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IBSA World Games Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The World Games are a major international multi-sport event for athletes with visual impairment, occurring every four years, sanctioned and organised by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA). The event comprises 11 sports and more than 1250 competitors from 70 nations are expected to attend. A further 450 support staff, 136 international officials and 400 volunteers will also be present.

There will be three paralympic and eight non-paralympic sports; Archery, Chess, Cricket, B1 Male Football. Partially Sighted B2/B3 Male Football, Female Football B1, Goalball (Male/Female), Judo, Powerlifting, Shooting, Showdown, Ten Pin, Bowling and Tennis.

The games will take place from 18 – 27 August 2023. The opening ceremony is on Friday 18 August and the closing ceremony is on Sunday 27 August. There is no expectation that players attend both the opening ceremony and closing celebration. As the minimum stay is 6 nights, it is expected that some athletes may not want to arrive earlier than necessary for their competition, nor stay later than necessary.

Based on the current provisional schedule, there will be 2 days reserved for training from 22-23 August and the competition will run from 24-27 August. Athletes needing classification will be expected to attend onsite beforehand.

Official Arrival and Check-In Available between: 12 – 21 August
Opening Ceremony: 18 August
Competition: 15 – 27 August
Final Game Competition Day: 27 August
Official Departure Available between: 25 –28 August
Classification Window 1: 13 – 15 August
Classification Window 2: 18 – 21 August

The 2023 games will take place in Birmingham, England. The nearest airport is Birmingham Airport 16.5 miles away (30 minute drive). Pick-ups will be provided from the airport to the accommodation.

There is a direct train from London to Birmingham (1½ – 2 hours). The mainline train station is Birmingham New Street – 2 miles (10 minute drive). Pick-ups will be provided from the train station to the accommodation.

The tennis venue is Billesley Indoor Tennis Centre. The address is Wheelers Ln, Billesley, Birmingham B13 0ST, United Kingdom.

This tournament is open to B1, B2, B3 and B4 players. The format has yet to be finalised but we are expecting there will be a minimum of Men’s and Women’s singles in each of the four sight categories. It is the intention of the organisers to run a doubles event including mixed doubles.

A final decision on the format will be taken once the entry deadline has passed. A decision about the size of the draw will be taken once we have an indication of likely number of entries.

The cost for the players is £150 per day. This includes all accommodation, meals and transport. There is also capitation fee charge of £25 which has not been mentioned before on the World Games website. This is an IBSA enforced fee all athletes must pay in order to compete. The same entry charge applies to £150 per day by coaches, officials, carers, family members and country representatives.

 

There are no deposits during phase 1 registration of the expression of interest. Details about deposits with final deadline will be included in the phase two(2) registration form, which will be circulated in January-February timeframe. This will also include details of the policy on deposits and cancellations. Once the final deadline has passed then any deposit paid would not be refundable.

Accommodation will be at the Games Village for the IBSA Games 2023. The Village is based at the Vale, the University of Birmingham. This was the same Athletes Village used for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Rooms will be based on single occupancy and will be ensuite. The Village is 4 miles or a 15 minutes drive from the tennis venue. Transport will be provided from the accommodation to the venue each day.

IBTA Phase 1 Expression of Interest Deadline is 31 January 2023
IBSA Phase 1 Registration Deadline is 10 February 2023
IBSA Phase 2 Registration Deadline is 30 April 2023

More information about the Word Games is available on the games official website: www.ibsagames2023.co.uk
Further information about the venues, accommodation, etc. can be found here:
https://www.ibsagames2023.co.uk/information/general-information-guide/

This FAQ document will be updated over time as we find out more information about the event. If you have a question you would like covered then please contact info@internationalblindtennis.org

We remain committed to giving as many players as possible the chance to compete in the World Games. In the event of the tournament being oversubscribed then the organisers will need to place a limit on entries.

The minimum age for taking part in the World Games is 14. Ranking points will be awarded in accordance with IBTA guidelines.

6 indoor courts at the Billesley Tennis Centre for the B2-B4 events. A separate venue close by is being considered for the B1 competition.

The court surface is acrylic. The ball is the Shoei ball approved by IBTA for international competition.

An LTA licensed and IBTA approved referee will oversee the tournament. Each match will have a qualified chair umpire. No patching at the world games tennis event, IBTA regulations do not require patching for B1 players.

Yes, the Finals are expected to be live-streamed. Tickets to spectate at the events can be included in the accommodation packages. Many sports will allow free access, though Judo, Goalball and Football will charge for spectating.

Yes, all competitors must submit a completed Medical Diagnosis Form (MDF) by the stated deadline. This will then be reviewed by IBTA in advance of the onsite classifications, which will take place during the Games and prior to the start of the competition. Blank MDFs will be made available in January 2023.

We accept that entries maybe received from players in countries where there is no Country Representative. It is therefore not a mandatory requirement at the point of registration. Details of all entries received will be shared with Country Representatives.

All participants will need to access their own financial support from their home countries. There will be no grants available to players from either IBTA or the other partner organisations.

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