Tug of War once again formed part of the World Games 2025 held in Chengdu. This sport was one of the founders of the World Games back in 1981 and has remained in the official program of the multi-sport event ever since. The 2025 competition was staged from 7 to 17 August with three categories: men’s 640 kg, women’s 500 kg and mixed 580 kg, each featuring six participating nations.

The event highlighted significant moments for the sport from the very beginning. During the opening ceremony, international referee Angelika Eiermann from Germany was invited to deliver the officials’ oath on behalf of all referees. “Her presence on stage not only honored her long-standing career and professionalism, but also reflected the growing recognition of Tug of War within the global sporting community,” the organizers stated. This milestone reinforced the sport’s visibility within an international multi-sport framework.

Inclusion of the Mixed Category

The program followed the format introduced in Birmingham, United States, in 2022, with the addition of the mixed category. Matches were contested under hot and humid conditions, which tested both the physical and mental preparation of the athletes. In the men’s 640 kg competition, Great Britain secured the gold medal after defeating Switzerland in a hard-fought final.

The women’s 500 kg event was marked by constant rain, which forced the teams to compete on muddy ground. The gold went to Chinese Taipei, who overcame Switzerland in the final, while Germany claimed the bronze medal after beating Sweden.

In the mixed 580 kg class, the spectators enjoyed closely contested matches and an enthusiastic atmosphere. Switzerland won the gold medal against Belgium, while Germany earned the bronze by overcoming Italy. The competition format included round-robin matches, semifinals, bronze and gold medal contests, plus a classification pull for the teams ranked fifth and sixth.

First Female Chief Judge

Organizational work proved essential for the smooth running of the tournament. Pete Dyer, Senior Vice President of the Tug of War International Federation -TWIF-, served as competition manager, supported by Yushen, who oversaw local venue preparations and facilities. Among other logistical aspects, the team coordinated the adaptation of technology systems, athlete accreditation and the live broadcast with specialized commentators.

A further milestone occurred in refereeing with Melanie Botha from South Africa, appointed as the first female chief judge in the history of Tug of War at the World Games. Together with an international team of officials and volunteers, she contributed to the technical management of the competition, which gathered over 100 nations and 4,000 athletes across 34 sports and 253 medal events.