The global governing body for masters sport, founded in 1995, says sustainability is one of the key areas of its strategy for the coming years.

The IMGA organises five international multi-sport events - the World Masters Games, Winter World Masters Games, European Masters Games, Pan-American Masters Games and Asia-Pacific Masters Games, with potential hosts actively encouraged to use existing venues.

"From the very beginning host cities have only been allowed to use existing venues, rather than building new ones," said IMGA chief executive Jens Holm.

"It is quite simple; if there is no suitable venue available for a sport, then the sport is not on the program.

"Using existing venues also allows the cities to use their existing infrastructure and athletes can get to the different venues by using public transport rather than shuttle buses."

Masters sport event are open to individuals defined as being of masters age, and although there is no maximum age for competitors, the minimum age varies between sports, with the lowest being 25.

The IMGA say host cities should be able to promote the benefits of an active lifestyle to their residents, with a focus on the benefits of sport to the older members of their population.

The scheduled conference is set to provide an opportunity for host cities "to learn from each other how to create greener solutions for events."

The IMGA says it is already implementing measures such as producing athletes clothing and merchandise with recyclable materials and providing more environmentally-friendly food solutions, and added that it intended to speak to members of the masters sport community to collect their ideas on how to improve sustainability within the movement.

Outcomes of the conference are set to be written into future host city contracts to ensure these are implemented going forward, while ideas from members of the masters sport community will be included in the IMGA’s developing strategic roadmap.

The next edition of the World Masters Games, the largest of the IMGA’s multi-sport events, attracting around 30,000 athletes, is scheduled to be held in Kansai, Japan from May 13 to 29 2022, and organisers of this event are already clear of the benefits the event is set to bring to their region.

In a statement the organisers say: "We find it important to have an inclusive approach by holding the Games for everyone, irrespective of age (master’s age), gender, ability, or whether with or without disabilities.

"We aim to achieve that everyone enjoys sports and has a healthy lifestyle throughout life.

"Taking this opportunity of holding the Games, we aim to revitalize the region and promote human exchange in the region.

"We develop various kinds of education and academic activities to pass them onto the next generation."