(ATR) International World Games President José Perurena says he wants the World Games to best all multi-sport events, except for the Olympic Games.
Perurena concluded a busy 2017 with a visit to Birmingham, Alabama, home of the next World Games in 2021. The IWGA president hopes the event’s return to the United States will help vault it to the upper-echelon of multi-sport events.
"Our goal is that Birmingham 2021 will strengthen the World Games to become the second multi-sports event in the world," he told Around the Rings in exclusive comments.
The IWGA president says the event’s return to the United States for the first time since the inaugural edition in 1981 brings numerous opportunities to organizers and the event itself.
"Today, we have the opportunity for Birmingham to make new World Games for the future," Perurena said during his visit to Birmingham Dec. 14-17.
During his four-day stay in the city, Perurena met with a number of stakeholders at the spacious Birmingham 2021 headquarters.
Birmingham 2021 President Jonathan Porter led the meetings in the office where local organizers and IWGA leaders addressed scoring and timing systems, television contracts, the sports program, marketing, establishing commissions and the opening and closing ceremonies.
Perurena also met with Birmingham’s new Mayor Randall Woodfin who attended an early session of the meetings. Perurena said that Woodfin has expressed strong interest and support in the event.
"[Mayor Woodfin] was asking questions, being interested in every detail," Perurena told ATR. "He said that the Games will be one of his priorities and supported the idea that the opening ceremony will show the best and most traditional aspects of Alabama. As young as he is (36), the Mayor seems very prepared."
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Written by Miguel Hernandez
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