Michael John, President of the German Boccia, Boules and Pétanque Association (DBBPV), spoke at length about the World Games on the website of the German Olympic Committee (DOSB). Known as the “Mister World Games” in Germany, he is looking forward to the return of the event across the Rhine, in 2029, in Karlsruhe. "This can give a lasting boost to the sports movement in Germany, this is an important step on the road to the Olympic Games", he explains. The country hopes to host the Olympic Games in 2036, 2040 or 2044 and will choose its candidate next year.
Convinced that the World Games still have a lot to offer progress in terms of visibility, Michael John believes that with « the introduction of the World Games Series, the IWGA has ensured that interest in the World Games can be promoted on an ongoing basis.". A plus to bring the event to life since "The downside is that there are no Winter Games, so we can't benefit from a two-year cycle like the Olympics.".
However, the president of the DBBPV does not want the World Games to become too similar to the Olympic Games. "The World Games should not aim to become a copy of the Olympic Games or a kind of mini-Olympics., he says. They must maintain their exclusivity and distinctive character through a different diversity of the Olympic program, rather than continually adapting their formats to become Olympic. And indeed, more and more sports are ranking the World Games on the same level as the Olympic Games » More than 30 sports will be represented this year in Chengdu, including cheerleading, karate, floorball, frisbee, orienteering and drone racing.
