Gozo Joins Island Games Family and Will Compete at Guernsey 2023
by Karen Rollins Jul 11, 2022
The Maltese Island of Gozo has become the newest member of the International Island Games Association (IIGA).
At the IIGA’s annual general meeting, which was held at Les Cotils in Guernsey on 9 July, the other 23 member islands unanimously voted to invite Gozo to join, and to participate in the upcoming Guernsey 2023 NatWest International Island Games.
In a press release, Jorgen Pettersson, chair of the IIGA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Gozo to the Island Games family. It is the first time in almost 20 years that we will welcome a new island and we are looking forward to seeing their team in Guernsey next year.”
Kevin Azzopardi, Gozo’s technical director, said becoming part of the Island Games was “great news for sports development in Gozo.”
He added: “We are really looking forward to our first appearance in the Games in Guernsey. We have a preliminary idea of the sports we will bring – we’re looking at shooting, athletics, cycling, badminton, football, tennis, and table tennis so we’re looking at quite a mix.”
Gozo is one of 21 islands in the Mediterranean Sea that make up the Maltese archipelago. It has a population of 33,000 people.
Guernsey will be hosting the Island Games for the third time from 8-14 July 2023.