Powerlifting Welcomed inKorea p.8

INSIDE

ISSUE

32006

VISTA 2006Conference MovesForward p.4

IPC and IOCExtend Agreementto 2016 p.5

Warm Welcome forEquestrianHandover p.7

VISA ContinuesParalympicSupport p.11

Ernst Van Dyk WinsPrestigiousLaureus Title p.12

SPIRIT IN MOTION

PARALYMPIANTHE Official Magazine of the International Paralympic Committee

Paralympic Flag Raised inVancouver p.3

IPC Grants MakeWorldwide Impact p.10

Photo ©: Kim Stallknecht, VANOC. Photo ©: Otto Bock

Otto Bock HostsParalympic Challenge p.7

Photo ©: NPC TurkmenistanPhoto ©: Organizing Committee

Tandem Time Trial (B/VI).

British athletes had great success as LondonMarathon winner David Weir took three gold medalsin the T54 100m, 200m and 1500m. KennyChurchill (GBR) broke the world record in the men'sJavelin throw (F37) and Laila El Garra (MAR)achieved a world-record throw of 7.21m in thewomen's Shot (F40). Oscar Pistorius of SouthAfrica also took home two gold medals in the men's100m and 200m (T44).

Wheelchair Basketball saw some tough challengesin both the men's and women's competitions.Canada eventually won the gold in the men'scompetition beating Australia 65:49 in the final.2005 PWC champions Great Britain took the men'sbronze. In the women's competition, the gold medalwent to Mexico after beating Great Britain 37:22.Spain finished with bronze after they beatnewcomers China 38:36.

The Visa PWC is a showpiece for Paralympic sportand will again be staged in Manchester from 7 to 13May in 2007. The event is supported by the IPC,Visa, the British Paralympic Association, BBC, UKSport, the Manchester City Council and theNorthwest Regional Development Agency. Formore information please visit the official website atwww.visaparalympicworldcup.com.

There were 15 world records broken during sevendays of competition at the 2006 Visa ParalympicWorld Cup (PWC) in Manchester, Great Britain. Theevent brought together 352 athletes from 40countries from 1 to 7 May for a celebration ofParalympic sport. The home team came out on topof the medal tally, winning 22 gold medals.

In Swimming, Natalie du Toit (RSA) smashed twoS9 world records as she took gold in both thewomen's 50m Freestyle and multi-disability 100mFreestyle. Three other world records fell asClodoaldo Silva (BRA) broke the S4 world record inthe men's 100m Freestyle and Anders Olsson(SWE) lowered the S6 world record time in thesame event. Kirsten Bruhn (GER) broke thewomen's S7 world record in the 50m Freestyle.

Cycling also saw seven world records broken.Darren Kenny (GBR) was the star in theManchester Velodrome as he took three goldmedals and set two world records in the men's1,000m Time Trial (B/VI) and Team Sprint (mixed)with teammates Mark Bristow and Jody Cundy.Anthony Kappes (GBR) took home two goldmedals and a world record in the men's 1,000mTime Trial (B/VI). Other world record-breakingperformances included Tang Qi (CHN) in thewomen's 500m Time Trial (LC3), Angela Flemming(AUS) in the women's 500m Time Trial (LC2), JirongWang (CHN) in the women's 3,000m Pursuit (LC2)and Aileen McGlynn (GBR) in the women's 1,000m

RECORDS FALL AT PARALYMPIC WORLD CUP

Action from the 2006 Visa Paralympic World Cup. Photo ©: Sportsbeat

For many, the summeroffers a quiet time and anopportunity to sit backand relax. For theParalympic Movement ithas been packed withseveral and diverseevents, from sportcompetition to organizingcommittee meetings to ascientific conference.

The 2006 VISTAConference, with the theme 'Classification:Solutions for the Future', provided animportant opportunity to gather many ofthe experts in Paralympic sport under oneroof to look in detail at the subject ofclassification, the progress being made andchallenges that still lie ahead. I believe thatthis conference inspired participants tofocus their knowledge and resources onsolutions that will take us forward.

The organizing committees for theupcoming Paralympic Games have beenbusy in their preparations. In Beijing, theIOC Co-ordination Commission visit, which Iwas a part of, media operations andmarketing workshops and majoradvancements such as the launch of theParalympic Marketing Programme havecreated a lot of excitement and I amconfident that 2008 will be an outstandingParalympic Games.

In Vancouver, the Paralympic flag is nowproudly flying next to the Olympic flag - areminder of the close co-operation betweenthe two movements, which has also allowedus to extend the IOC-IPC Agreement toensure that the 2014 and 2016 ParalympicGames continue to be held in the same cityas the Olympics.

London 2012 is already showing enormousprogress, promising inspirational ParalympicGames for athletes, the Paralympic Familyand spectators. We will soon welcome anew member to our family with thecandidate cities for the 2014 Olympic andParalympic Winter Games narrowed downto three.

This edition of 'The Paralympian' highlightssome of the major events on the sportingcalendar. The IPC Shooting WorldChampionships, the IPC Powerlifting WorldChampionships, the VISA Paralympic WorldCup and Otto Bock's ParalympicChallenge,were all very successful competitions.Events such as these are providing athleteswith top-level opportunities to compete andthe Paralympic Movement with the chanceto spread the excitement of Paralympicsport throughout the world.

It is also exciting to see the great stridesbeing taken in the area of development -through the impact of the IPC DevelopmentGrant Programme around the world, as wellas the work being done to strengthen theparticipation of women in the ParalympicMovement. I am confident that by workingtogether we will be able to augment thenumber of new athletes and femaleathletes participating in Paralympic sport.Let's make this a resolution for the future!

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2THE PARALYMPIAN ISSUE 3: 2006

Sir Philip Craven, MBEIPC President

PARALYMPIC GAMES: BEIJING 2008

Resolutions for theFuture

The IOC Co-ordination Commission for theBeijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Gamesmet from 16 to 18 May for its sixth plenarysession in Beijing, China. The Commission,including IPC representative Sir PhilipCraven, participated in meetings and a tourof several Olympic and Paralympic venues.

A specific working group dedicated to theParalympics met during the visit and a fullday of Paralympic side meetings were held, inwhich topics such as sports, communicationand technology were discussed. The prioritywill now be to move from strategic planningto develop the detailed plans for clientservices and venues.

Said IPC President Sir Philip: "During the lastcouple of days BOCOG has again showngreat commitment to deliver excellentParalympic Games; this is not only evident inthe strong collaboration with the IPC, theNational Paralympic Committee of China andthe Paralympic sports but also in theaccessibility review, which is being conductedfor all venues to ensure Paralympic needsare taken into account. The athletes cancertainly expect spectacular venues."

In June, the Beijing 2008 ParalympicMarketing Programme was unveiled to over500 Chinese and international businessleaders at a special ceremony in Beijing, by

BOCOG President Liu Qi and Deng Pufang,President of the China Disabled Persons'Federation and BOCOG ExecutivePresident. The IPC was represented byGoverning Board member Zainal Abu Zarin.The launch event provided an interactiveforum for BOCOG to outline the benefits ofParalympic sponsorship and to explain theopportunities that exist to support theParalympic Games.

Additionally, from 14 to 16 June a ParalympicMedia Operations Workshop was heldbetween BOCOG and the IPC as part of theOlympic Games Knowledge Management(OGKM). During this workshop, specificfunctional areas and topics were coveredsuch as media accommodation,accreditation, transportation, photo services,volunteers and Paralympic news services.The Main Press Centre will be placed withinthe Olympic Green, with excellent and rapidaccess for media to nine of the 20Paralympic sports. All sport venues will alsohave a Venue Media Centre. The sessionswere followed by a venue tour of a MediaVillage, the Main Press Centre, theInternational Broadcast Centre and theOlympic Green.

