World Intellectual Impairment Sport – the International Federation of sport for para-athletes with an intellectual disability – is pleased to announce that the 2018 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Football Championships are awarded to Sweden.

The Championships, held every four years, has traditionally followed the FIFA World Cup with the previous editions being held in Brazil and South Africa.  However in an effort for the event to have its own identity and profile World Intellectual Impairment Sport elected to open bidding in line with its other major championships.

The Championships, to be held in August 2018, will be organised by the Swedish Parasport Federation and Swedish Paralympic Committee in the cities of Karlstad, Arvika and Kil located in the region of Värmland.

Sweden are long supporters of World Intellectual Impairment Sport events having successfully hosted the 2012 European Football Championships and the 1st World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games back in 2004.

The Organising Committee hope that by hosting the event it will not only strengthen the relationship with the Swedish Football Association but also act as a catalyst to recruiting more players with an intellectual disability to compete at a higher level​.​

The 2014 edition saw 8 teams compete from 4 regions, but the 2018 World Championships is set to expand to accommodate up to 12 teams.  Hosts Sweden will automatically have a place in the tournament, along with 2014 World Champions Saudi Arabia confirming acceptance of their place following their victory over South Africa in the 2014 final.

Teams from across Europe will compete this September in Paris in the 2016 World Intellectual Impairment Sport European Football Championships, with qualification spots up for grabs for the 2018 event.  World Intellectual Impairment Sport is working hard with its other regional associations to deliver Regional Championship events in the Americas, Asia/Oceania and Africa in 2017 providing a formal qualification route for the World Championships.  This will be a major milestone in the development of the sport with only Europe having previously held regional championships.

Nick Parr, World Intellectual Impairment Sport Executive Director posts:

“The 1st April this year marked another milestone in World Intellectual Impairment Sport history as the organisation turned 30 years old. This achievement was a key theme in the recent (and very successful) Global ID Sports Week and we will continue to celebrate over the coming months.

In October, athletes, volunteers, member organisations and guests will have the opportunity to join us for a celebratory dinner in Paris – France at the conclusion of the World Intellectual Impairment Sport European Football Championships. We’ll also be producing a souvenir book to which all our members have been invited to contribute with photographs from World Intellectual Impairment Sport events – an opportunity to preserve your place in World Intellectual Impairment Sport history. 

And nominations recently opened for the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Hall of Fame where, to mark our 30th Anniversary, World Intellectual Impairment Sport will induct up to three more members – recognising the incredible contribution of athletes and volunteer during the past 30 years.

But the best way to support World Intellectual Impairment Sport in its 30th year is to become an World Intellectual Impairment Sport:30 Member – an exclusive supporters club offering many benefits including tailored press releases, invitations to special events and more. You can read more about World Intellectual Impairment Sport:30 on our website. 

 

 

 

The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board are delighted to announce Honduras as the 81st nation to become members, and the 17th nation from the Americas region.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport membership has grown considerably in recent years with around 5 new nations each year since 2012.

The application will now be ratified by the World Intellectual Impairment Sport membership at the next General Assembly.

 

 

World Intellectual Impairment Sport is pleased to announce the awarding of the 2017 World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Skiing Championships to France whilst the organisations 2017 General Assembly will be held in Australia.

The Pyrenean resort of Gourette will host the 10^th World Intellectual Impairment Sport World Skiing Championships staging both Nordic and Alpine events.  It will be the second time France have hosted the Championships having previously staged the event in 2011.

Home favourite Antoine Maure will be looking to repeat his winning performance in 2015 taking Gold in the men’s slalom but is likely to face stiff competition from the likes of Japan and Austria.

Jean-Claude Ribert, President of the Local Organising Committee said, “France truly is pleased to host the next World Intellectual Impairment Sport World and European Alpine and Nordic Skiing championships in 2017. The Fédération Française du Sport Adapté (FFSA) conveys its deepest gratitude to World Intellectual Impairment Sport for this sign of trust”.

France hosted the 2011 World Championships in Villard de Lans, within the Vercors located in the Alps; we look forward to welcoming the delegations in the Pyrenees Mountains at the Gourette ski resort from 27 March to 1st April 2017.

The stakes are important in the perspective of the growth of the sport and its recognition at the international stage and at future Paralympic Winter Games”.

Meanwhile the organisations’ 2017 Conference and General Assembly will take place in Brisbane, Australia – venue of the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games. Nick Parr, World Intellectual Impairment Sport Executive Director explained “The Assembly provides an excellent opportunity for members to meet with the Local Organising Committee directly, to tour venues, and begin to lay plans for what will be a fantastic event in 2019”.

Both announcements were made during Global ID Sports Week 2016 – a week-long celebration of sport for athletes with an intellectual disability.