IBSF Cancels World Games After Being Unable to Find Host City

The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) has confirmed next year's World Games have been cancelled after they were unable to find a suitable host for the event.

IBSA President Jannie Hammershoi said she was aware there would be disappointment at the decision among the organization’s membership.

The World Games will be "partially replaced" by the Goalball and Judo Paralympic qualifying competition from June 29 to July 7 in Fort Wayne, with a General Assembly due to take place on the sidelines of the event in the American city.

"We are looking forward with great excitement to the summer of 2019 when we will get to gather athletes and our membership together in one place once again," said Hammershoi."We are however conscious that our members were expecting there to be a full World Games next year. We are really disappointed that an edition with all sports will not take place. Unfortunately, while we did receive some interest for which we are very grateful, it was not possible to find a suitable host this time for such a large event."

The World Games will be partially replaced by a Goalball and Paralympic Judo qualifier in Fort Wayne

Hammershoi added: "However instead we are offering the opportunity for all of our members to come and join us in Fort Wayne for what will be an interesting, informative and engaging General Assembly. As well as the strategy, other topics currently being considered include the direction of the sports and sport specific classification."

Hammershoi insisted the World Games will continue in future despite the cancellation of the 2019 edition, with the bid process for 2023 set to launch later this year.

Five editions of the quadrennial event have been held to date.

IBSA, the global governing body for blind sport, first held their World Games in Spanish capital Madrid in 1998.

Quebec City in Canada then played host in 2003, before Brazilian city São Paulo took centre stage in 2007. In 2011, the Games were held in Antalya in Turkey before South Korean capital Seoul staged the latest edition in 2015.

Ten different sports formed the program for the last Games in Seoul.

These were track and field, swimming, powerlifting, goalball, judo, futsal, chess, bowling, tandem cycling and showdown.