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IWGA strengthens global ties with landmark MoUs signed with BOIC and SASCOC
Lausanne, Switzerland, 18 March 2025 – The International World Games Association (IWGA) has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with both the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC) and the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). These agreements mark significant milestones in IWGA’s efforts to strengthen collaboration with National Olympic Committees (NOCs) worldwide.
The MoUs establish strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation, development, and knowledge sharing. Both agreements outline commitments to support each other’s activities, foster innovation, and create opportunities for sustainable growth.
BOIC, a key European NOC, is now an official partner of IWGA, reinforcing Belgium’s role in The World Games movement. The collaboration will focus on capacity-building efforts and joint initiatives to promote shared objectives.
BOIC President Jean-Michel Saive expressed enthusiasm about the partnership:
"With the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee being the umbrella of both Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations, this agreement represents an important step forward in our commitment to supporting a wide range of sports and athletes in Belgium. Partnering with the IWGA allows us to further strengthen our commitment towards The World Games and our Belgian athletes competing in non-Olympic disciplines. We are eager to contribute to the promotion and the growth of The World Games and to showcase Belgian excellence on this platform."
The BOIC has a strong history at The World Games as they have been coordinating the Belgian delegation since the first edition in 1981 in Santa Clara (USA), with former IOC-, EOC- and BOIC-President Jacques Rogge as Chef the Mission. Furthermore, Belgium finished 7th in the medal table at Birmingham 2022 with 11 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze medals. Many Belgian athletes have already secured provisional entries for The World Games 2025 across multiple disciplines, including but not only Archery, Canoe, Gymnastics, Ju-Jitsu, Orienteering, Powerlifting, and Squash.
SASCOC’s MoU marks a historic moment as the first African NOC to formalize cooperation with IWGA. This partnership aims to strengthen The World Games' presence on the African continent and foster further opportunities for South African athletes.
SASCOC President Barry Hendricks emphasised the significance of the agreement:
"This partnership with the IWGA and The World Games is a fantastic opportunity for South African athletes and for the development of non-Olympic disciplines in our country. We look forward to working closely with the IWGA to support our athletes on the international stage and to promote the values of sport in South Africa and beyond."
South Africa has a proud legacy at The World Games, with past successes including a gold medal in Canoe Marathon at Birmingham 2022 and a Women’s Tug of War bronze at TWG 2017 in Wroclaw. A total of 28 South African athletes have secured provisional entries for The World Games 2025 across seven sports.
IWGA President José Perurena welcomed both agreements, stating:
"We are delighted to have BOIC and SASCOC as partners in our mission to expand The World Games' global reach. These agreements reflect our ongoing commitment to strengthening ties with NOCs worldwide and creating more opportunities for athletes to shine on the international stage."
With these latest agreements, the IWGA has now signed MoUs with 18 NOCs and National Sports Organisations (NSOs). These partnerships underscore IWGA’s commitment to expanding The World Games’ global reach and fostering deeper collaboration with sporting bodies worldwide.
The MoUs establish strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation, development, and knowledge sharing. Both agreements outline commitments to support each other’s activities, foster innovation, and create opportunities for sustainable growth.
BOIC, a key European NOC, is now an official partner of IWGA, reinforcing Belgium’s role in The World Games movement. The collaboration will focus on capacity-building efforts and joint initiatives to promote shared objectives.
BOIC President Jean-Michel Saive expressed enthusiasm about the partnership:
"With the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee being the umbrella of both Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations, this agreement represents an important step forward in our commitment to supporting a wide range of sports and athletes in Belgium. Partnering with the IWGA allows us to further strengthen our commitment towards The World Games and our Belgian athletes competing in non-Olympic disciplines. We are eager to contribute to the promotion and the growth of The World Games and to showcase Belgian excellence on this platform."
The BOIC has a strong history at The World Games as they have been coordinating the Belgian delegation since the first edition in 1981 in Santa Clara (USA), with former IOC-, EOC- and BOIC-President Jacques Rogge as Chef the Mission. Furthermore, Belgium finished 7th in the medal table at Birmingham 2022 with 11 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze medals. Many Belgian athletes have already secured provisional entries for The World Games 2025 across multiple disciplines, including but not only Archery, Canoe, Gymnastics, Ju-Jitsu, Orienteering, Powerlifting, and Squash.
SASCOC’s MoU marks a historic moment as the first African NOC to formalize cooperation with IWGA. This partnership aims to strengthen The World Games' presence on the African continent and foster further opportunities for South African athletes.
SASCOC President Barry Hendricks emphasised the significance of the agreement:
"This partnership with the IWGA and The World Games is a fantastic opportunity for South African athletes and for the development of non-Olympic disciplines in our country. We look forward to working closely with the IWGA to support our athletes on the international stage and to promote the values of sport in South Africa and beyond."
South Africa has a proud legacy at The World Games, with past successes including a gold medal in Canoe Marathon at Birmingham 2022 and a Women’s Tug of War bronze at TWG 2017 in Wroclaw. A total of 28 South African athletes have secured provisional entries for The World Games 2025 across seven sports.
IWGA President José Perurena welcomed both agreements, stating:
"We are delighted to have BOIC and SASCOC as partners in our mission to expand The World Games' global reach. These agreements reflect our ongoing commitment to strengthening ties with NOCs worldwide and creating more opportunities for athletes to shine on the international stage."
With these latest agreements, the IWGA has now signed MoUs with 18 NOCs and National Sports Organisations (NSOs). These partnerships underscore IWGA’s commitment to expanding The World Games’ global reach and fostering deeper collaboration with sporting bodies worldwide.
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