Inaugural Global ID Sports Week set for June 2016

PRESS RELEASE

Inaugural Global ID Sports Week set for June 2016

World Intellectual Impairment Sport – the International Federation for sport for para-athletes with an intellectual disability – has today confirmed plans for the second Global ID Sport event.

IMG-20150612-WA0103_resizedThe first Global ID Sport Day was held in 2015 and saw events taking place around the world to celebrate and promote sport for athletes with an intellectual disability. Building on the success of this first event, World Intellectual Impairment Sport is excited to announce that the 2016 event will focus activity across a whole week from 25 June to 1 July.

With events taking place across the world, Global ID Sports Week uses the scale of multiple events and activities to raise awareness, and harness corporate and media support. It is a celebration of the ability for athletes with an intellectual disability to have the opportunity to achieve excellence in sport.

The 2016 event is timed to include the 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Athletics Championships (Europe) which are being held in Turkey. Further announcements will be made shortly with details of other exciting activities.

Nick Parr, Executive Director said “After the success of the event last year with activities across all 5 regions, this year’s event is set to be bigger and better. With events planned across a whole week, it gives greater flexibility for nations and partners to host more events across the world, recognising and promoting opportunities for a group of people that are all too often marginalised and excluded from sport.”

World Intellectual Impairment Sport belID Sports Weekieves intellectual disability should not be a barrier to enjoying and being the best in sport. Help us change attitudes, create opportunities and develop pathways in sport to ensure that athletes with an intellectual disability can compete at the highest possible level.

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

Tuesday, 10 November 15

PRESS RELEASE

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

World Intellectual Impairment Sport are pleased to announce the awarding of the 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships and 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships to USA.

Barry Holman, Co-Founder of Athletes Without Limits, said “over the past five years Athletes Without Limits has taken US athletes to dozens of Inas championships. In 2014 alone, US athletes competed in six countries across three continents, bringing home two world championships, multiple national records and many personal best performances. We are very proud to bring the first-ever Inas World Championships to the United States.”

8th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships

New York, USA will play host to 8th edition of the Inas World Cross Country Championships in 2016.  The event will take place at Sunken Meadow State Park Cross Country course on 2 and 3 April 2016.  With 6 of the previous 7 editions of the World Cross Country Championships being held in Europe, it will be a first for the event to be in the Americas.

The Cross Country Championships will be organized by Thunder USA who are committed to making the Championships not only a memorable competition; but an exciting and fun experience for the international field of competitors.

Sonja Robinson, Director of Thunder USA said “Thunder USA is dedicated to delivering an exceptional Championships for the athletes, coaches, dignitaries, and spectators. While we have assembled a team that has organized and staged hundreds of world class events we look forward to working with the World Intellectual Impairment Sport officials for these championships.”

Jose Costa Pereira, Inas Athletics Director said “It will be a big challenge, but at the same time very exciting to organize this great championship in a fantastic and cosmopolitan city as New York. I’m sure it will be a great event at all levels, organisational and by the outstanding performances of the participating athletes.”

7th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships

Bethany Beach, Delaware, United States will play host to 7th edition of the Inas World Tennis Championships in 2016.

The event will take place at Sea Colony Beach and Tennis Resort from 12 to 18 June 2016. Boasting some 34 tennis courts and voted 2012 US Tennis Association Outstanding Facility of the Year, the venue offers great facilities for the athletes to excel.

As hosts USA will be looking to build on their performances at the 2014 Inas World Tennis Championships in France where they picked up a gold in the Women’s Singles and a silver and bronze in the Mixed Doubles competitions.

Lesley Whitehead, Inas Tennis Director said “Sea Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in Delaware, USA will be an excellent venue for the 2016 World Tennis Championships. I look forward to seeing many of our nations supporting this event which will provide excellent tennis competition for our players.”

ENDS

__________________

Notes to the editor:

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is the recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee.

It is a global organisation that manages the eligibility process for intellectual disability sport, hosts an extensive programme of world and regional championship competitions and, through its members and partner organisations, promotes inclusion in sport around the world.

Inas’ vision is that athletes with an intellectual disability across the World have the opportunity to achieve excellence in sport and high-level competition.

Inas is a not-for-profit organisation registered in the UK (1144903).

Athletes Without Limits is the USA member organisation of Inas.

For more information regarding this press release please contact Inas.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

Tuesday, 10 November 15

PRESS RELEASE

USA wins bid to host two World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Championships in 2016

World Intellectual Impairment Sport are pleased to announce the awarding of the 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships and 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships to USA.

