Beijing Time 8pm – 11pm May 27, 2021, the International World Games Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held remotely. IWUF representatives, under the leadership of President Mr. Gou Zhongwen, with Vice President Mr. Anthony Goh and Secretary General Mr. Zhang Qiuping as members, attended the meeting virtually. The meeting, with high votes, approved the IWUF as the official member of the International World Games Association (IWGA), as a two-thirds majority was required.
IWUF Secretary General Mr. Zhang Qiuping stated in the application presentation that the sport of wushu has a huge global fan base. After decades of popularization and promotion, wushu’s international influence and brand value have been continuously improved. Wushu, in addition to its rich fitness value, has very high cultural values. Wushu, with its global governing body – IWUF’s inclusion, will increase the diversification of the International World Games Association and The World Games, and enrich the brand and cultural connotation of The World Games.
The IWGA CEO Mr. Joachim Gossow congratulated the IWUF on its successful membership application, welcomed the IWUF to join the IWGA family, and expressed the hope to work together with IWUF for a win-win cooperation in the near future. Currently, with wushu, the IWGA has 39 member federations.
The World Games, firstly held in 1981, hosted by the International World Games Association, is a multi-sport event staged every four years under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. Wushu was represented at The World Games as an invitational sport in 2009 in Kaohsiung (Chinese Taipei) and in Cali (Colombia) in 2013. In 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, wushu will again participate in the programme. After IWUF’s admission into the IWGA, it is expected to present wonderful wushu events at more editions of The World Games in the future, further enhancing wushu’s international influence.
