The 2022 World Games, commonly known as Birmingham 2022, were an international multi-sport event held from July 7 to 17, 2022, in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. They were the 11th World Games, a multi-sport event featuring disciplines of Olympic sports and other competitions that are not currently contested at the Olympic Games; the Games featured 3,457 athletes competing in 223 medal events over 34 total sports.[1]

The World Games 2022
Host cityBirmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Nations99
Athletes3,457
Events223
OpeningJuly 7, 2022
ClosingJuly 17, 2022
Opened byRandall Woodfin
Mayor of Birmingham
Main venueProtective Stadium
Websitetwg2022.com (archived)

They were originally scheduled to be held in 2021, but were postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were the second edition of the World Games to be hosted by the United States since their inaugural edition in 1981.

Bidding process

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The cities that bid for the 2022 Games were:

Barcelona and Santiago also considered bids. Cities paid a $125,000 application fee, and submitted information about "venues, infrastructure, volunteers, budget, transportation[,] and other elements".[2]

Birmingham's bid, publicly announced in June 2014, was presented by Edgar Welden, Scotty Myers, and David Benck. It was the only American city authorized to make a bid for these games. Myers, the executive director of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, said the bid was "a dream, but it's not a pipe dream. It's attainable."[2] At the time, organizers projected a budget of $75 million, and the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau anticipated an economic impact of between $224.4 million and $288.6 million in out-of-town dollars.[2]

On January 22, 2015, at its meeting in Lausanne, the International World Games Association (IWGA) elected Birmingham as host of the 2021 World Games.[3][4]

Lima would later host the 2019 Pan American Games.

On April 4, 2020, the Games were postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics.[5]

Venues

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Venues for The World Games 2022 include:[6][7][8][9][10]

  • Bill Harris Arena: artistic skating, inline hockey
  • Natatorium: canoe polo, finswimming, lifesaving
  • Indoor Track: wheelchair rugby
  • Concert Hall: powerlifting
  • East Exhibition Hall: floorball, korfball
  • Legacy Arena: dancesport (Latin, rock n roll, standard), gymnastics (acrobatic, aerobic, rhythmic, trampoline and tumbling)
  • North Exhibition Hall: bowling
  • Sheraton Hotel Ballroom: billiards sports
  • Bill Battle Coliseum: ju-jitsu, karate, wushu
  • BSC Panther Soccer Field: fistball
  • campus: orienteering (sprint)
  • Double Oak Lake: canoe marathon, water skiing and wakeboard
  • nature: orienteering (middle distance)
  • PNC Field: lacrosse
  • University Recreation Center: racquetball, squash
  • track and field complex: tug of war

The Games

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Sports

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The 2022 World Games programme featured 30 official sports including 54 disciplines encompassing 206 events.[11] This was the first time that drone racing, canoe marathon, breaking, women's fistball, kickboxing, and parkour were included in the World Games as official sports. Softball and racquetball returned to the official World Games programme. Invitational sports comprising 17 events included duathlon,[12] flag football,[13] wheelchair rugby,[14] wushu (taolu)[15] and men's lacrosse.[16] Both men's and women's field lacrosse were played in a six-a-side format.[17] The numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each sports discipline.

Notes[a 1]
AD: Artistic and Dance sports
B: Ball sports
O: Optional sports, selected by the host city
M: Martial arts
P: Precision sports
S: Strength sports
T: Trend sports
  1. ^ José Perurena, IWGA President, stated, "In Birmingham, for the first time, invitational sports were no longer presented separately but were also part of the official programme."[18] This is now TWG policy.

Participating nations

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On February 19, 2021, the International Olympic Committee announced that certain Russian athletes would be allowed to compete under the designation "ROC" (for Russian Olympic Committee) at the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Winter Games. This penalty also applied through end of 2022 and would have been applied to events affiliated with the International Olympic Committee, such as The World Games.

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, athletes from Russia along with Belarus were barred from the 2022 World Games, per the IOC's recommendations.[19] Russia originally qualified 62 athletes while Belarus was set to send 11 athletes.[20] Part of the ticket revenue was donated to Ukraine for rebuilding sports venues after the Russian invasion of the country.[21][22]

Athletes from 110 National Olympic Committees were scheduled to participate.[23] In total, athletes from 99 delegations competed at the 2022 World Games. The only representative team in the 2022 World Games not represented by a National Olympic Committee were the Haudenosaunee teams competing in lacrosse. They were originally not allowed to enter by the International World Games Association due to not having a NOC. A special dispensation was made possible by an act of sportsmanship by the Ireland lacrosse team, who withdrew from its qualifying position to allow the Haudenosaunee to compete.[24]

Participating Nations

Calendar

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Source[25]