For more information please visit the officialBOCOG website at www.beijing2008.com.

Busy in Beijing

BOCOG President Liu Qi (right) and Deng Pufang, President of the China Disabled Persons'Federation and BOCOG Executive President (left). Photo ©: Getty Images

million. Biathlon was the next most popularfollowed by Ice Sledge Hockey.

The Torino 2006 Winter Paralympics sawtremendous growth compared to the SaltLake 2002 Winter Paralympics. Torino alsocame close to the cumulated audience of1.86 billion in a comparable study of theATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games.

Outstanding results were also found for theIPC's official website www.paralympic.org.Around Games time, in February and March2006, the IPC identified more than 430,000visits per month. The large number of visitorstrying to access the site at the same time ledto some technical problems during the periodsurrounding the Games. This means that theactual number of visitors was much higher,although not measurable due to the overload.The IPC website has been updated to bettermanage the traffic and to provide a stableservice during peak times in the future.

* Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, China, CzechRepublic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,Korea, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Russia, San Marino,Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland, Ukraine and the USA.

1.4 Billion Watched Torino CoverageA recent study conducted by internationalsponsorship and media evaluation companyIFM has released outstanding figures on thebroadcast coverage of the Torino 2006Paralympic Winter Games.

A total of 285:21 hours of broadcastingtime, including 80:32 hours of live coverage,was broadcast to a cumulated audience of1.421 billion in the 24 countries and PanEurope analyzed*. This report found a totalof 3,404 broadcasts shown on 94 channelswith an average market share of 11.2%.

France, Italy and Spain broadcast the mostcoverage of the Winter Paralympics (49:39,49:38 and 41:59 hours of broadcast timerespectively), however, Japan, Germany andFrance had the greatest cumulated audience(391.56 million, 286.76 million and 247.58million respectively), followed by China(208.89 million) and Italy (193.25 million). Ofthe total broadcasting time, 54.4% wasgenerated by specific sports programmesshowing highlights of the Games.

Alpine Skiing proved to be the most popularsport, receiving 130.29 hours of broadcasttime and a cumulated audience of 953.89

PARALYMPIC GAMES: TORINO 2006

Photo ©: Prezioso

To promote the Games and encourage peopleall over Great Britain to get involved, theLondon 2012 Roadshow bus visited over 50locations between its launch in London on 7July until its final stop in Liverpool on 27 July,exactly six years before the OpeningCeremony of the 2012 Games. On its journey,the bus paid a visit to the home of theParalympics, Stoke Mandeville Stadium inAylesbury, for an Archery competition forathletes with a disability.

The first International Olympic Committee(IOC) Co-ordination Commission meeting forthe London 2012 Olympic and ParalympicGames took place in London, Great Britain,from 19 to 21 April. The Commission includesIPC representative Patrick Jarvis, who is alsoan IPC Governing Board member.

The Commission met with representatives ofthe London 2012 Organizing Committee ofthe Olympic and Paralympic Games (London2012) and other local stakeholders, such asthe Department of Culture, Media and Sport,to get an update regarding the preparation ofthe Games. The meeting also included venuevisits of several construction sites within thecity, including the Olympic Park site.

Said Mr. Jarvis: "The IPC would like tocommend London 2012 for the integratedapproach that they are taking to planning,while at the same time promoting thedistinctiveness of the two Games.Considering the fact that the roots of theParalympic Games are here, in StokeMandeville, it will be exciting for theParalympic Family to return to England forthe Games in 2012."

During the visit, the Commission was assuredthat London 2012 is on target to achieveimportant early milestones in planning for theOlympic and Paralympic Games, including theareas of marketing, finance, venues,sponsorship, image and transport.

The London 2012 Olympic Board hasapproved four strategic commitments whichunderline the planning and programmes forunique Olympic and Paralympic Games and

ensure a sustainable legacy for London andthe UK.

The four commitments are: to stageinspirational Olympic and Paralympic Gamesfor athletes, the Olympic and ParalympicFamily and the spectators; to deliver theOlympic Park and all venues on time, withinagreed budget and to specification,minimizing the call on public funds andproviding for a sustainable legacy; tomaximize the economic, social health andenvironmental benefits of the Games for theUK, particularly through regeneration andsustainable development in East London;and to achieve a sustained improvement inUK sport before, during and after theGames, in both elite performance particularlyin Olympic and Paralympic sports andgrassroots participation.

The Co-ordiation Commission visit wasfollowed up by a visit by IPC Chief ExecutiveOfficer Xavier Gonzalez, which includedmeetings with London 2012 Chief ExecutivePaul Deighton and Olympic DeliveryAuthority Chief Executive David Higgins, aswell as a series of working meetings withLondon 2012 staff to discuss key issuesincluding access in venues and facilities,transport, marketing, sponsorship and thedevelopment of the brand for the ParalympicGames. Mr. Gonzalez praised London'sprogress in planning the 2012 ParalympicGames, "London is clearly taking the issue ofstaging a successful Paralympic Gamesseriously and we are in a very good positionin terms of strategic thinking and planning,"he said. PAGE

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PARALYMPIC GAMES: VANCOUVER 2010

Paralympic Flag Flies in Vancouver

PARALYMPIC GAMES: LONDON 2012

London Welcomes First IOC Co-ordination Commission

During two days of meetings with VANOC,the Commission members, including IPCrepresentative Rita van Driel, participated inextensive discussions on the preparationsunderway. During the Paralympic session anupdate was given on the venue locations,including a report on the status of theconstruction of the Ice Sledge Hockeyvenue. The IPC updated VANOC and theCommission on the Paralympic programmefor 2010. Said Ms. van Driel: "The IPC ispleased about the progress being made ingeneral. We look forward to receiving finalconfirmation that all the Paralympic sportevents will be hosted in Whistler."

Discussions were also held on accessibleaccommodation in Whistler and thedevelopment of the Paralympiccommunication strategy, themes and keymessages, in preparation for the launch ofthe Paralympic Emblem on 16 September.The Commission also visited Whistler andreceived a first-hand impression of the venuesituation and the progress that has alreadybeen made.

On 5 June, side meetings specific to theParalympic Winter Games were held with IPCCEO Xavier Gonzalez mainly coveringtechnical issues such as the location of theInternational Broadcast Centre (IBC) andMain Press Centre (MPC) in Whistler, generalaccessibility plans specifically foraccommodation as well as discussions onplans for Games legacy.

The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic WinterGames will take place in Vancouver and

In a special event on 7 June, the Paralympicflag was raised at the Vancouver City Hall ona purpose built 80-foot flagpole. Until the2010 Winter Games, the Paralympic flag willproudly fly next to the Olympic flag on theCity Hall grounds. Vancouver is the first HostCity to fly the Paralympic flag side by sidewith the Olympic flag.

IPC Governing Board member and five-timeParalympian Ljiljana Ljubisic, HRH PrinceEdward, the Earl of Wessex, the Mayor ofVancouver Sam Sullivan, IPC CEO XavierGonzalez and VANOC Chairman of theBoard Jack Poole participated in theceremony.

Said Mayor Sullivan: "This flag-raising eventwill help bring greater awareness to theParalympic Movement and to theachievements of Paralympic athletes,something that is close to my heart."

Commented Mr. Poole: "Together with ourpartners, VANOC is proud to be here tocelebrate this historic occasion, as weelevate the Paralympic Movement to newheights. As the first Host City to fly bothflags side by side, this milestone is anotherincredible step towards achieving our goal tostage extraordinary Games in 2010."

From 6 to 7 June, the International OlympicCommittee (IOC) Co-ordination Commissionfor the Vancouver 2010 Olympic andParalympic Games met for the third time inVancouver, Canada, to review the progressmade by the Vancouver 2010 OrganizingCommittee (VANOC).

