The World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) are an athletic event which is held every two years. The game is open to the energetic and retired law enforcement and fire service personnel all through the world. The WPFG Federation is an American organization which is a division of the California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF).
The Games offer approximately sixty sports and almost eighty disciplines, together with angling, wrestling and pistol shooting. A large of contestant participated in the Games. Participation is just about 10,000 competitors which is slightly fewer than the Summer Olympic Games, and more than the third position holder, the Commonwealth Games.
In 1985, the World Police and Fire Games Federation which is a non-profit organization, is run by the Californian Police Athletics Federation, established the Games. With the ever continuing success of the California Games, it was proposed to begin in 1983 for the first World Police and Fire Games. The proposal was accepted and the Games were held in 1985 in San Jose, California.
To look at the award, until 1993, the first three places in Bench Press, Grand Masters-100 kilos, were won by Americans. During the 6th World Police and Fire Games in Melbourne, a 55-year old Cypriot policeman, held in 1995, Inspector Andreas Savvides who was suffering from serious ankylosing spondylitis won the bronze medal in Bench Press.
The 2009 games feature a wide variety of sports, ranging from the traditional like track and field, soccer and softball to the offbeat like angling, darts and wrist wrestling. More than 3,000 volunteers and 400 Senior Police and Fire decision makers will come and join the game.
The next World Police and Fire Games are coming to New York City August 26 through September 5, 2011. The games will be cherished by specially planned events, which will respectfully coincide with the ten year remembrance of September 11, 2001.