Editing World Games (section)

===Inauguration===
The idea for a multi-sport event for non-Olympic sports came from the [[General Association of International Sports Federations]] (GAISF). Realising that there were few opportunities to become part of the Olympic program, non-Olympic federations wanted to form their own showcase event to increase the publicity of their sports, which they called The World Games. These federations formed a steering group in early 1979 to decide on the structure and principles of the games and search for a venue.

In May 1979, the steering group announced that they had found a venue for the first event: Santa Clara, USA.<ref>{{cite web|title=World, Continental and Intercontinental Games|url=https://library.olympic.org/Default/basicfilesdownload.ashx?itemGuid=340D61C1-5091-46CA-9C5D-608F3B0FACAC|publisher=Olympic Studies Centre|access-date=13 May 2021|archive-date=30 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730064818/https://library.olympic.org/Default/basicfilesdownload.ashx?itemGuid=340D61C1-5091-46CA-9C5D-608F3B0FACAC|url-status=live}}</ref>

The GAISF steering committee became the World Games Executive Council in October 1979, and the inaugural meeting of the World Games Council was held on 19–22 May 1980, with a purpose of creating the concept of the Games.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Birth|url=https://www.theworldgames.org/contents/TWG-25/The-birt-1341|publisher=International World Games Association|access-date=13 May 2021|archive-date=17 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717005523/https://www.theworldgames.org/contents/TWG-25/The-birt-1341|url-status=live}}</ref> The World Games Council was renamed the [[International World Games Association]], or IWGA in 1985.<ref>Proposals of the Exco for Changes of the WG Constitution, 1984, IWGA Archives</ref>

The first edition of The World Games was held in [[Santa Clara, California|Santa Clara]], [[United States|USA]], in 1981. It was opened by [[Kim Un-yong]], president of the World Games executive committee, at [[Stevens Stadium|Buck Shaw Stadium]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/24/With-a-simple-ceremony-a-touch-of-pageantry-and/1139364795200/|title=With a simple ceremony, a touch of pageantry and...|first=Joe|last=Sargis|publisher=United Press International|date=July 24, 1981|access-date=May 29, 2021|archive-date=April 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404072844/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/24/With-a-simple-ceremony-a-touch-of-pageantry-and/1139364795200/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the opening ceremony, the athletes marched sorted by sport and not by nation.

The 15 sports at the inaugural games included [[badminton]], [[Casting (fishing)|casting]], [[racquetball]], and [[taekwondo]]. The first medals of the Games were awarded in the 640 kilo class of [[Tug of war|tug-of-war]], with the gold going to the team from England.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=TWG 1981 Santa Clara, USA|url=https://www.theworldgames.org/editions/Santa-Clara-USA-1981-5|publisher=International World Games Association|access-date=13 May 2021|archive-date=25 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325041421/https://www.theworldgames.org/editions/Santa-Clara-USA-1981-5|url-status=live}}</ref>