Whistler from 12 to 21 March 2010 withapproximately 650 athletes from more than40 countries participating in Alpine Skiing,Biathlon, Cross Country, Ice Sledge Hockeyand Wheelchair Curling.

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, HRH PrinceEdward and Ljiljana Ljubisic at the flag raisingceremony. Photo ©: Kim Stallknecht, VANOC

Photo ©: John Credland (www.johncredland.co.uk)

classification is constantly growing along withthe Paralympic Movement.

Classification is simply a structure forcompetition. Not unlike wrestling, boxing andweightlifting, where athletes are categorizedby weight classes, athletes with a disabilityare categorized in classes defined by thedegree of function. Athletes belong to sixdifferent disability groups in the ParalympicMovement: Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Injuries,Amputees, Visually Impaired, IntellectualDisability and "les Autres" (includes allathletes with a mobility disability not includedin the above groups).

The systems by which athletes are classifiedcontinue to evolve. In 2003, the IPCdeveloped a Classification Strategy with theoverall objective to support and co-ordinatethe ongoing development of accurate,reliable, consistent and credible classificationsystems. A direct result of recommendationsmade in this Strategy was the developmentof a Classification Code which establishes aframework for policies and procedures thatare common to all sports and includes fourInternational Standards which provide thetechnical and operational requirements forclassification. A final draft of the Code will bedistributed for consultation in December2006.

The first VISTA Conference took place inJasper, Canada, in 1993. The success of thisconference led to two further conferences inKöln, Germany (1999), and Bollnäs, Sweden(2003). An identified need for greateropportunities to discuss and exchangeknowledge has seen the VISTA Conferencebecome a biennial event. Organizationsinterested in hosting the 2009 event shouldcontact the IPC at info@paralympic.org.

For more information about the VISTA 2006conference, please visit www.paralympic.org.

'Classification - Solutions for the Future' wasthe theme of the fourth VISTA Conference,held from 6 to 7 May in Bonn, Germany. Theevent provided a unique opportunity to bringtogether around 200 participants from over40 countries. The participants included sportscientists, researchers, classifiers, coaches,sport administrators and athletes whospecialize in classification in Paralympic sportand the Paralympic Movement.

The conference, hosted by the IPC, spannedover two days and included four keynotespeeches and 36 presentations in parallelsessions. This allowed conferenceparticipants to receive the most up-to-dateinformation and research and an opportunityto share their expertise in an open andpractical setting.

As an outcome of the event, the IPC hasmade classification its number one priority

research on the impact of intellectualdisability on sport performance, initiatives todevelop sport specific criteria and details ona general eligibility system and protestprocedures.

The GB accepted the finding that no sportspecific eligibility system has been developedfor athletes with an intellectual disability todate and that the general eligibility system,developed by the International SportsFederation for Persons with an Intellectual

Disability (INAS-FID), does notachieve the standard expected forIPC competitions and is notsufficiently robust to ensure faircompetition for athletes with anintellectual disability.

Consequently, the GB decided thatathletes with an intellectualdisability cannot take part in IPCsanctioned events, including theBeijing 2008 Paralympic Games.The status of the participation ofathletes with an intellectualdisability at future IPC competi-tions will be re-evaluated after2008. The IPC will continue tosupport the international researchgroup established for this purpose,who are working in collaborationwith INAS-FID and sport specialistsfrom around the world.

well as updates on the work of various IPCStanding Committees and Councils. The GBalso approved the IPC Membership of theInternational Equestrian Federation (FEI),pending ratification by the IPC GeneralAssembly.

A report was presented to the GB on theprogress made with regard to thedevelopment of mutually acceptable eligibilityand verification systems for athletes with anintellectual disability. The report outlined

The IPC Governing Board (GB) held their mid-year meeting from 23 to 24 June at the homeof the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne,Switzerland. Top of the agenda was theapproval of the Paralympic programme forthe Vancouver 2010 Paralympic WinterGames. The GB confirmed that athletes willcompete in five sports, namely Alpine Skiing,Biathlon, Cross Country, Ice Sledge Hockeyand Wheelchair Curling at the next WinterParalympics.

For Alpine Skiing, the GBaccepted the possible addition ofmedal events in Super Combined- a two part event that includes aSuper-G race and Slalom on oneday, for which the times of eachrace are compiled to determine afinal result ranking - pending acomprehensive feasibilityanalysis. Two more teams wereadded to the Wheelchair Curlingcompetition bringing it to a ten-team tournament.

At the meeting, the GB alsoapproved the final ParalympicBrand Report, were informed onParalympic Games progress,received a debrief of the Torino

2006 Winter Paralympicsand an update on theBudget 2006-2007, asPAGE

4THE PARALYMPIAN ISSUE 3: 2006

IPC NEWS

VISTA 2006 Conference Debates Solutions for the Future

Governing Board Gathers in Olympic Heartland

and will work to develop increased fundingfor research in the area of classification, abetter collaboration between scientists andclassifiers and a greater involvement ofathletes in the classification debate.

IPC President Sir Philip Craven said:"Classification is the key to safeguardingequitable competition for all athletes…Thereis no doubt in my mind that the continuedgrowth in the popularity of Paralympic sportwith spectators and the media is tied to clearand transparent classification guidelines. Toachieve these, we must embrace sportscience and pool the expertise of bothpractitioners and scientists."

Supported by the City of Bonn and theGerman Federal Ministry of the Interior, theconference provided an ideal platform forexperts in sport for athletes with a disability.It clearly showed that the level of interest in

Photo ©: Lieven Coudenys

Guest speakers at the Opening Ceremony of VISTA 2006.(from left to right) Sir PhilipCraven, Mayor of Bonn Bärbel Dieckmann, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of theInterior Dr. Christoph Bergner, Director of the Haus der Geschichte Dr. Dietmar Preißler, andICSSPE President Dr. Gudrun Doll-Tepper. Photo ©: Cynthia Rühmekorf

The extension continues along the same linesas the original document and underlines theIOC's continued support for the IPC, to helpensure the long-term future of the ParalympicGames. The main changes see greaterclarification in the roles of the IOC and IPC inrespect to the planning, organization andstaging of the Paralympic Games; the use ofthe technical manuals mentioned in the HostCity Contract for the Games; and a revisionof the scope parameters of the ParalympicGames sports programme and the number of

accredited individuals.

IOC President Jacques Roggecommented: "The IOC and theIPC have had a long and fruitfulrelationship and it is with greatpride that we are able to resignthis agreement with the IPC andensure that the Olympic andParalympic Games continue tobe held in the same host citiesuntil 2016." He added, "Ourcontinued financial support tothe Paralympics shows that theOlympic Movement is universaland also indicates theimportance that the ParalympicGames have in promoting sportto the youth of the world - oneof the fundamental principles ofOlympism".

The Paralympic Games have always beenheld in the same year as the Olympic Games.Since the Seoul Summer Games (1988) andthe Tignes-Albertville Winter Games (1992),they have also taken place at the samevenues as the Olympic Games. In 2000, anagreement was signed between theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) andthe IPC aiming to secure and protect theorganization of the Paralympic Games. In2001, a second agreement reaffirmed thatthe Paralympic Games, from 2008 on, willalways take place shortly after theOlympic Games, using the samesports venues and facilities. Anamendment was signed to the2001 Agreement in 2003,transferring broadcasting andmarketing responsibilities of the2008, 2010 and 2012 ParalympicGames to the respectiveOrganizing Committees.

In June, the IOC and the IPC signeda further agreement, combining theprevious agreements andextending and simplifying severalareas. This new agreement extendsto cover the Paralympic Games in2014 and 2016.