Barry Holman, Co-Founder of Athletes Without Limits, said “over the past five years Athletes Without Limits has taken US athletes to dozens of Inas championships. In 2014 alone, US athletes competed in six countries across three continents, bringing home two world championships, multiple national records and many personal best performances. We are very proud to bring the first-ever Inas World Championships to the United States.”

8th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Cross Country Championships

New York, USA will play host to 8th edition of the Inas World Cross Country Championships in 2016.  The event will take place at Sunken Meadow State Park Cross Country course on 2 and 3 April 2016.  With 6 of the previous 7 editions of the World Cross Country Championships being held in Europe, it will be a first for the event to be in the Americas.

The Cross Country Championships will be organized by Thunder USA who are committed to making the Championships not only a memorable competition; but an exciting and fun experience for the international field of competitors.

Sonja Robinson, Director of Thunder USA said “Thunder USA is dedicated to delivering an exceptional Championships for the athletes, coaches, dignitaries, and spectators. While we have assembled a team that has organized and staged hundreds of world class events we look forward to working with the World Intellectual Impairment Sport officials for these championships.”

Jose Costa Pereira, Inas Athletics Director said “It will be a big challenge, but at the same time very exciting to organize this great championship in a fantastic and cosmopolitan city as New York. I’m sure it will be a great event at all levels, organisational and by the outstanding performances of the participating athletes.”

7th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Tennis Championships

Bethany Beach, Delaware, United States will play host to 7th edition of the Inas World Tennis Championships in 2016.

The event will take place at Sea Colony Beach and Tennis Resort from 12 to 18 June 2016. Boasting some 34 tennis courts and voted 2012 US Tennis Association Outstanding Facility of the Year, the venue offers great facilities for the athletes to excel.

As hosts USA will be looking to build on their performances at the 2014 Inas World Tennis Championships in France where they picked up a gold in the Women’s Singles and a silver and bronze in the Mixed Doubles competitions.

Lesley Whitehead, Inas Tennis Director said “Sea Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in Delaware, USA will be an excellent venue for the 2016 World Tennis Championships. I look forward to seeing many of our nations supporting this event which will provide excellent tennis competition for our players.”

ENDS

__________________

Notes to the editor:

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is the recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee.

It is a global organisation that manages the eligibility process for intellectual disability sport, hosts an extensive programme of world and regional championship competitions and, through its members and partner organisations, promotes inclusion in sport around the world.

Inas’ vision is that athletes with an intellectual disability across the World have the opportunity to achieve excellence in sport and high-level competition.

Inas is a not-for-profit organisation registered in the UK (1144903).

Athletes Without Limits is the USA member organisation of Inas.

For more information regarding this press release please contact Inas.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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World Intellectual Impairment Sport statement on the 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games

 

Today, delegations from across the World begin to return home following their participation in the 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games.

Over the past week, Ecuador has witnessed some fantastic performances from the world’s best athletes with an intellectual disability.

Almost 600 athletes from 32 nations competed in the 4th edition of the Games which included competition in athletics, basketball, cycling, futsal, indoor rowing, swimming, table tennis, tennis and – for the first time in the Games – Taekwondo.

We would like to congratulate all athletes on a fantastic week of sport.

However, away from the field of play, delivery of the Games has been beset by multiple and substantial problems following the collapse of the host organisation and Local Organising Committee (LOC), the Federación Ecuatoriana de Deportes para personas con Discapacidad Intelectual (FEDEDI) who were contractually responsible for the full financing and delivery of the Games.

With support from the World Intellectual Impairment Sport team together with incredible efforts of delegations, officials, technical staff and more – competition began as planned on Tuesday 22nd September. However on that same morning, the LOC informed World Intellectual Impairment Sport that they were no longer in a financial position to deliver the Games through to their conclusion on Sunday 27th September.

Despite our extensive efforts to get competition underway, the Games were once again threatened.

The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board met and agreed that in the interests of the organisation and most importantly the athletes we represent, the 4th Global Games must continue. All 32 delegations present have worked tirelessly to secure the funding to enable their participation in the Games and athletes have trained hard to qualify and compete. The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board was determined that this would not be denied.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport therefore immediately assumed a full operational delivery role and began to put in place strategies to ensure successful delivery of the full competition programme. However with such a fundamental failure of the LOC, this was both difficult and at substantial cost to World Intellectual Impairment Sport.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport also requested the intervention of the Ecuadorian Sports Ministry who immediately began to assemble a team to help support the operational delivery of the Games but also assist World Intellectual Impairment Sport to more fully understand the circumstances surrounding the catastrophic failure of the LOC.

