World Abilitysport (formerly the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation or IWAS) is an international

sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...

organisation that governs sports for athletes with physical impairments. It is a registered charity with its headquarters located at

Aylesbury College Aylesbury College is a general further education college in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. It educates students in a broad range of vocational fields, including Creative Arts, Health and Social Care, Hair and Beauty, Hospitality and C ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...

. It is the international governing body for the

Paralympic The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

sport of

wheelchair fencing Wheelchair fencing is a version of fencing for athletes with a disability. Wheelchair fencing is governed by the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation that is a List of international sport federations, federation of the Internat ...

, as well as

power hockey Power Hockey also known as Powerchair Hockey is a competitive, fast-paced hockey game based on the use of a power wheelchair. The foundation of the sport derives from ice hockey and floor hockey, but with adapted rules to enable people with disa ...

and

Para dance sport Wheelchair DanceSport is a dance competition, individual, partner dance, partner, team and Dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair. Sport Wheelchair couple dances are for two wheelchair users or for one wheelchair user ...

. It also organizes the

World Abilitysport Games The World Abilitysport Games (known as the IWAS World Games before 2023) are a parasports multi-sport event for athletes who use wheelchairs or are amputees. Organized by World Abilitysport (formerly IWAS), the Games are a successor to the origin ...

, an event for

Paralympic sports The Paralympic sports comprise all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. As of 2020, the Summer Paralympics included 22 sports and 539 medal events, and the Winter Paralympics include 5 sports and disciplines and about ...

held outside of Summer Paralympic years.

History

The International Stoke Mandeville Games were the forerunner of the

Paralympic Games The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

and followed the vision of their creator and founder,

Ludwig Guttmann Sir Ludwig Guttmann (3 July 1899 – 18 March 1980) was a German-British neurologist who established the Stoke Mandeville Games, the sporting event for people with disabilities (PWD) that evolved in England into the Paralympic Games. A Jewish ...

. IWAS was formed in 2005 following a merger of the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (ISMWSF) (which was formerly known as the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF) and the International Sports Federation of the Disabled (ISOD). ISOD had been founded by the International War Veterans Association in 1964. In November 2022 during an Extraordinary General Assembly, the

Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association The Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association ( CPISRA) is an international sports and recreation association for cerebral palsy and related neurological conditions. CPISRA organise recreational opportunities, develop adaptiv ...

(CPISRA) and IWAS approved a merger. In April 2023, the organization rebranded as World Abilitysport. In January 2024, it took over governance of

wheelchair dancesport Wheelchair DanceSport is a dance competition, individual, partner, team and Dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair. Sport Wheelchair couple dances are for two wheelchair users or for one wheelchair user with a "standin ...

from the

International Paralympic Committee The International Paralympic Committee (IPC; german: Internationales Paralympisches Komitee) is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and fun ...

Sports

World Abilitysport serves as the international governing body for the Paralympic sport of

. It also serves as the governing body for two non-Paralympic sports,

and

. It also governs frame football,

frame running Frame running, previously known as RaceRunning, is an adaptive athletic discipline, primarily for people with severe coordination and balance impairments such as cerebral palsy. Athletes use a three-wheeled running frame, with a saddle, body suppor ...

, and wheelchair slalom as "developing" sports.

References

External links

* https://www.paralympic.org/news/fie-iwas-extend-agreement * http://www.iwasf.com/iwasf/index.cfm/iwas-news1/results-summary-iwas-wheelchair-fencing-world-cup1/ * http://www.iwasf.com/iwasf/index.cfm/sports/iwas-wheelchair-fencing/ * http://www.iwasf.com/iwasf/index.cfm/sports/iwas-wheelchair-fencing/competitions1/ * http://www.iwasf.com/iwasf/index.cfm/sports/iwas-wheelchair-fencing/history1/ * {{International Sports Federations Parasports organizations Amputee organizations International Paralympic Committee competitions Wheelchair sports Sport in Buckinghamshire Charities based in Buckinghamshire Sports organizations established in 2005 2005 establishments in the United Kingdom International organisations based in the United Kingdom International sports organizations

History

Sports

See also

References

External links