Said IPC President Sir PhilipCraven: "The extension of the IOC-

and Wheelchair Basketball, although it is avery expensive game. We also have theupcoming sports of Wheelchair Tennis andTable Tennis.

TP: What are your main objectives as anorganization?We try to ensure that every person whocomes in contact with our organization canbe included in sport. Our aim is to make surethose that are neglected get access to sportand through sport they get recognized. Forinstance, the team we sent to Manchester[Commonwealth Games] in 2002 includedmany former street beggars.

TP: What are your expectations for Beijing?We want to make sure that we get at leastfour medals. We also want to increase ourteam from that which we sent to the lastthree games, to at least ten athletes.

TP: What are the challenges facing yourorganization right now?

At the moment our main challenge is the lackof sports equipment. After creatingawareness, many people are coming to us,even from remote areas, wanting to playsport. So our challenge is to provide whatthey need.

TP: Is the NPC involved in any educationalprogrammes?Starting in 2006 we have a new project thatwe are introducing in schools. In May wecompleted a training that included teachersfrom different schools for children with adisability. These schools hold a lot of potentialfor future athletes. Each of our ten regions isworking with around three schools.

TP: Can you describe some of theprogrammes that the NPC is currentlyimplementing in Tanzania?We are running a number of projects toincrease the awareness of disability sport inTanzania. One initiative is supported by UKSport and that will continue for four years. We

have the education prog-ramme that I mentionedbefore which is nowunderway. Then we havea project with theInternational Tennis Fed-eration (ITF) and at theend of June they will cometo Tanzania and conducttraining in six cities andsome regions in thesouthern part of thecountry. Finally, we willcontinue with the nextstage of the HealthyParalympians project thatwe have been working ontogether with IPC since2004.

During a recent visit to IPC Headquarters,'The Paralympian' had a few moments withthe Secretary General of the TanzanianParalympic Committee, Iddi Kibwana. Wespoke about the challenges that face anNPC operating in a developing country andsome of the programmes in Tanzania thatmake the NPC so successful.

TP: When was the NPC established? We started the organization in 1983 andrevamped it in 2000. We became a memberof the IPC in 2002, the same year we sentour first team to the Commonwealth Gamesin Manchester. We have since sent athletes tothe All African Games in 2003, to theATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games and to the2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.The Paralympic Movement is growing veryfast in Tanzania and all of our regions arevery active. So many people want to takepart in sport now, so the challenge for us is toaccommodate them all.

TP: How is the NPC run?We all work on a volunteerbasis. For example, ourPresident is a lawyer andother members have theirown business activities.Soon we will have a newoffice in the nationalstadium in Dar Es Saalm,which will allow us todevelop relationships withother national sportorganizations. Currently,most athletes who takepart are in the towns, butwe are trying to mobilizemore activities in the ruralareas.

TP: Which Paralympicsports do you have?Currently our main sportsare Athletics, Powerlifting

IPC Agreement secures the medium termgrowth of the Paralympic Games andMovement and underlines the close co-operation, which the IPC and the IOC haveand continue to enjoy with each other. TheIPC is pleased that, thanks to thisAgreement, Paralympic athletes can, for theParalympic Games in 2014 and 2016, nowlook forward to once again competing in thesame city and to benefiting from the sameconditions for official travel andaccommodation as Olympic athletes."

NPC PROFILE: TANZANIA

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5

Strengthening the IPC-IOC Bond

IPC NEWS

Photo ©: IOC/Hélène Tobler

Photo ©:Mark Ziebert

Providing Opportunities in Tanzania

THE PARALYMPIAN ISSUE 3: 2006

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ATHLETE PROFILE: JAE-YONG SIM

With the largest Wheelchair Basketballcompetition outside the Paralympic Gamesheld in July, 'The Paralympian' spoke toMaureen Orchard, President of theInternational Wheelchair BasketballFederation (IWBF) about the huge progressbeing made in the sport and why.

TP: What is the history of the sport? Wheelchair Basketball began in the USAabout 1946 by servicemen injured in WorldWar Two. About that time people in StokeMandeville were playing a similar game calledNetball. In 1955 a touring US team broughtWheelchair Basketball to England. The sportquickly spread to other parts of the world.

TP: How is the sport governed?IWBF is the world governing body, recognizedby the International Basketball Federation(FIBA) and is a member of IPC. IWBF isdivided into four zones; Americas, AsiaOceania, Africa and Europe. Each zone isresponsible for development activities in theirzone and organizing qualificationtournaments for World Championships andParalympic Games. IWBF currently has 82National Organizations (NOWBs) with severalmore waiting for approval.

TP: What’s the appeal for athletes andspectators?Wheelchair Basketball is a fast movingexciting sport that very closely resemblesBasketball. This makes it popular with thepublic and the media because they can easilyunderstand it. The athletes like it because itis one of the few team sports for athleteswith a disability that allows them todemonstrate their strength and agility.

TP: Which disability groups can compete?That is perhaps one of the most uniquethings about Wheelchair Basketball - if youhave a lower limb disability that meets theclassification criteria then you can play. Wehave amputees, paraplegics, cerebral palsyand Spina Bifida. The point system and thefunctional classification system allow allplayers who qualify to play regardless oftheir disability. While we have individualclasses for each level of disability within therange of 1.0 - 4.5, all play together on court.A team may not exceed 14 points on thecourt which makes each player valuable.

TP: What equipment is needed?The only special equipment is a sportwheelchair. Unfortunately, they are notcheap. A top level Basketball chair can costupwards of €3,000. Still you can get startedin a much less expensive chair. Other thanthat, we use the same basic rules andequipment as running Basketball.

TP: Who are the leading countries? The top country in the world right now isCanada. Since 1994 their teams havefinished in the medal round with the womengoing undefeated from 1992 in Barcelona upuntil 2004 in Athens where the men won gold.They are joined at the top by the USA, GreatBritain, Australia and Germany.

TP: What developments have been made inthe sport recently?Lighter more manoeuvrable chairs haveallowed players to expand their skills. Theintroduction of the three-point line some timeago brought a new respect to the outsideshooter, and the 24-second clock makes thegame even faster. The introduction ofwomen's leagues in several countries hashelped expand opportunities for women.

TP: What about the Beijing 2008 ParalympicGames?The competition in Beijing will be tough. Thetop teams are getting better all the time andthey have to because they are being chasedby the rest. It will be the first time we haveten women's teams and this will give morecountries a chance to qualify. The Chinesewomen were at the VISA Paralympic WorldCup this year and they will be looking for amedal in 2008.

TP: In which areas do you see a need forfurther development?Like many Paralympic sports, we need todevelop our young players and our women'sgame by recruiting new players and coaches.We need to improve our ability to shareresources with the developing countries andwe need clinics for referees, classifiers andcoaches in each of our zones. Finally weneed to continue to spread the word to theplayers, the public and the media aboutWheelchair Basketball. Come and join us tohave a great time!

SPORT PROFILE: WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

Jae-Yong Sim is steadily moving up the IPCShooting rankings following his outstandingperformance at the 2006 IPC Shooting WorldChampionships where he won three gold (R3individual, R3 team, R7 team) and one silvermedal (R6 individual), in the processcontributing to two new team world records(R3 and R7).

TP: When and how did you come to startcompeting in Shooting?In 1986 I was in a bad car accident andinjured my spinal cord. Then a few years laterin 1988 I was watching television and I sawsome coverage of the Seoul ParalympicGames. It gave me a lot of hope for my newlife after my accident. I tried a few sportsand then took up Shooting seriously in 1998.

TP: What kind of training is involved?Every day, I train for four hours. I spend a lotof time doing weight training in the gym andto focus my mental concentration I also dosome imagery training.