At times it seemed the mission to deliver the Games was impossible – such was the level of failure of the LOC – but on Saturday 26th September (following some small programming changes) competition across the entire programme came to its successful conclusion.

This was a remarkable achievement and was only possible thanks to the combined efforts of so many people. World Intellectual Impairment Sport is indebted to every single person who supported the Games this week in whatever their capacity. To all of these people, we thank you on behalf of the delegations present and all elite athletes with an intellectual disability.

We particularly thank the Ecuadorian Sports Ministry for their involvement and assistance. Without this help the Games simply would not have been possible.

In the days, weeks and months ahead there will be much analysis of the 4th World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games. World Intellectual Impairment Sport is already taking legal advice in respect of the failure of the Local Organising Committee, the circumstances surrounding the host organisation (FEDEDI) and in particular, the actions of its President, Juan Carlos Araujo.

As delegations begin to leave Ecuador, we want to thank you for your participation in these Games. To the medal winners and all the athletes, we congratulate you on your performances, and to our many friends who made these Games possible in the most difficult of circumstances we say thank you.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport will continue and will grow stronger, and in just 4 years time, we look forward to the opening ceremony of the 5th World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in Brisbane, Australia.

Ecuador 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games are on.

The Global Games have crossed the ‘Equator’ of the event which means we are half way through the competition in the fourth edition of the Games. Guayaquil, Guaranda and Cuenca have seen in action athletes in seven of the nine sports taking place in this pinnacle event of the ID Sport calendar. Spectators have had the opportunity to enjoy the amazing performances of athletes in the athletics, swimming, cycling, basketball, futsal, tennis and table tennis competitions.

 

September 23rd marked the first day of competitions for the swimming events with athletes from 19 different countries jumping in the pool of the Diana Quintana Sport Club. A very spirited Australian team spread with excitement the crowd and fellow athletes throughout the day. The first set of finals and award ceremonies took place in the afternoon and the crowd enjoyed unbelievable swimming performances in nine different events. One of these events was the image_2Girls’ 100m Butterfly final, in which Jo-Lin Tu representing China Taipei took the gold medal, Mariana Diaz De la Vega from Mexico won the silver one and not far behind Amy Cook from Australia took the third place on the podium. A very happy Mariana showed her medal with pride and the 18-year old reminded everybody with her smile what these Games are all about. Congratulations to Jo-Li, Mariana, Amy, all medal winners and participants.

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Swimming competitions, as well as all the others that already started, will continue today offering the best performances from the best athletes in the ID Sport. Taekwondo will start today as well and rowing will do so tomorrow. With this all nine sports will have seen action at the Ecuador 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games.

 

More results and information about the events competitions coming ahead, so make sure to check our social media portals.

Day 1 of competitions at the Global Games was finally here

Yesterday marked the first day of competitions at the Ecuador 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games. Cycling, Futsal, Tennis and Basketball events took place and the Games had its first medallists on the Cycling Team Time Trial event; France and its athletes M. Collin and J. Pereira took the highest spot on the podium, followed by D. Merten and J. Duinkerke representing Holland, and E. Sarango and A. Jacome snapped the last chance for medals taking the 3rd place.

Basketball compIMG_2742etition was packed with emotions delivered by the Portuguese and Venezuelan teams. This was the opening game in the men’s competition and from the get go a very enthusiastic Venezuelan squad was able to cause some troubles for Portugal in the first quarter and they went into the break winning 13 – 10. Nonetheless, Portugal was able to come back in the game and was able to take the lead 35 – 32 after the 3rd quarter. But in the last interval of the game a highly spirited Venezuelan team was able to gain a break with 3 minutes left on the clock and took the lead which they held on to win 43 – 37.

 

 

Also, other competitions that took place on Day 1 were Futsal and Tennis which will carry on today along with Basketball and the beginning of competitionsP1000257P1000310 for Athletics. Cycling will take a short break today to get back in action tomorrow, as will Swimming but with its first day of competitions at the Diana Quintana Sport Club.

 

 

 

 

 

More results and information about the events competitions coming ahead, so make sure to check our social media portals.

6th World Para-Taekwondo Championships underway

web WTF 4th World Champs(21.06.2014)-27The sixth World Para-Taekwondo Championships are underway in Samsun, Turkey, with more than 130 athletes from 38 countries competing.

