The body aims to give people with physical disabilities a "new and exciting organisation" to help them access grassroots, recreational and high-performance level sport.

"It is a great pleasure and honour to present World Abilitysport to our stakeholders, partners and followers as we prepare to move into an exciting new era," said World Abilitysport President Rudi Van Den Abbeele.

"The merge of IWAS and CPISRA has been a long-time in the making but we are so excited to finally bring the two constituencies together to create one movement for all athletes and people with physical impairments.

"The striking new brand encompasses all our work, from recreation and sports camps for teenagers and helping emerging Para sports and disciplines to develop, all the way through to the world and youth Games where both new and experienced athletes can compete on the world stage."

Alongside the new name, a logo and brand look have been designed by creative agency Landor & Fitch.

The World Abilitysport Games in Thailand in December is set to be the first to be held under the new banner.

The merger, which led to World Abilitysport, was officialised at the IWAS General Assembly last November after it was unanimously voted to accept the CPISRA members and Board into IWAS.

"On behalf of the International Paralympic Committee I want to congratulate all those who have worked so hard to establish World Abilitysport," said International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons.

"Both IWAS and CPISRA have a proud history in the Paralympic Movement, and we wouldn't be where we were today without their perseverance, diligence, and energy over the last seven decades. 

"Now an important new chapter begins with World Abilitysport, an organisation that will not only be a vital entry point for engaging people with physical disabilities in grassroots activities, but one which will be an important ally of the IPC in providing pathways for some of those people to become elite Paralympic athletes.

"We look forward to partnering with World Abilitysport in using sport as a tool for driving social inclusion."

World Abilitysport will be the global governing body for wheelchair fencing and powerchair hockey, although both will remain as IWAS branded sports for the time being.