Written in advance. With no rival for the position, the Spaniard José Perurena (photo above) was re-elected on Wednesday, May 3, in Madrid, as president of the International World Games Association (IWGA). The former president of the International Canoeing Federation (ICF) thus extends a lease begun in 2014 (he had succeeded the American Ron Froehlich). But his new mandate, obtained with the score of 93% of the votes, will be reduced to only three years, the health crisis having lengthened the previous one by a full year. The battle for the position of vice-president, left vacant by the British Max Bishop, who had been in office for 17 years, was more uncertain. Two men had applied: Tom Dielen of Switzerland, secretary general of the International Archery Federation (World Archery), and Jörn Verleger of Germany, president of the International Fistball Federation. But the two-way match turned into a plebiscite for Tom Dielen, as his German rival withdrew his candidacy before the voting started. The IWGA Executive Committee elections also saw a new mandate for a Russian leader, Anna Arzhanova, the President of the International Confederation of Underwater Activities. She was allowed to run, despite the exclusion of Russian athletes from the last World Games, held last year in Birmingham, Alabama. During the same general assembly of the IWGA, it was decided that sambo will be included in the program of the World Games from the next edition, planned in Chengdu (China) in 2025.