Following as partnership with World Intellectual Impairment Sport, athletes with an intellectually disability will compete in poomsae competition – an artistic form of the sport.

“Speaking to athletes, you can really feel their passion and their pride at being able to represent their countries at such a world-class event,” Chungwon Choue, WTF President, said. “Our friends here in Samsun have done an excellent job at preparing for this Championships and everything is in place for an excellent event.”

“It is during events like this that you can really see that the work we are doing is paying off,” Choue added. “We know that there is a lot of room for improvement but each year we are seeing records being broken and more athletes from new countries getting involved in the sport. We must continue to build momentum and provide the best experience for our athletes and fans so that in 2020 we are able to deliver the best possible sport for the global Paralympic audience.”

For more information on Championships, visit the WTF’s website.

2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport GLOBAL GAMES: Update regarding volcanic activity in Ecuador 3

 

The Opening Ceremony of the 2015 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games in Ecuador is less than 3 weeks away. More than two and a half years of planning culminates with more than 650 athletes from 35 nations competing in 9 sports.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport would like to express its deepest gratitude to all athletes and teams for supporting this event, and wish you every success in competition.

However, nations will also be aware that in recent days, the Cotopaxi Volcano – located around 30 miles from Quito – began to show signs of an eruption. Ash and gasses were sent up in to the air and these reached areas of the city. The Ecuadorian Government has declared a state of emergency and the region is preparing for a full eruption. (Daily updates regarding the volcano are available in Spanish and English at: https://www.seguridad.gob.ec/category/comunicamos/noticias/)

Since the volcano became active, World Intellectual Impairment Sport has been liaising with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and taking advice from the Ecuadorian Government, Institute of Geophysics and the various embassies to assess the impact on the event.

Whilst no-one can give a definitive assessment of what will happen, activity at the volcano has been increasing and is now continuous. There is an expectation that the volcano will erupt in the days, weeks or months ahead and were this to happen, the impact on the area will be significant. Masks would need to be worn, air and road travel will be disrupted, and major venues – including those being used to host the Global Games – would be required by the authorities to house the many people who must be relocated.

Whilst World Intellectual Impairment Sport wishes to do everything possible to ensure the Games are successful, the safety and health of athletes, team staff, officials and supporters is paramount.

At greatest risk, due to their close proximity to the volcano, are the venues for athletics and table tennis which are due to be held in Latacunga – a town situation in the foothills of the volcano. However the LOC has advised that there will also be widespread disruption (including risk to health) from airborne ashes and gasses across Quito – and that safety cannot be assured.

The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board have therefore concluded that it is left with no choice but to authorise the LOC to relocate events to venues away from Quito and outside the area of influence and danger of the volcano.

Consequently, the LOC have today confirmed that athletics will now take place in Guaranda, swimming and basketball will take place in Guayaquil and table tennis will take place in Cuenca.

The venue of other sports will be confirmed within the next few days and are expected to be in the Guayaquil/Cuenca area. At this time we expect all sports to take place as planned and venues for athletics and swimming have been chosen which are IAAF/FINA certified respectively in order that IPC classification/sanction is preserved.

These changes do of course impact upon team planning. Most significantly, the LOC request that flights should be re-arranged to arrive directly into Guayaquil airport. Please contact your airline to discuss this change immediately. You should also plan for teams to be separated across 3 venue areas.

Where it is not possible to re-arrange flights, please contact the LOC at global.games@inas.org for advice or to make alternative arrangements for onward travel from Quito airport.

Arrival/Departure and ceremony dates all remain the same, accommodation options are being secured and you will be accommodated in a standard of hotel as similar as possible to that which was requested in Quito, and transport between the various venues is also being organised.

This has been a very unique and difficult situation that has changed daily. We realise the significant inconvenience and disruption that these changes might cause for your team, however you will appreciate and agree that the health and safety of delegations should be our foremost concern.

We will of course keep teams up to date with further information at the earliest opportunity however if you are concerned or have questions, then please contact the organisers (global.games@inas.org) or World Intellectual Impairment Sport (enquiries@inas.org) and we will try to assist as quickly as possible.

Finally, it is also critical that your final team entry details/payments are submitted to the LOC as soon as possible. Accommodation cannot be secured if payment has not been received, and competitions/classification schedules cannot be completed without full athlete information.

We very much look forward to welcoming you to Ecuador in a few short weeks. Please can we ask for your patience and understanding in the days ahead as the LOC make their final preparations, and we thankyou for your help to make the 2015 Global Games a huge success.