PL AY YOUR PART Make the Games the best ever

About 1,250 athletes from 70 countries are set to compete in Birmingham in August

Sallie Barker, chair of British Blind Sport, said: “Hosting the 2023 IBSA World Games has the potential to be a watershed moment for the two million people in the UK who are blind or partially sighted – many of whom are currently reluctant to engage in sporting activities due to a range of factors

“Not only will the Games showcase to the wider public blind and partially sighted athletes’ abilities, it is aiming to inspire others to take advantage of the pathways into sport and other volunteering opportunities ”

David Clarke, Chief Operating Officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind people and record goalscoring Paralympics GB footballer, said: “There are many sports that people wrongly think blind and partially sighted people are unable to participate in Hopefully, the Games will challenge these misconceptions ” Sports include men’s and women’s goalball, men’s blind football, judo, shooting, archery, chess, men’s and women’s cricket, powerlifting, ten-pin bowling, tennis, and showdown (a form of table tennis) n The World Games are being held across the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus, and at other regional venues, from August 18-27 n www forms volunteero org/view/ b11c5349-8d4f-4116-9663-495e2ebb8059