“Italy have been great supporters of the INAS sports programme for many years now and with proven success at delivering events. We are excited to be able to award the event to FISDIR."

The Italian Federation of Sports for Intellectual and Relational Disabled (FISDIR) and INAS – the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability – have announced the 2016 INAS World Indoor Athletics Championships will take place in Ancona, Italy.

The event will be held from 11-13 March 2016 in the Ancona Palaindoor, one of the top indoor athletics facilities in Italy. More than 100 athletes are expected to compete in the World Championships, with Portugal looking to build on their success of eight gold medals (25 total medals) at the 2015 European Championships. They are likely to face tough competition from Poland, who finished top in the medal standings at last year’s World Championships, France and Russia.

“Ancona is ready to organise another important event,” said Nelio Piermattei, a member of the local organising committee and FISDIR Governing Board member. “The event will be a great opportunity to support the development of sports for those with an intellectual disability and the spread of the Paralympic culture of integration and socialisation.”

Added Nick Parr, INAS Executive Director: “Italy have been great supporters of the INAS sports programme for many years now and with proven success at delivering events. We are excited to be able to award the event to FISDIR. The 2014 World Championships saw 12 different nations winning medals, with the 2016 event looking set to be just as competitive.”

The World Championships will also be supported by the Marche Region, the Ancona District, the Ancona City and from the Italian Paralympic Committee.

For more information on the 2016 INAS World Indoor Athletics Championships, visit the INAS website.