World Games 2022 announces disability inclusion initiative

November 22, 2020

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The World Games 2022 Birmingham Organizing Committee announced a partnership with the Lakeshore Foundation to focus on making The Games more inclusive of sports, athletes, fans, and experiences for people with disability.

With a tagline of “A Journey to One World, One Games”, the World Games has partnered with Lakeshore Foundation and announced an initiative for disability inclusion and access. The World Games 2022 will be the most accessible edition in the event’s 40-year history.

Our goal for this program is to make The World Games 2022 a welcoming, accessible and inclusive event for all. But beyond that, we also want to create a legacy for accessibility and disability inclusivity for Birmingham and future editions of The World Games – one that will last far beyond 2022. – said Nick Sellers, CEO of The World Games 2022

The Games will be an event like the Olympics where elite athletes compete for gold in 34 different multi-disciplinary sports. A total of 3600 athletes spanning from 100 different countries will participate in the event. The Games 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the event, which will take place between July 7-17, 2022, in Birmingham.

The initiative will focus on establishing a steering committee, enhancing accessibility and inclusion for fans, creating an inclusive and accessible athlete experience, and developing a training and education program for staff, volunteers, and partners.

“We are excited to contribute our international experience in adapted sports and collaborate with the disability community and other disability-focused organizations to host the most disability-inclusive World Games ever held.” – said Jeff Underwood, the CEO of Lakeshore Foundation

What is exciting for the ardent fans of sports is the new stadium that has been built especially for World Games 2022. The Protective Stadium will have a capacity of 47,100 and is expected to be completed by 2021. It might be the first-ever largest sports meet since the COVID-19 pandemic to house a massive audience.

The World Games 2020 will be a historic event as it will include an adapted sport. Not only will it enhance the legacy of The Games but turn out to be a commendable step by The World Games Birmingham Organizing Committee and Lakeshore Foundation.