What are the Masters Games?
All our Masters events are international multi-sport events that take place every four years.
The IMGA currently organises the World Masters Games, Winter World Masters Games, European Masters Games, Pan-American Masters Games and Asia-Pacific Masters Games. All events are open invite. The World Masters Games is officially the world’s largest mass-participation international multi-sport competition, uniting up to 30,000 men and women aged 30 and above from over 100 countries.
Who is responsible for the Masters Games?
The IMGA Board evaluates bids for future Games and selects the host city based on the guidelines criteria.The selected host city is responsible for athlete registrations and event operations.
How do I participate?
The Games are open to everyone of Masters age. There are registration requirements unique to each Games’ organising committee. You can find the relevant information in the ‘Events’ section of our website. The only exception to these requirements may be if an International Federation chooses to co-locate its World Championships at the World Masters Games. In that case, you should contact the relevant governing body.
Can Russian or Belarus athletes participate?
The IMGA follows the recommendations of the IOC to not invite or allow the participation of Russian or Belarusian athletes and officials in competitions.
See full statement below:
”Like its member International Federations and many other international governing bodies, the IMGA has considered, as a matter of policy regarding the safety of athletes and the fairness of competitions, the status of potential participants from the region affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Earlier this year, the International Olympic Committee described the situation as follows:
“The current war in Ukraine puts the Olympic Movement in a dilemma. While athletes from Russia and Belarus would be able to continue to participate in sports events, many athletes from Ukraine are prevented from doing so because of the attack on their country.”
Concluding that this dilemma could not be solved, the IOC Executive Board adopted a series of resolutions in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and ensure the safety of participants, which include a series of measures applicable primarily to Russian and Belarusian nationals (whether teams, individual competitors or officials).
Pending board approval, the IMGA (an organization recognised by the IOC), in keeping with the IOC’s considerations and determinations on this issue, has adopted the IOC recommendations which will be applied to IMGA events until further notice.
Concretely, this means that IMGA will work with Organising Committees of the international multi-sport events for Masters athletes to not invite or allow the participation of Russian or Belarusian athletes and officials in competitions.
The applicability of specific protective measures under this policy will be reviewed and determined with respect to each event on the IMGA calendar prior to the opening of registration for participants.”
For reference: https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-eb-recommends-no-participation-of-russian-and-belarusian-athletes-and-officials
Which sports are included?
You can find a list of sports that have been included in the Games in the past in the ‘Sports’ section of our website. There are several ‘showcase’ sports added to the program at each Games. You can discover these by visiting the Games’ specific website via our ‘Events’ section.
How old do you have to be?
There is no maximum age for competitors. The minimum age varies between sports, the lowest being 25 years old. Athletes compete in age brackets of five to ten years depending on the sport. In teams, the competitive age category is usually based on the age of the team’s youngest member. There are exceptions that may apply to some sports, so please check before registering for an event.
Are there any prizes for winning?
The first three finishers in each age category will receive beautifully crafted, custom-designed gold, silver or bronze medals. Of course, the real prize is exploring beautiful new locations, playing the sports you love and making lifelong friends!
What’s included in the price?
Registered athletes will enjoy world-class venues, officials and equipment in a number of sports. Access to the impressive opening and closing ceremonies are included – these provide the perfect opportunities to have fun and meet other Masters athletes. Participants are responsible for their personal travel, accommodation and expenses.
How can I be sure I’ll have somewhere to stay?
You can find relevant information on accommodation and special tour packages on the event’s official website, found via our ‘Events’ section, and also in our ‘News’ section. If you require further information, please send us a message using our contact form and we’ll do our very best to help you.
