A share of the ticket revenue from Birmingham 2022 is set to be donated to Ukraine ©Getty Images

A share of ticket revenue from the Birmingham 2022 World Games is set to be donated rebuilding sporting venues in Ukraine bombed during the ongoing Russian military offensive.

International World Games Association (IWGA) President José Perurena raised the idea at the latest Birmingham 2022 Coordination Commission meeting and also wants to enable Ukraine's athletes to travel to the United States early to train and prepare for the event.

"We now want to make it possible for Stanislav [Horuna] and his team-mates to travel and be striving for gold in Birmingham," Perurena said, referencing the Olympic karate medallist who is among the leading Ukrainian athletes to have joined volunteer armed forces.

The World Games qualification has already been secured by Horuna. 

"In addition, the BOC [Birmingham Organising Committee] has agreed to approach the relevant authorities in obtaining the necessary visas, in the interest of the athletes," Perurena continued.

"I am happy to have received great support for this idea.

"This is also about using the money to rebuild the bombed sports venues after the war, which hopefully will end soon."

The Birmingham 2022 World Games Organising Committee is exploring different ways in which it can help Ukraine during the Russian invasion ©IWGA
The Birmingham 2022 World Games Organising Committee is exploring different ways in which it can help Ukraine during the Russian invasion ©IWGA

There are also plans to allocate a share of merchandising revenue to Ukraine, with IWGA chief executive Joachim Gossow set to coordinate with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on this.

Much of the focus of the Coordination Commission meeting was on the impact of the war in Ukraine.

Perurena and Jonathon Porter, chairman of the Organising Committee's Board of Directors, gave assurances that they would do everything in their power to ensure as many Ukrainian athletes as possible could participate.

"We know that the athletes from Ukraine are very interested in competing at The World Games, despite the current terrible situation in their homeland," said Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee chief executive Nick Sellers.

"Stanislav Horuna was captain of Ukraine's national karate team and preparing to compete in TWG 2022.

"Now Horuna is patrolling the streets of his hometown Lviv as a soldier, but says he is still planning to compete in Birmingham."

The 11th edition of the World Games is set to take place from July 7 to 17, with approximately 3,600 athletes due to compete across 34 sports.