TP: When were your first Paralympics? My first Paralympic Games were in Sydneyin 2000. It was such an honour to competeas a member of the Korean Shooting team. Idid not win any medals, but then in Athens in2004, I won a silver medal.

TP: What are your expectations for theBeijing 2008 Paralympic Games?I am of course aiming to win gold in Beijing.But looking to the future, I would also like todevelop myself as a trainer for juniorshooters with a disability. I aim aiming tobecome qualified as an international judge inShooting so that I can help promote the sportof Shooting worldwide.

TP: What advice would you give to otherpeople considering taking up Shooting?Shooting as a sport helps a lot to improveyour mental stability and is a sport in whichone must battle against oneself. Selfconfidence and a desire to always do one'sbest will make you a good shooter.

Photos ©: Lieven Coudenys

Wheelchair Basketball on Look Out for New Talent

The Mental Edge

Photo ©: Prezioso

Photo ©: Getty Images

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SPORT NEWS

The long journey for Athletics’ athletes fromATHENS 2004 to the Beijing 2008Paralympic Games led through Duderstadt,Germany. IPC Worldwide Partner Otto BockHealthCare organized and hosted the firstParalympicChallenge on 20 May. The IPCsanctioned Athletics competition involvedaround 120 athletes from 32 countries,including a number of Paralympic stars.

Around 2,000 spectators braved theweather to cheer on the athletes and wererewarded with five new world records: VitalisLanshima of Nigeria (T46) ran 100m in 11.17seconds; Ming Jie Giao (T44, China)increased his own javelin world record by1.18m with a throw of 56.75m; Bao ZhuZheng (T42, China) achieved a shot putdistance of 9.65m and US sprint star AprilHolmes ran a new world record of 1:03.85minutes in the women's 400m (T44). In the100m female T42 event Annette Roozenfrom the Netherlands became the firstathlete in her class to break the 17 secondbarrier, improving her best mark to 16.90seconds. "I only believed it when I saw thetime on the score board," she said.

The team of 18 from China proved onceagain, with great performances, its ambitions

to excel at the Beijing 2008 ParalympicGames. Yue Yang (F44, Javelin) said: "Thepeople here in Duderstadt are unbelievablynice. I was very happy that we had theopportunity to get to know the place a littleduring the week before theParalympicChallenge."

"We wanted to offer a highlight between theParalympic Games at which the world's bestathletes could test their skills and inspire andexcite the spectators with greatperformances. We wanted to give the peoplea feel of the fantastic atmosphere at theParalympic Games," said Prof. Hans GeorgNäder, CEO and Chairman of Otto BockHealthCare.

"It is unbelievable what the athletes can do,"said Rosi Mittermaier, former Olympic AlpineSkiing champion and patron of a charity golftournament hosted by Otto Bock on theoccasion of the ParalympicChallenge, whichraised EURO 13,000 for the GermanParalympic Committee.

For more information, please visit the officialwebsite of the ParalympicChallengewww.paralympic-challenge.com.

Otto Bock Hosts ParalympicChallenge

include Equestrian for athletes with adisability within the FEI family and tocommence initiatives to transfer governancefrom IPC to FEI. An IPC/FEI Working Groupwas established in 2003, to discuss thefuture direction of the relationship andprepare the transfer of governance. As aresult of the discussions andrecommendations from the IPC/FEI WorkingGroup, the IPC Governing Board and FEIapproved the transfer in 2005. The transferhad the full support of the past President ofFEI, HRH the Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbónand has been warmly welcomed by hersuccessor, HRH the Princess Haya Bint AlHussein.

Said HRH The Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón:"The horse has been a long standing partnerof people with a disability helping them tostrengthen their condition and improve theirlives. The FEI is immensely proud to integratePara-Equestrian activities as an officialdiscipline and welcomes riders with adisability in the FEI family."

Jonquil Solt (GBR) was appointed as theChairperson of the newly created Para-Equestrian Committee. The committee iscomposed of Hanneke Gerritsen (NED) for atwo-year term ending in 2008, Hope C. Hand(USA) until 2009, Mary L. Longden (AUS)and Ulf Wilken until 2010.

On 2 May, IPC President Sir Philip Cravenand the then President of the InternationalEquestrian Federation (FEI) HRH The InfantaDoña Pilar de Borbón signed an agreementfor the transfer of governance of Equestrianfor persons with a disability from IPC to FEI.The transfer ceremony took place at the FEIGeneral Assembly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,and came into full effect on 1 July.

Before this agreement, the IPC was theInternational Federation for Equestrian and12 other sports. Over the past four years,IPC Equestrian has developed significantlywith regards to the number of countries andquality of athletes competing in dressageand driving competitions worldwide.Furthermore, the evolution of the IPCEquestrian regulations and training methodshas laid a strong foundation for the future.

"The FEI is the first International Federationto embrace a sport of the IPC as a full partof its organization. The IPC is committed tocreating true partnerships in sport and webelieve that we have found a true partner inthe FEI. We are confident that they will makeriders and drivers with a disability feel athome in their organization," said Sir Philip.

In 2000, FEI and IPC began discussing andidentifying potential areas for collaboration.Two years later, FEI expressed its interest to

Farewell IPC Equestrian, Welcome FEI

Photo ©: Lieven Coudenys

UCI Welcomes Riders with a Disability

Photo ©: Otto Bock

Photo ©: Otto Bock

The 2006 IPC Cycling World Championshipswill take place at the World Cycling Centre(WCC), Headquarters of the InternationalCycling Union (UCI) in Aigle, Switzerland,from 9 to 18 September 2006.

Road and Track Cycling will be on theevent's programme, in which some 300athletes will be taking part from 40countries. The Track competitions will beheld at the WCC velodrome, whereas theRoad events will be raced close to theCentre.

It will be the first time UCI has organized theIPC Cycling World Championships. Thisevent is an important stage in the inclusionof riders with a disability to the disciplinesgoverned by the UCI and will crown theexcellent co-operation between the IPC andUCI.

In 2002, IPC President Sir Philip Craven andHein Verbruggen, former UCI President,signed a co-operation agreement. Sincethen, UCI has adapted its rules and calendarin accordance with the specific nature ofCycling for riders with a disability, so that IPCCycling is now fully recognized by UCI.

The IPC Cycling World Championships willbecome UCI Cycling World Championshipsfor riders with a disability from next year, ifthe transfer of governance to UCI isapproved by the IPC Cycling Sport Forumand the IPC Governing Board this year.

For more information about the event,please visit www.2006IPC-cycling.com.

THE PARALYMPIAN ISSUE 3: 2006

Shooting's Best Take Aim in Sargans

SPORT NEWS

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IPC Powerlifting Welcomed in KoreaThe 2006 IPC Powerlifting WorldChampionships, held in Busan, South Korea,from 3 to 11 May, produced someoutstanding results. From a total of 57participating countries, China topped themedal tally with nine gold medals, closelyfollowed by Iran and Egypt. The athletesincluded 85 women and 187 men, indicatinga small increase from the 2002 IPCPowerlifting World Championships.

A total of twelve world records were brokenthroughout the men's and women's juniorand senior divisions. In the junior femaleevents, Cuijuan Xiao (CHN) set a worldrecord in the 44.00kg category, as did RandaTag Eldin Mahmoud (EGY) in the 82.50kg. Inthe senior female events, a new world recordwas set by Fatma Omar Mohmoud (EGY) inthe 56.00kg category, Taoying Fu (CHN) inthe 67.50kg, Liping Zhang (CHN) in the75.00kg and Ruifang Li also of China in the+82.50kg category.

