The Federation Internationale de Roller Skating (FIRS), the international governing body for roller skating, has awarded Nanjing the rights to host the inaugural World Roller Games in 2017.

Originally, the FIRS members selected Barcelona as the host city, but later reversed their decision because of a radical change in the Spanish city’s political administration.

Nanjing, the "World Capital of Roller Sports" and home to the 2014 Youth Olympics, has declared itself ready to organize the event.

The eastern Chinese city  signed a long-term agreement with FIRS soon after its  great success with Roller Sports demonstrations during the 2014 Youth Olympics SportsLab. The agreement will see Nanjing hold the Roller Games, the Speed Skating World Championships plus the first FIRS International and Ambassadors Seminar.

FIRS became officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the international governing body for all roller skating in the mid 1960's. In the 1970’s, the General Association of International Sports Federations gave a similar membership recognition to FIRS.

Source: Xinhua

Proofread by John Devlin