Rhun ap Iorwerth welcomes ‘historic’ news as Ynys Mon secure the rights to host the International Island Games

Ynys Mon will welcome thousands of athletes and spectators to the north-west of Wales after the International Island Games (IIGA) Member Islands today voted overwhelmingly in favour of bringing one of the world’s biggest sporting events to the island for the first time ever.

Dubbed a mini-Olympics for the small islands of the world, the International Island Games is one of the largest multi-sport event in existence, and up to 24 nations or islands from across the globe will descend on north-west Wales to contest the bi-annual event.

Ynys Mon hosted Inter-Island Games Football and Gymnastic competitions in 2019 and 2015 respectively to significant local and international acclaim. This greatly aided the strong bid put forward by the island to host the full Games and the competition’s bid committee welcomed this historic news from the IIGA today.

Originally bidding to host the Games in 2025, Ynys Mon’s hosting of the competition will depend on the rescheduling of Guernsey’s hosting of the Games, which was set to take place next summer, but will now be postponed with a decision taken on when those Games will be played to be decided in coming months.

Guernsey’s hosting of the 2021 Games has been delayed as a result of the current global pandemic which has severely affected preparations for next summer.

Discussions between the International Island Games Association, Guernsey and current 2023 hosts Orkney will take place in the near future before a decision is reached on when those Games will now take place, and what effect that has on when Ynys Mon will host the Games.

Plaid Cymru MS Rhun ap Iorwerth, who is a Member of the Bid Committee, said:

“This is fantastic news for Ynys Môn, securing the rights to host the International Island Games, bringing one of the biggest multi-sport events in the world to the island for the first time ever.

“I’m honoured to have been a part of the Bid Committee for the Games and want to thank Gareth Parry and all other Bid Committee Members, as well as key stakeholders from Welsh Government and Isle of Anglesey County Council, for working so hard to get us to this point.

“I’m looking forward to helping however I can in years to come to make sure the Games bring vital investment towards our leisure facilities on the island, and that a positive legacy is left for our future generations as a result of our hosting of the Games.

“The current climate may mean our hosting of the Games will be a bit later, but nonetheless this is fantastic news for the island, and it’s important we don’t let this opportunity to make a difference pass us by.”