José Perurena in an armchair

Written in advance. Without any rival for the post, the Spaniard José Perurena photo above) was re-elected, Wednesday May 3 in Madrid, to the presidency of the International World Games Association (IWGA). The former president of the International Canoeing Federation (ICF) thus extends a lease started in 2014 (he succeeded the American Ron Froehlich). But his new mandate, obtained with the score of 93% of the votes, will be reduced to only three years, the health crisis having lengthened the previous one by an entire year. The battle was announced to be more indecisive for the post of vice-president, left vacant by the Briton Max Bishop, in place for 17 years. Two men had submitted an application: the Swiss Tom Dielen, secretary general of the International Archery Federation (World Archery), and the German Jörn Verleger, president of the International Fistball Federation. But the two-way match turned into a plebiscite for Tom Dielen, his German rival having withdrawn his candidacy before the start of the ballot. Elections to the IWGA executive committee also saw a new term for a Russian leader, Anna Arzhanova, president of the International Underwater Confederation. She was allowed to run, despite the exclusion of Russian athletes from the last World Games, held last year in Birmingham, Alabama. During the same general assembly of the IWGA, it was decided that sambo would integrate the program of the World Games from the next edition, scheduled for Chengdu (China) in 2025.