There were also a number of new recordsset in the men's competition. In the men'sjunior events, Rafal Roch (POL) set a newrecord in the 48.00kg, Slawomir Szymanski(POL) in the 52.00kg and Glen Puxley (GBR)in the +100.00kg. In the men's senior events,Hamzeh Mohammadi (IRN) broke the worldrecord in the 60.00kg category, MetwalyIbrahim Mathana (EGY) in the 67.50kg andKazem Rajabi Golojeh (IRN) in the +100.00kgcategory.

Said IPC Powerlifting Chairperson PolWautermartens: "Our hosts in Busan couldnot have been better. We had an excellentcompetition, reflected not only in the highnumber of records that were broken but alsoin the increased number of top-levelcompetitors. We are very happy with theresults and I think everyone is lookingforward to a very tough competition inBeijing in two years time."

A comprehensive anti-doping testingprogramme was carried out at theChampionships and all participating NationalParalympic Committees were asked toprovide evidence of their anti-dopingprogrammes. The in-competition testingproduced no anti-doping rule violations; this isan important step forward for the sport ofPowerlifting in the fight against doping.

In conjunction with the Championships, theIPC Powerlifting Sports Assembly was alsoheld to discuss the development of theNational Classification System, strategicplanning and the future direction of the sportas well as discussions about the strategy forthe development and training of RegionalTechnical Delegates.

For more information, please visit the officialwebsite at www.ipc2006pwc.org.

Photo ©: Organizing Committee

A total of 242 athletes from 44 countriesgathered in Sargans, Switzerland, tocompete for world honours at the 2006 IPCShooting World Championships from 13 to 22July.

The Championships consisted of 13 Rifleand six Pistol Shooting events in both mixedindividual and mixed team competitions. Atthe completion of the Championships, Chinacame away as leaders on the medal tally withsix gold medals, five silver and one bronze.They were closely followed by Russia withsix gold, four silver and two bronze medals.

During the competition, six new individualworld records were set by Viktoria Wedin(SWE, R4), Jonas Jacobsson (SWE, R7), KurtMartinschit (AUT, R10) and Stefan Kopcik(SVK, R11). Andrey Lebedinsky (RUS) setnew world records in both the P3 and P5events.

A total of seven new team world recordswere also set by China (R1), Germany (R5),Korea (P1, R3 and R7) and Russia (P3 andP5). A number of other individual and teamworld records were also equalled.

The Championships received positive reportsfrom athletes, staff and IPC representatives,who were particularly impressed by the useof state-of-the-art technology and equipmentin the competition venues.

Also present at the Championships were tworepresentatives of the Organizing Committeefor the Beijing 2008 Olympic and ParalympicGames (BOCOG) who were observing theChampionships to assist with preparationsfor the Beijing 2008 Paralympics.

On 17 July, the IPC Shooting Sport Forum,chaired by Walter Vlaminck, brought severalissues to the table, including strategic

Photo ©: Prezioso

2006 IPC Athletics World Championships 2 - 10 September 2006 Assen, Netherlands2006 IPC Cycling World Championships 10 - 18 September 2006 Aigle, Switzerland2006 IPC Table Tennis World Championships 24 September - 1 October 2006 Montreux, Switzerland2006 IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport WC 14 - 15 October 2006 Arnhem, Netherlands2006 IPC Swimming World Championships 1 - 8 December 2006 Durban, South Africa

IPC SPORT CALENDAR

planning, the future direction of the sport andthe new IPC Sport Technical Committeebylaws and structure. There were alsoupdates given on the status of Shooting atseveral upcoming competitions.

For a complete list of results from theChampionships, please visit the officialwebsite at www.wch2006.ch.

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SPORT NEWS

Volleyball World Champions Crowned

Lithuania and Canada 2006 Goalball World Champions

World’s Judokas Compete in France

Canada Takes Double GoldCanada won gold in both the men's andwomen's competitions at the 2006International Wheelchair BasketballFederation (IWBF) Wheelchair BasketballWorld Championships, held in Amsterdam, theNetherlands, from 3 to 16 July.

The USA also took double silver medals inthe competition after both the men's andwomen's teams were defeated by Canada inthe finals. The men's bronze medal went toAustralia, while Germany took the bronze inthe women's competition.

In the men's competition, the top scorer forthe Championship was Koen Jansens (NED)and top rebounder, Dotan Meishar (ISR).Danielle Peers (CAN) was both the topfemale scorer and rebounder.

The competition involved eight women's and12 men's teams from around the world andover 40 international officials.

Wheelchair Basketball is one of the mostpopular sports on the Paralympic programme.It is designed for athletes who have aphysical disability that prevents running,jumping and pivoting. It is open to any male orfemale athlete with a lower limb disability andis played by two teams of five players each.The sport was first introduced to theParalympic programme in Rome in 1960 andis governed by the IWBF.

For more information, please visit the officialcompetition website www.goldcup2006.com.

Spartanburg in South Carolina, USA, was theproud host of the 2006 International BlindSport Federation (IBSA) World GoalballChampionships, held from 26 June until 2 July.The Championships involved 18 men's and13 women's teams.

In the men's final, Lithuania took a first halflead of 3:2 and then exploded with sevengoals in the second half to defeat Sweden.The USA took the bronze medal defeatingSlovenia 7:3. Nancy Morin was the starplayer for Canada as she scored four goalsto lead her team to a 5:2 victory in thewomen's final against China. USA took thebronze, defeating Denmark 4:2.

The top six men's and top four women'steams have now qualified for the Beijing

2008 Paralympic Games. The remainingteams will be decided at the ParalympicQualifier, held in conjunction with the 3rdIBSA World Games, in Brazil, from 28 July to8 August 2007.

Goalball is exclusively a sport for athleteswith a visual impairment and was introducedfor the first time at the Toronto 1976Paralympic Games. Competitors wear'blackout' masks, allowing athletes withvarying degrees of vision to participatetogether. Bells inside the ball help playersidentify the direction of the ball. Therefore,while play is in progress, the crowd must besilent to allow the players to concentrate.

A full list of results can be found atwww.worldgoalball.com.

in the final. They were followed by Polandwho took the bronze medal.

A total of 25 teams (five standing men, eightsitting women and 12 sitting men)participated in the championships, assistedby over 40 international referees andofficials.

Volleyball is governed by the WorldOrganisation Volleyball for Disabled (WOVD).Standing Volleyball was on the Paralympicprogramme from 1976 to 2000 and thesitting discipline was introduced at theArnhem 1980 Paralympics.

For more information, please visit the WOVDwebsite at www.wovd.info.

The 2006 Triple World Championships inSitting and Standing Volleyball took placefrom 17 to 25 June in Roermond, theNetherlands.

In the women's sitting competition, theNetherlands took the gold medal afternarrowly beating China in the final. Slovakiaclaimed the bronze after defeating Lithuania. In a replay of the final at the ATHENS 2004Paralympic Games, Bosnia-Herzegovina tookthe men's sitting gold medal in a 3:1 defeat ofIran, while Egypt took the bronze medal bydefeating Germany 2:3.

The championships also included a men’sStanding Volleyball competition which waswon by Canada, who defeated Germany 3:0

Winners in the women's individual categorieswere: -48kg Carmen Brussig (GER), -52kgSandrine Aurieres (FRA), -57kg RamonaBrussig (GER), -63kg Marta Arce (ESP), -70kg Sandorne Nagy (HUN), -78kg LanmeiXue (CHN) and +78kg Yanping Yuan (CHN).With these results, Germany took the overallwomen's title. Russia edged out the hostsFrance to take second place.

An IBSA Judo Assembly was also hostedduring the Championships to discuss severalissues. At the meeting, Christina Skandaki(GRE) and Ian Rose (GBR) were selected asthe two athletes' representatives for Judo.This was followed by a one-week trainingcourse for athletes, referees and coaches.

