Official documents signed as Boxing, Judo added to IGG 2026 line-up

Boxing and Judo will make their debut at the Inter Guiana Games (IGG) when Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana converge in Paramaribo from October 22 to 26 for the latest staging of the regional U18 multi-sport competition.

The introduction of the two combat sports represents another significant step in the continued expansion of the Games, which first began in 1967 as a means of fostering bilateral relations through sport.
Guyana’s Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, joined his counterparts, Enrique Ralim from Suriname, and Tatiana Tisserand from French Guiana, in Paramaribo, where they signed the official protocol agreement for this year’s Games.
According to Ninvalle, the addition of boxing and Judo demonstrates the willingness of the three territories to continually develop the IGG and provide young athletes with broader opportunities to compete at the regional level.
The three countries will compete in Athletics, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Chess, and Futsal, while Boxing and Judo have been added as introductory disciplines by the host country.
“Every year, the host country can add two disciplines as an introductory sport, so what Suriname has added this year is boxing and Judo,” Ninvalle said.
Boxing, however, will see only Guyana and Suriname go head-to-head, while Judo will feature competitors from Suriname and French Guiana.
The introduction of boxing is particularly significant for Guyana, which has a long and decorated history in the sport and continues to invest in developing its next generation of fighters.
According to Ninvalle, “The IGG platform will provide young boxers with an opportunity to gain valuable international competition experience while representing their country.”
Ninvalle praised the collective efforts of the three territories in elevating the Games, pointing to improvements in the event’s organisation and execution in recent years.
“I would want to applaud each country for making it better every year. From 2020 to now, we’ve seen improvement in the execution of the Inter Guiana Games, and this could’ve only been possible because we put our heads together for the IGG,” Ninvalle said.
Speaking after the signing of the protocol agreement, Ninvalle also stressed the broader significance of the Games beyond competition.
He added, “We speak different languages, but on the field of play, we all speak the same language, which is togetherness, and we have to applaud ourselves for coming this far and for doing that for our individual counties, which makes us one country.”
Suriname enters the 2026 Games as the defending overall champions, having topped last year’s edition in Georgetown. Guyana finished second, with French Guiana third.
The IGG was first held in 1967 after former national footballer “QT” Donald was sent to Suriname by former President Forbes Burnham to work with the Surinamese on outlining the Games.
Football was the first sport contested between Guyana and Suriname, with basketball introduced in 1972.
The two countries initially competed for the Forbes Burnham/Johan Pengel Trophy, named after Guyana’s then-President Forbes Burnham and Johan Adolf Pengel, who served as Prime Minister of Suriname in 1967.