Phl eyeing 2033 World Games hosting

CHENGDU, China — A courtesy meeting meant to be a light conversion to share common goals in sports turned into a beautiful discussion that could soon bear fruit to a daunting but achievable task of hosting the World Games 2033.

International World Games Association president José Perurena López and chief executive officer Joachim Gossow gave the Filipino party led by Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio a warm welcome at the Intercontinental Century City Hotel on Saturday, with the executives exchanging ideas that centered on the core values of the competition being attended by 110 nations this year in this bustling Chinese city.

But what was initially just a simple dialogue to show mutual respect and understanding of the main purpose of holding the World Games became an exploratory talk that aligned perfectly to the intentions of the organization and the agency’s drive of promoting sports tourism and showcasing the Filipino brand of hospitality.

“The World Games is all about bringing together the athletes and the community for sports,” said Lopez, the 80-year-old official who has 60 years of experience in his profession from being an Olympic canoeist to his present managerial job.

“One important aspect in hosting the Games is the involvement of people. You don’t need new facilities, we don’t give it to big cities. What we want is a host that will bring together its people and give the attendees a tournament they will always remember,” added Lopez, who emphasized that the World Games is perfect for developing countries needing a stage to demonstrate their heritage and local culture.

With these words of encouragement that also bode well with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s big ambitions for Philippine sports, Gregorio could only see one direction in mind — make a bold attempt of securing the hosting rights for the 2033 edition.

“What we can offer is a game with a heartbeat,” said Gregorio, with his one-line response gaining applause from the foreign executives who are equally eager to give the Philippines a shot at winning the 14th staging of the competition dedicated to non-Olympic sports.