The 2006 IBSA Judo World Championshipswere held in Brommat, France, from 29 Juneto 3 July. The Championships broughttogether over 200 athletes with a visualimpairment, in all weight categories, frommore than 40 countries to fight for medalsand titles and for their first chance to qualifyfor the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

Winners in the men's individual categorieswere: -60kg Saeed Rahmati (IRI), -66kgVictor Sanchez (CUB), -73kg ShakhbanKurbanov (RUS), -81kg Cyril Jonard (FRA), -90 kg Tofig Mammadov (AZE), -100kgAntonio Silva (BRA) and +100kg YangalinyGimenez (CUB). The men's overall title waswon by Cuba followed by France andAzerbaijan. Photo ©: Benoît Hétet, F.F.Handisport

Photo ©: Prezioso

Photo ©: Lee Speer

Photo ©: Frans Nelissen & Ad van Geffen

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10THE PARALYMPIAN ISSUE 3: 2006

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Development Grants Make Impact Around the World

FISA: Coaching and Classification Workshop

With Rowing now included in the Beijing 2008Paralympic Games, interest in adaptiveRowing is growing rapidly. The InternationalRowing Federation (FISA) Adaptive RowingCommission, the British ParalympicAssociation and the London Regatta Centreheld a workshop to qualify classifiers forAdaptive Rowing, to equip coaches withnecessary classification and coachingknowledge in Adaptive Rowing and toprovide teams with all the necessaryinformation to develop Adaptive Rowing intheir own countries/regions/clubs.

The workshop, held in May 2006, was thesecond in a series also held in Hong Kong and

NPC Turkmenistan: Education and Training

From 26 to 29 May 2006 the NationalParalympic Committee of Turkmenistan helda seminar for a total of 40 participants,including Paralympic athletes, coaches andspecialists working with athletes with adisability.

The main goals of the seminar were toprovide education and training, to promotethe ideals and knowledge of the ParalympicMovement in Turkmenistan, to providepractical assistance to sport centres(recognized by their respective InternationalSports Organization for the Disabled, IOSD)working with persons with a disability in theprovinces of Turkmenistan and to encourage

NPC Slovenia: National Paralympic Day

For the first time, the National ParalympicCommittee of Slovenia organized their ownNational Paralympic Day in the capital city ofLjubljana on 17 June in the carpark of thecity's largest shopping centre.

A number of activities were available to letmembers of the public both with and withouta disability have a go at several Paralympicsports and to inform the public about thework of the Slovenian Paralympic Committeeand the athletes who represent Slovenia inthe Paralympic Games and othercompetitions.

Around 100 athletes with a disability tookpart in the day, including Paralympic

IPC Sport Science Committee: Research

Under the auspices of the IPC Sport ScienceCommittee, an international research groupwas established to conduct a biomechanicalanalysis study during the first World IndoorTrack and Field Championships in Bollnäs,Sweden, in March 2006. The group includedresearchers from Australia, Belgium, CzechRepublic, Greece, Great Britain, SouthAfrica, Sweden and the United States.

The research focused on athleteperformance, functional potential andtechnique. The interrelationships betweenthese components was studied and willcontribute to the understanding of track andfield events and the consequentdevelopment of an appropriate classification

Each year the IPC contributes thousands of Euros in funding to development projects run by IPC members,throughout the world. In this issue of The Paralympian, we highlight four such projects that have been made possible

thanks to the support of an IPC Development Grant.

Canada. Overall, participants included 23trainee technical classifiers and 18 traineemedical classifiers from 21 countries.Athletes attended the workshops in order tobe classified, but were also encouraged toparticipate in the Poplar Regatta on 14 May.

The project allowed a number coaches togain their FISA Level 1 - AdaptiveCertification for Coaching. Topics includedequipment, physiology, rowing technique,training methods and race preparation. Thiswas also the first step towards creating acoaching education programme forParalympic athletes and coaches as part ofthe overall FISA Coaching EducationProgramme.

the involvement of new young promisingathletes with a disability.

The educational content of the workshopwas based on a manual entitled 'CoachingAthletes with Disabilities', provided by theAustralian Sports Commission, which wastranslated from English. The seminarincluded both theoretical and practicalsessions such as coaching and trainingmethods, anti-doping and demonstrations insports such as Athletics, Goalball,Powerlifting and Table Tennis. The seminaralso received coverage from the local media.

champions Mateja Pintar (Table Tennis) andFranc Pinter (Shooting). Organizers estimatethat approximately 2,500 people visited theevent throughout the day.

Some of the activities available includedAthletics, Boccia, Goalball, Table Tennis,Swimming, Shooting, Volleyball (Sitting),Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Tennis.Giving able-bodied visitors a chance to tryout the sport allows them to develop arespect for the athletic ability of Paralympicathletes. For persons with a disability, it mayspark an interest to take up the sport eithersocially or competitively.

The NPC hopes to make the Day a regularevent in Slovenia. For more information,please visit www.zsis.si.

system. The study also investigatedresearch questions from the IntellectualDisability Exercise and Active LifestyleResearch Group (IDEAL-RG) to examine theeligibility of athletes with an intellectualdisability. The venue in Bollnäs wastransformed into a biomechanical laboratorywith high speed cameras, laser cameras andother research instruments.

At a practical level, the research providedathletes and coaches with immediateperformance feedback using images fromtwo (long jump and high jump) or three (shotput) cameras to provide a biomechanicalanalysis. It is hoped this feedback will initiatea better understanding of individualperformance and a more professionalattitude towards training.

Photo ©: Ivo Drinovec

Photo ©: FISA

Photo ©: NPC Turkmenistan

Photo ©: Yves Vanlandewijck

watch as Paralympians from five countriesspoke about their sport and demonstratedtheir equipment and skills (see photo). Visaalso became the presenting sponsor of thefirst-ever Paralympic Hall of Fame (PHF). Ata special ceremony in Torino, two athletes andone coach were inducted as members of thePHF. Visa's sponsorship of the PHFcelebrates the values of sportsmanship,excellence and commitment embodied bythese athletes and coach and recognizes thegreat influence they have had on theParalympics.

When the IPC successfully launchedwww.paralympicsport.tv, the first-ever liveParalympic Games webcast for the Torino2006 Winter Paralympics, Visa supported theinitiative as a presenting sponsor. Thisprovided an effective vehicle for Visa tocommunicate its support of the ParalympicGames worldwide.

But Visa's commitment stretchesbeyond Games-time. Over theyears, Visa has partnered withNational Paralympic Committeesin Brazil, Britain, Canada, Mexicoand the US to enrich theexperience of the Games for bothathletes and fans throughmarketing and fundraising prog-rammes. As part of the Team Visaand Gold Medal Athlete prog-rammes, Visa sponsored 12athletes from eight countries tocompete in the Torino 2006Winter Paralympics and helpshowcase their achievementsworldwide.

Visa was also a proud sponsor ofthe International Paralympic Daysin Torino, Italy, and Bonn,Germany, in 2005. The VisaParalympic World Cup providesVisa with an additionalopportunity to extend its support

Educational seminars and trainingprogrammes are the foundation on whichsafety within sport can be built. Developingsuch educational models is the next step inimproving the knowledge and understandingof those involved in sport for persons with adisability. Such seminars should be taught toregatta organizers, volunteers, officials,coaches and athletes, prior to competition.

Sailing is an empowering sport for personswith a disability. With minor adaptations,individuals with most physical disabilities canactively participate with a great degree ofsuccess and satisfaction. As more athleteswith a severe disability are graduallywelcomed into the Paralympic family, it will becritical that coaches, classifiers, eventorganizers and administrators are madeaware of these specific needs. By increasingawareness regarding athletes with a disability,a better understanding of their needs andexpectations can be developed in terms oftraining and competition prior to the Beijing2008 Paralympic Games.

