There are just under four months to go before the current ILS World Games Qualification Process ends on 30 November 2021. The problems of Covid-19 have impacted considerably on the ability of some of our member organisations to hold their scheduled qualifying events.  Some have been rescheduled to later this year, while others have been cancelled altogether.

We appreciate the difficulties that some members are facing in trying to hold their events and want to do everything possible to allow for qualifying times to be achieved so that a fair selection of athletes to represent their countries at the World Games 2022 (TWG 2022) can be made.

The date of 30 November 2021 was originally chosen to ensure that there was sufficient time to:

• accumulate all the data and results from all scheduled qualifying events in order to conduct a fair selection exercise based on those results
• notify the teams and their athletes that they have been selected
• seek confirmation from those selected that they accept the invitation to participate in the World Games 2022
• provide the International World Games Association (IWGA) with the full details of each team and athlete that will participate in TWG 2022 and input all the data required into their IGMS system

All the above actions must be completed by no later than 31 January 2022.  In order to give the maximum time for athletes to try and obtain valid qualification times, it has been agreed with the IWGA that our Qualifying Period will be extended by two weeks up to 14 December 2021. 

This has been made possible due to improved ILS systems for collating the data on the times being achieved. This gives member organisations the opportunity to set up additional events if they choose or postpone existing events into the first two weeks of December.  We encourage all members to consider holding additional events if they are able to do so.  However, any new events not yet scheduled, will only be valid if they are fully sanctioned by the ILS through the sanctioning process.

In extending the Qualifying Period, the time allowed for the selection process described above is now shortened to a 6-week period. The ILS will therefore expect the full and prompt co-operation of those selected in accepting the invitation and paying the fees by the required deadline.

The proposed timetable for this process is shown below:

Date(s)	Action
14 December 2021	The ILS Qualifying Period Ends
15 to 17 December 2021	Selection of teams and athletes is completed
20 December 2021	Notifications sent to all selected teams and athletes along with the full criteria, including payable fees, and conditions of participation
1 to 21 January 2022	All teams and participants must confirm their acceptance of the invitation to participate and complete payment of the required fees
22 to 28 January 2022	All data is input by the ILS to the IGMS to confirm to the IWGA selection of teams and athletes for each event in TWG 2022