OC Opening ceremony Event competitions 1 Gold medal events CC Closing ceremony
July 7
Thu
8
Fri
9
Sat
10
Sun
11
Mon
12
Tue
13
Wed
14
Thu
15
Fri
16
Sat
17
Sun
Events
Ceremonies OC CC
  Acrobatic gymnastics 2 2 1 5
  Aerobic gymnastics 2 2 4
  Air sports 1 1 2
  Archery 3 2 2 7
  Artistic roller skating 3 3
  Beach handball 2 2
  Billiards sports 2 2 4
  Boules sports 2 2 4
  Bowling 4 4
  Canoe marathon 2 2 4
  Canoe polo 2 2
  Dancesport 1 2 2 5
  Finswimming 8 8 16
  Fistball 2 2
  Floorball 1 1
  Flying disc 1 1
  Inline hockey 1 1
  Ju-jitsu 9 9 18
  Karate 6 6 12
  Kickboxing (K-1) 6 6
  Korfball 1 1
  Lacrosse (women) 1 1
  Lifesaving 8 8 16
  Muay Thai 12 12
  Orienteering 2 2 1 5
  Parkour gymnastics 2 2 4
  Powerlifting 3 3 2 8
  Racquetball 2 2
  Rhythmic gymnastics 2 2 4
  Road speed skating 4 4 8
  Softball 1 1
  Sport climbing 2 2 2 6
  Squash 2 2
  Sumo 6 2 8
  Track speed skating 6 4 10
  Trampoline gymnastics 1 1 2 4
  Tug of war 1 1 1 3
  Water skiing 4 4 8
Daily medal events 24 32 21 20 13 9 11 25 25 26 206
Cumulative total 24 56 77 97 110 119 130 155 180 206
  Duathlon1 2 1 3
  Flag football1 2 2
  Lacrosse (men)1 1 1
  Wheelchair rugby1 1 1
  Wushu (taolu)1 5 5 10
Daily medal events 0 0 0 6 5 2 0 2 2 17
Cumulative total 0 0 0 6 11 13 13 15 17
July 7
Thu
8
Fri
9
Sat
10
Sun
11
Mon
12
Tue
13
Wed
14
Thu
15
Fri
16
Sat
17
Sun
Events
Note

1 Optional sports selected by the host organizing committee

Medal table

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  *   Host nation (United States)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Germany2471647
2  United States*16181044
3  Ukraine16121745
4  Italy13241249
5  France11151642
6  Hungary117927
7  Belgium114520
8  Japan10111233
9  Colombia910625
10  China94114
11  Israel73414
12  Spain66719
13  Great Britain63413
14  Canada55515
15  Switzerland54312
16  Mexico52512
17  Denmark43310
18  Thailand4329
19  Sweden36514
20  Poland35715
21  Netherlands33410
22  Egypt3216
23  Australia3126
24  Croatia2507
25  Indonesia2305
26  Norway2215
  Serbia2215
28  Brazil2158
  United Arab Emirates2158
30  Austria2114
31  Cambodia2002
  Vietnam2002
33  Chinese Taipei16613
34  Greece1348
  South Korea1348
36  Portugal1315
37  Kazakhstan1214
38  Slovenia1135
39  Slovakia1124
40  Bulgaria1113
  New Zealand1113
42  Brunei1102
43  Hong Kong1045
44  Ecuador1034
45  Azerbaijan1012
  Lithuania1012
47  Algeria1001
  Costa Rica1001
  Moldova1001
  Philippines1001
  South Africa1001
52  Morocco0404
53  Czech Republic0336
54  Virgin Islands0314
55  Chile0213
  Venezuela0213
57  Argentina0123
  Romania0123
  Singapore0123
60  Finland0112
  Kyrgyzstan0112
  Uzbekistan0112
63  Bahrain0101
  Bosnia and Herzegovina0101
  Guatemala0101
  Mongolia0101
  Peru0101
  Qatar0101
69  Malaysia0022
70  Bolivia0011
  India0011
  Panama0011
  Tunisia0011
Totals (73 entries)224221222667

In the Women's 4 × 50 m obstacle relay of the lifesaving competition, two gold medals were awarded and thus no silver medal was awarded.[26] In the Women's 500 m sprint of the track speed skating competition, only the one gold medal was awarded as the remaining competitors in the final were disqualified.[27]

Medal design

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The event's medal design was unveiled in February 2022.[28]

Community Engagement

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The World Games 2022 Experience Delivered by Shipt

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In March 2019, The World Games 2022 unveiled a mobile experience, designed to generate excitement for the event and educate the local community on the sports of The 2022 Games.[29] The traveling Mercedes Sprinter Van includes a rock climbing wall, a sumo wrestling activity, photo opportunities and an interactive trivia game where guests can win prizes. The van made its official debut at the 15th Annual MortgageBanc Chili Cook-Off on March 2, 2019. It continues to tour throughout 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

World of Opportunity

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In June 2019, The World Games 2022 announced the kickoff of their supplier diversity program, World of Opportunity.[30] The program, which was unveiled to an audience of 400 at the Birmingham CrossPlex, allows certified, diverse businesses to compete for contracts to provide goods and services for The World Games 2022. The categories accepted include (but are not limited to) transportation services, event production, security, promotional items, merchandise, sports equipment, food service, technology, printing, medical supplies, event equipment, waste removal and construction services.