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69 sailors from all of the countries in bothboat classes. A separate 'Coaches/OfficialsSurvey' in Greek was given to all of thecoaches, race officials, medical and rescuestaff and selected volunteers. Data wascollected prior to and during the Competition.In addition, venue observations wererecorded by the research team; both on-landand on-the-water, in order to furtherdocument the venue accessibility and safety.

The results of the IPC Safety in SailingProject performed at the ATHENS 2004Paralympic Games yielded numeroussuggestions and recommendations toenhance the safety and success of futureSailing regattas for persons with a disability,including those at future Paralympic Games.

From the survey results, it was found thatthere is a significant lack of understandingand knowledge about working with sailorswith a disability. Specific and unique examplesinclude a lack of practicing safety drills and alack of understanding of disability types andtheir functional limitations. The need for moreeducation regarding venue accessibility,medical and safety issues and psychosocialawareness is evident.

ATHENS Research - Part IIIThe IPC and the Organizing Committee forthe ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Gamesgranted SailSportMed (Joanne 'Anne' B. AllenM.D. of the IFDS Medical Committee, USDSTand Betsy Alison, US Sailing Head Coach)the opportunity to study safety at the Sailingvenue during the ATHENS 2004Paralympics. This study was recognized asan opportunity to make a significant impacton the quality of future regattas worldwide.By surveying the regatta participants,officials and support staff about theirprocedures, training, and knowledge baseabout safety in Sailing, potential educationalneeds could be identified. In addition, throughvenue observations during the ParalympicGames regatta, areas of concern at a Sailingevent for persons with a disability, such asaccessibility and volunteer procedures, couldbe assessed.

The study evaluated the knowledge base ofthe athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteerstaff through a series of surveys andassessed the venue itself and observed themanagement of any safety issues during thecompetition.

A 'Sailors Survey' addressing safety inSailing issues was distributed to each of the

Photo ©: Lieven Coudenys

MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC NEWS

Visa was proud to be a global sponsor of theTorino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games whereit was the official payment service and theonly card accepted. Torino was the thirdParalympic Games sponsored by Visafollowing the 2002 and 2004 Paralympics.

Sponsorship of the Paralympic Games allowsVisa to reach out to more than 500 millionpeople with a disability worldwide and theirfamilies with a message of inclusion. Byengaging in dialogue, raising awareness ofVisa products and services, developing newtechnologies specifically for the needs of thedisabled community, extending issuance, andcreating an affinity with Visa's 20,000member banks, Visa provides this globalcommunity with greater access and choice.

Today, Visa's involvement with theParalympics is more extensive than ever.Below is a snapshot of the initiatives Visa hasimplemented as part of their sponsorship.

A comprehensive brand campaign wasdeveloped prior to and during the Torino2006 Winter Paralympics. As part of theirmessage of inclusion, Visa was the onlysponsor that communicated their Olympicand Paralympic sponsorship through the useof a three-way (Visa/Olympic/Paralympic)logo. The campaign was featured at themajor airports, train stations, mountainvenues and throughout Torino.

The Paralympic Torch Relay provided a greatdeal of excitement leading up to the Gamesand Visa was proud to be a presentingsponsor. Visa also hosted its first WinterParalympic hospitality programme, whichprovided an excellent opportunity for keystakeholders to experience the excitement ofthe Winter Paralympics firsthand.

Visa successfully hosted two media events inTorino. Snow Day was held in Sestriere foryoung people with and without a disability.Guests had the opportunity to meet, talk and

of Paralympic sport. Visa has been apresenting sponsor since 2005 and willcontinue to be so through 2007.

Visa continues to utilize their websitewww.visaparalympics.com to communicate itssupport for the greater ParalympicMovement. The site is fully accessible topeople with vision and hearing impairments.

"As the first global sponsor of the ParalympicGames and Worldwide Partner of the IPC,Visa strongly supports the ParalympicMovement and will continue to help facilitateprogress toward greater worldwideacceptance of people with disabilities byproviding products and services that promoteequal access for the disabled community andby promoting awareness of athletes withdisabilities," said Tom Shepard, ExecutiveVice President, Global Marketing Partnershipsand Sponsorship, Visa International.

MARKETING NEWS

Now A Word From Our Sponsor

Photo ©: Lieven CoudenysPhoto ©: Visa

On 22 May, the world of sport gathered for astar-studded evening to recognize the bestathletes in the world at the seventh annualLaureus World Sports Awards. Theglamorous event was held at the Parc delForum in Barcelona, Spain, and hosted byactors Teri Hatcher and Cuba Gooding Jr.

The Laureus World Sportsperson of the Yearwith a Disability Award was presented toErnst van Dyk of South Africa. After winningthe award, van Dyk stated: "I don't think itcan get any better than this. To the kids inSouth Africa: you live in a beautiful countrywith so much potential. Don't sit around andwait for it to happen, go out and make ithappen."

For Ernst van Dyk, 2005 represented theculmination of a brilliant 13-year sportingcareer. In addition to winning his fifth straightBoston Marathon in the wheelchair category,van Dyk won four other prestigiousinternational marathons, including New Yorkand Paris. He took home two gold medalsfrom the Paralympic World Cup inManchester, and won numerous otherevents, including the North American 10kChampionships in New York, USA, and theRolling Rampage 10k event in Toronto,Canada.

The other nominees in the category forLaureus Sportsperson of the Year with aDisability were Kirsten Bruhn (Swimming,GER), Zsuzsanna Krajnyak (WheelchairFencing, HUN), Leo-Pekka Tahti (Athletics,FIN), Esther Vergeer (Wheelchair Tennis,NED) and Henry Wanyoike (Athletics, KEN).

The prestigious Laureus World SportsAwards honour the world's bestsportsmen and women and celebratesporting excellence across alldisciplines and continents each year.The winners are selected by a jury,

The cities of Sochi (Russia), Salzburg(Austria) and PyeongChang (Republic ofKorea)* have been approved by theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC)Executive Board as Candidate Cities to hostthe Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in2014.

The cities were selected from a total ofseven Applicant Cities, which also includedJaca (Spain), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Sofia(Bulgaria) and Borjomi (Georgia).

The selection was based on a study of theapplications submitted by each ApplicantCity submitted earlier this year. This studywas made by a working group of expertswho revised each Applicant City's potentialto host successful Winter Games in 2014.

Criteria for selection included factors such asgovernment support and public opinion,general infrastructure, sports venues,Olympic Village, environmental conditions andimpact, accommodation, transport, security,experience from past sports events and the

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2014 Candidate Cities Down to Three

Van Dyk Wins 2006 Laureus Awardincluding members of the Laureus WorldSports Academy.

The Awards Ceremony was broadcast toaround 190 countries and featured manywell-known personalities including King JuanCarlos of Spain, actor Morgan Freeman,FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Formula OneChief Bernie Ecclestone, Mercedes-McLarenDriver Juan Pablo Montoya and the bandJamiroquai.

sustainability and legacy of the overallproject. The IPC provided the IOC withcomments on the Paralympic Games specificinformation submitted by the Cities.

The three Candidate Cities now have timeuntil 10 January 2007 to submit theirCandidature File. An IOC EvaluationCommission, including one representativefrom the IPC, will visit the cities in February

Ernst Van Dyk (RSA) Winner of the LaureusWorld Sportsperson of the Year with aDisability Award. Photo ©: Getty Images

MISCELLANEOUS

Images ©: IOC

and March of 2007 to get a betterimpression and analyze the Candidature Filesin detail. Their report will be made public inJune 2007 before the final decision is madeby the full IOC membership during the 119thIOC Session in Guatemala City, Guatemala,next July.

* listed in the order of drawing of lots.