^The world governing body for nine-pin and ten-pin bowling changed its name from Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs to World Bowling in 2014.
^During the period in which rugby sevens was contested at the World Games, the world governing body was known as the International Rugby Board. The current name of World Rugby was adopted in 2014.
The following sports were part of past editions of the World Games, but have since been adopted by the Olympics as official events.
Badminton – became an Olympic sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Baseball – became an Olympic sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics (until 2008)
Rugby sevens – will become an Olympic sport at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Taekwondo – became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Trampoline – certain individual events were introduced at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Triathlon – became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Weightlifting (women) - became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics. (Men never competed in weightlifting in The World Games because it has been in all Summer Olympics since 1920.)