SportAccord Takes Over Organizing of World Combat Games
Organizing event one of several moves that group is undertaking this spring
Posted On: March 9, 2023 By :
Matt Traub As part of the transfer of contracts and assets from the Global Association of International Sports Federations, which dissolved at the end of 2022, SportAccord has taken over responsibility for the World Combat Games 2023 which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia starting October 21.
Preparations are well advanced and a meeting recently took place in the host city with senior technical delegates from the 16 sports who will be part of the event in attendance. The sports programme has now been finalised and over 1,600 athletes from over 45 disciplines including parasports will be competing, amongst them many Olympic and World Champions.
“We are moving forward internally at SportAccord across a range of topics including the new statutes and the new admission system for AIMS members and I am also very pleased with the great progress being made by the LOC in Riyadh on the World Combat Games” said President Ivo Ferriani. “We are also in discussions with a number of cities as potential hosts for our SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit for later this year and also in Spring 2024. I have no doubt SportAccord will be playing an increasingly vital role this year and beyond for IFs and the wider sports ecosystem.”
SportAccord also is working on the development of a new set of statutes and associated governance framework. These will embed into the organization the governance needed and deliver on the commitments given to stakeholders last year, including enlarging the Executive Committee to provide representation from IF umbrella bodies Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) and Alliance of Independent Recognized Members of Sports (AIMS).
With membership of AIMS replacing membership of GAISF as the entry level for effective recognition of international federations, a new process and a new set of criteria are being worked on which will be further developed in consultation with key stakeholders centered around a membership commission with a mandate to review applications and make recommendations to the SportAccord Executive Committee.
Following the dissolution of GAISF at the end of last year, professional services firm EY have been proceeding with the liquidation process that was conferred to them by the GAISF membership as part of the dissolution. Key contracts are being transferred to SportAccord and accountants BDO are undertaking a final audit of the organization. SportAccord has integrated the employees of GAISF and is in the process of hiring new staff to some senior manager positions.
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