International Sports Federation Of The Disabled
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World Abilitysport (formerly the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation or IWAS) is an international
sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...
organisation that governs sports for athletes with physical impairments. It is a registered charity with its headquarters located at Aylesbury College in
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
. It is the international governing body for the
Paralympic The Paralympic Games or Paralympics is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of disabilities. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Kore ...
sport of
wheelchair fencing Wheelchair fencing (also called Parafencing) 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 federation of the International Paralymp ...
, 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 dis ...
and
Para dance sport Wheelchair dancesport, also known as Para dance sport, is a form of competitive dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair. The sport corporates the rules of the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). Sport Wheelchair couple ...
. 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 origina ...
, 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 is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of disability, disabilities. There are Winter Paralympic Games, Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 ...
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), a founding member of the Paralympic movement, was an international sports and recreation association for cerebral palsy and related neurological conditions. CPISRA organ ...
(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, also known as Para dance sport, is a form of competitive dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair. The sport corporates the rules of the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). Sport Wheelchair couple ...
from the
International Paralympic Committee The International Paralympic Committee (IPC; ) is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nin ...
.


Sports

World Abilitysport serves as the international governing body for the Paralympic sport of
wheelchair fencing Wheelchair fencing (also called Parafencing) 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 federation of the International Paralymp ...
. It also serves as the governing body for two non-Paralympic sports,
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 dis ...
and
Para dance sport Wheelchair dancesport, also known as Para dance sport, is a form of competitive dancesport where at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair. The sport corporates the rules of the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). Sport Wheelchair couple ...
. 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.


See also

*
IWAS World 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 origina ...


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 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 World Abilitysport Games