World Games Officials Impressed With Birmingham

(ATR) Max Bishop, head of the evaluation commission for the 2021 World Games, tellsAround the Rings he is impressed so far with the bid committee fromBirmingham, Alabama.

"We’ve been received in an extremely hospitable way," Bishop told ATR during a reception at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday."Representatives from several sports federations are all here, senators are here, and members from the city’s bid committee are here.

"So the impression that I get is that it’s going to be a strong bid."

Evaluation commission members from the International World Games Association are touring a list of venues in Birmingham this week that includes Samford University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Regions Field, Railroad Park, theBirmingham Crossplex, and Birmingham-Southern College.

Birmingham is bidding for the World Games alongside Lima, Peru and Ufa, Russia. If selected, Birmingham would be the first U.S. city to host the event since the inaugural World Games in 1981.

The IWGA started its on-site visits to the three candidate cities in Ufa at the beginning of this month. Following its stop in Birmingham, the evaluation commission will visit Lima Oct. 27-31.

Bishop would not yet comment on how the candidate cities compare. "We have three strong bids," he told ATR.

When asked whether hosting the World Games in Birmingham could enhance a U.S. bid for the 2024 Olympics, Bishop said the two events do not necessarily correlate.

"The IWGA works very closely with the IOC, and it’s difficult to say what goes into their decision-making."

Bishop added, "It’s certainly true that the media coverage that could potentially be obtained for an event like ours is infinitely greater in the U.S.

"A World Games held in the U.S. would be different than elsewhere, but whether it would be better or worse, I can’t really say."

Former IWGA president Ron Froehlich, who oversaw six World Games, has lived in Birmingham for 39 years.

"Of all the cities in my position as IWGA president, I think Birmingham has the most to offer in terms of the closeness [of its venues] and the facilities they have.

"Birmingham is more than capable of running this event, no doubt about it."

Froehlich told ATR that Birmingham's bid committee is also relying on support from local universities.

"For the first time, they're talking about using three universities as villages which to me is a very important aspect if you want to enlarge the life of the World Games."

The only obstacle for Birmingham, according to Froehlich, is transportation.

"They’re going to bring in a private contractor for that," he explained.

Froehlich said hosting the World Games in a U.S. city would have a positive affect on several international federations.

"I think it would be great," he told ATR. "International federations want exposure for their sports, and they are looking for more exposure in the U.S."

Following its tour of venues on Friday, the IWGA evaluation commission and Birmingham's bid committeewill hold a joint press conference at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Written byNicole Bennett

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