In its meeting of 8 December 2008, the Duisburg City Council followed a motion of one political party, the ‘Bürger Union Duisburg’, and voted to renounce as host for The World 2013.

The Council thus reversed its unanimous decision taken on 28 February 2008 to organize The Ninth World Games 2013 jointly with the City of Düsseldorf. It did this on the basis of communal regulations which allow for extraordinary expenditures only if the latter are “unavoidable”.

The City of Duisburg informed the President of the International World Games Association (IWGA), Mr. Ron Froehlich, the President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Dr. Thomas Bach, and the Mayor of Düsseldorf, Mr. Dirk Elbers, of the Council’s vote.

Partner city Düsseldorf always saw the joint hosting of The World Games 2013 under the aspects of “regional cooperation and support.”

“After Duisburg’s withdrawal, Düsseldorf is forced to drop out as well,” Düsseldorf Mayor Elbers told the press on 9 December 2008.

IWGA President Ron Froehlich expressed his disappointment over the sudden reversal of the cities’ decision to stage the games in the Rhine-Ruhr area. “That the global financial crisis would not spare sports and major events had to be expected,” Froehlich said. “Nonetheless, The World Games remain a viable proposition for a host city due to their very nature. New infrastructure is never required to stage the competitions in our sports; cost-effectiveness remains the guiding principle for the whole event.”

Together with the executive board and TSE Consulting, the international sports consultancy appointed by IWGA to assist in the tendering for future editions of The World Games, Froehlich is already working on a plan of action to secure a new host for 2013.