By Paul Osborne at the Susesi Convention Center in Belek


José Perurena has been elected President of the International World Games Association ©IWGAApril 7 - José Perurena has been voted President of the International World Games Association (IWGA) following a vote at the general annual meeting here.



Perurena, head of the International Canoeing Federation (ICF), was voted to IWGA President ahead of Belgium's Harald Vervaecke, secretary general of the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS).

The Spaniard takes over from Ron Froehlich as the head of the IWGA following his 22-year reign in charge of the organisation.

Perurena, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), received 24 of the 36 votes en route to his Presidential success.

Following his successful election, Perurena emphasised the need to show the world the high levels set by each participating sport in the World Games and the importance of the IWGA's relationship with the IOC.

"[My aim is] to improve the World Games and to show that the level of sport is high," said Perurena.

"It's not a big difference to the Olympics because you have the Olympics and people say, 'Oohhh this is a high level' but when you're comparing them to the other federations the level is similar.

"And the second, it is important to say the importance of the relationship with the IOC for the organiser.

"The organiser needs the sponsors to organise a good Games.

"We have a good relationship with the IOC to show that this is important for us in the global activity of the sport across the world.

José Perurena takes over from former President Ron Froehlich who served as head of the IWGA for 22 years ©Getty Images













































José Perurena takes over from former President Ron Froehlich who served as head of the IWGA for 22 years ©Getty Images






The meeting also saw Max Bishop, former secretary general of the World Air Sports Federation (FAI), re-elected vice-President of the IWGA, ahead of Jan Fransoo, President of the International Korfball Federation (IKF).

"Well naturally I'm very pleased as I was re-elected myself," said Bishop.

"I think that the AGM has elected a very strong Board.

"The new President is somebody who is very well connected in a number of ways.

"He is able to bring the World Games even closer to the Olympic Movement in the sense that he has the ear of the new IOC President who is going to back the World Games and take it up to the next level, so some of the world games sports can ultimately move up into the Olympic Games but the World Games themselves become something that's interesting to watch and attracts the right following in its own right.

"I was confident that I was going to get re-elected but I was surprised by the majority.

"I thought that there may be a closer race but it turned out to be quite a decisive decision."

Lukas Hinder, first vice-president of the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF), also becomes treasurer of the organisation following the withdrawal of John Liljelund, secretary general of the International Floorball Federation (IFF), from the vote.

A final vote saw Anna Aezhanova, President of World Underwater Federation (CMAS), Tom Dielen, secretary general of World Archery, and Fumio Morooka of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), elected to the IWGA Executive Committee.