world and Paralympic wheelchair fencing title-holder Beatrice Vio have also competed.