Broadcasting

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In July 2021, it was announced that CBS Sports Network would broadcast one-hour highlights shows on each of the ten days of competition, and two additional one-hour specials will be shown on other CBS channels and on Paramount+.[31] Olympic Channel also carried coverage.

References

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  1. ^ "The World Games 2022, Birmingham (USA) | IWGA". www.theworldgames.org. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Tomberlin, Michael (June 8, 2014). "Birmingham making bid to host 2021 World Games with projected $256.5 million economic impact". al. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  3. ^ "World Games win an affirmation: It's time to believe in Birmingham again". www.al.com. January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "Birmingham chosen to host 2021 World Games". WBMA-LD. Associated Press. January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  5. ^ "World Games 2021 moved to retain broadcasters, official scorers: CEO". Reuters. April 4, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  6. ^ "The World Games 2021 Birmingham, USA Bulletin #2". Birmingham Organizing Committee. September 4, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  7. ^ "Three competition venues announced for The World Games 2022". TWG 2022 Birmingham. February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  8. ^ "Three more competition venues announced for The World Games 2022". TWG 2022 Birmingham. March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Three Outdoor Competition Venues Announced for The World Games 2022". TWG 2022 Birmingham. April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  10. ^ "Two Venue Changes Bring The World Games 2022 Drone Racing and Speed Skating to the 'Very Heart of the City'". February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  11. ^ "Detailed sports programme published". www.theworldgames.org. Retrieved July 7, 2020.Note: This document states 207 events, which, however, includes men's lacrosse, an invitational event.
  12. ^ "Meet Duathlon – the little sibling of Triathlon". theworldgames.org. International World Games Association. November 27, 2020. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2021. At The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 40 female and 40 male Duathlon athletes will compete in individual competitions as well as in Mixed Relay.
  13. ^ "The World Games 2022 Birmingham Partners with NFL, Adds Flag Football". twg2022.com. July 15, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  14. ^ "Introduction to Wheelchair Rugby". iwrf.com. International Wheelchair Rugby Federation. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2021. Wheelchair Rugby is a mixed team sport for male and female quadriplegic athletes. ... Men and women compete on the same teams and in the same competitions.
  15. ^ "Wushu Included as an Invitational Sport in The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA". iwuf.org. International Wushu Federation. September 22, 2020. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  16. ^ "Five Invitational Sports in The World Games 2022". TWG 2022 Birmingham. September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  17. ^ "Applications open for GB Lacrosse Head Coach positions". England Lacrosse. October 7, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2020. The World Games will be played using the six-a-side proposed Olympic rules formulated in 2018, and have been trialed at both the Men's Winter Classic and Women's Super League competitions.
  18. ^ "Interview of the Month | IWGA". The World Games. December 22, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  19. ^ Brennan, Eliott (July 17, 2022). "IWGA President Perurena hails "Comeback Games" in Birmingham 2022 Closing Ceremony". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  20. ^ "Russia, Belarus banned from The World Games 2022 in Birmingham". WVTM 13 Digital. March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  21. ^ Lloyd, Owen (April 5, 2022). "Share of World Games ticket revenue set to be donated to Ukraine". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  22. ^ Brennan, Eliott (July 18, 2022). "World Games 2022 donates $54,000 to support Ukrainian athletes and sport". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  23. ^ "Qualifications for TWG 2022, Birmingham (USA)". International World Games Association. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  24. ^ "The World Games 2022 Puts Haudenosaunee Nationals, The Inventor Of Lacrosse, On International Stage". The World Games 2022. March 8, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  25. ^ "Schedule of Events". The World Games 2022. TWG 2022 Birmingham. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  26. ^ "Results. Event Number 3" (PDF). swog2022.sportresult.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  27. ^ "Official Final Results" (PDF). swog2022.sportresult.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 3, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  28. ^ Shefferd, Neil (February 23, 2022). "Medals for Birmingham 2022 World Games unveiled". Inside the Games. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  29. ^ "The World Games 2021 Experience". The World Games 2021 | Birmingham, USA. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  30. ^ "World of Opportunity". The World Games 2021 | Birmingham, USA. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  31. ^ Iveson, Ali (July 26, 2021). "Birmingham 2022 World Games agrees US broadcast deal with CBS Sports Network". Inside the Games. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
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