Freediving enters the program of the World Games and President Anna Arzhanova was re-elected as the member of IWGA Executive Committee

Freediving enters the program of the World Games and President Anna Arzhanova was re-elected as the member of IWGA Executive Committee. (Title)

The International World Games Association held its Annual General Meeting in Madrid today and made a decision on the ratification of the Sports Programme including Finswimming and Freediving for the next World Games to be held in Chengdu, China in 2025, alongside CMAS President Anna Arzhanova was re-elected as the member of IWGA Executive Committee.

There will be a total of 30 sports on the program for Chengdu 2025. Finswimming was confirmed with the same quota as in Birmingham and Freediving (dynamics) has now been given a quota for both Women and Men.

During the IWGA AGM the election of the President, vice-president, treasurer and four Executive members. The IWGA President Mr. Jose Perurena was re-elected, Mr. Tome Dielen (World Archery) was elected as the vice-president and Mr. Lukas Hinder (Dance Sport) re-elected as the treasure.

The delegates in Madrid also confirmed the following as Executive Committee (ExCo) members: Anna Arzhanova (World Underwater Federation), Volker Bernardi (World Flying Disc Federation) and Jan Fransoo (International Korfball Federation) in their posts. New to the ExCo is John Liljelund (International Floorball Federation).

For the election for the Executive Committee members there were seven candidates for four positions. The result of the election was:

• Anna Arzhanova, World Underwater Federation – CMAS president 25 votes
• Volker Bernardi, World Flying Disc Federation – WFDF secretary general 23 votes.
• Jan Fransoo, International Korfball Federation – IKF president 19 votes
• John Liljelund, International Floorball Federation – IFF secretary general 18 votes

• Joachim Thumfart, Ju-Jitsu International Federation – JJIF Director general 17 votes
• Pablo Serena, World Squash Federation – WSF secretary general 8 votes
• José Antonio Pere Priego, International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation president 6 votes

The term of office of the new ExCo is limited to the three years until 2026. Usually the ExCo is elected for four years, until one year after the last edition of The World Games; the next term of office is only three years because the current term was extended by one year due to the pandemic. The Games in Birmingham, USA, originally planned for 2021, also had to be postponed by one year due to COVID-19 restrictions.