World Beach Games

Lausanne, Apr 02, 2014: It was a great honour for me, as President of SportAccord, to be present in Kuwait during the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Executive Council meeting; a highly important event for the Olympic Movement and for sport in general.

I had the privilege of participating, together with the ANOC leaders, in a joint meeting, where one of the subjects discussed was the World Beach Games.

In the past the World Beach Games, a SportAccord brand and multi-sports games event, was just an idea. Today, with the concept registered and finalised by SportAccord and the International Federations (IFs), it has become a tangible project. SportAccord is particularly grateful to the IFs who collaborated so intensively and assiduously over the last few months to finalise the event programme.

The World Beach Games programme gathers more than 23 sports: American Football, Aquatics, Boules, Canoe, Cheerleading, Dragon Boat, Flying Disc, Football, Handball, Life Saving, Minigolf, Motorcycle, Powerboat, Rowing, Rugby, Sailing, Sport Fishing, Sub-Aquatics, Surfing, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, and Waterski/Wakeboard, as well as a few other sports that expressed interest.

Following the SportAccord-ANOC cooperation agreement aimed at developing better synergies between the IFs and National Olympic Committees (NOCs), a decision has been taken to launch the SportAccord-ANOC World Beach Games together, as a common project. In addition to this, SportAccord and ANOC shall work on a series of other projects including an integrity programme, a coaching academy, and e-learning tools for athletes.

SportAccord Member International Federations are particularly enthusiastic to know that this project will be delivered in partnership with ANOC, and supported by the Olympic Movement. Recently, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Mr Thomas Bach, expressed his optimism for the event; an event that he considers to be a great contribution to the Olympic Movement.

The implementation strategy shall comprise joint working groups and commissions from SportAccord and ANOC. All decisions shall be taken together for a better understanding, greater consistency and coherence in the achievement of common goals. All obligations, results and benefits shall be shared in favour of both organisations.

I particularly appreciate the cohesive and constructive collaboration between the IOC, ANOC, SportAccord, and the IFs. I would also like to emphasise the manner in which the IOC President, Mr Thomas Bach, and the ANOC President, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, maintain positions of open cooperation for the development of the international sports movement. —- Marius L. Vizer, President SportAccord/Photo: SportAccord-ANOC World Beach Games).