Year: 2021

The International Wheelchair Rugby Federation has launched a new discipline of wheelchair rugby known as Rugby 5s – a sport developed by Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby (GBWR) that provides for athletes with different functional abilities to the Paralympic discipline. A partnership has now been agreed whereby this sport can be developed internationally. The IWRF is indebted to GBWR for developing the Game which provides development opportunities for wheelchair rugby around the world ensuring the growth of the wheelchair rugby family.

David Pond the CEO of GBWR said;

“We are delighted that the IWRF are supporting the new discipline of WR5’s created and developed by GBWR in recognition of the many disabled individuals who want to play our game but whose levels of functionality prevented them from being classified into the Paralympic discipline. The beating heart of our sport must always be the Paralympic discipline as the game was invented for those with quadriplegia and we in GBWR will always protect that. Equally we want to provide the opportunity for other disabled people to enjoy our sport and be part of our community. WR5s is already proving hugely popular in Britain and we are excited about the potential of international competition”.

Cherie Harris who heads up the Development function for IWRF indicated her delight at the opportunities provided by Rugby 5s;

“For those that have felt unable to play this hard hitting, addictive sport due to eligibility… we bring you 5s. A discipline of the Paralympic version of the game enabling a more inclusive environment and fast paced action. The increased eligibility of 5s will only widen our global rugby family… we look forward to welcoming anyone ready for action”.

For more information you can view the Wheelchair Rugby 5s documents via: https://worldwheelchair.rugby/technical-and-officials/

Excitement is mounting as we head towards the first IWRF sanctioned Tournament since the outbreak of the pandemic. Initially postponed from July 2020, the Championships are now scheduled to run from 30 June to 3 July 2021 and what would have been an 8 Team event has been reduced to 6 Nations competing for the 2 promotion slots to Division A. Sadly, Austria and Ireland will not be travelling to Warsaw to compete against the Hosts, Poland plus Finland, Israel, Russia, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. It seems a long while ago, when Poland and Switzerland competed in Denmark in 2019 in Division A. Interestingly, Finland currently sit between these two in the World Rankings, with Russia nestling in behind. The Czech Republic and Israel, having been promoted from Division C, will be keen to show their mettle in what promises to be a thrilling Championships.

Covid-19 has without doubt added a huge amount of complexity to the staging of any major sporting event. The Local Organising Committee, hoping just to have to deal with the usual headaches of transport, accommodation and sorting training schedules, now find themselves as the authors of Risk Management and Covid-19 Plans, as the definers of what constitutes an Event Bubble and having to purchase vast amounts of Personal Protective Equipment, Hand Sanitiser and Testing equipment. It’s way more than they signed up for and they need to be congratulated for their dedication and commitment to the cause. Fortunately, they are also the team that has previously been responsible for organising the Metro Cup, so in terms of experience, the event is in very good hands.

International travel is in a state of flux and as a result, finding Officials and Classifiers who are able to fly to Poland and can afford to quarantine, if necessary, on their return home has been a challenge for IWRF. Consequently, this has created opportunities for several home-grown Officials to be part of a Tournament in their own country and in terms of the Classification Panel this will be a team of four, constituting a Type B Panel lead by Chief Classifier, Jacques Erasmus of South Africa, which means that only one athlete can be seen at a time. The Head Official is Katja Grotensohn of Germany, who will organise the six Referees, the two Games Commissioners and the two Evaluators. Head Table Official will be Jana Slavickova of the Czech Republic, who’s role includes the scheduling of the 8 Table Officials, drawn from across Poland and Germany.

With two Teams not able to compete, through no fault of their own, IWRF’s Competition Committee had a really difficult task to sort out how to solve the question of who will be relegated to Division C. After much deliberation and consultation with the Teams, they were able to come up with a very creative resolution to this tricky situation. Chair of the Competition Committee, Kathy Newman said “My colleagues and I realised that we had a real conundrum to deal with and I’m very grateful to them for all of their hard work in arriving at the following solution: With only 2 teams currently in Division C it has been decided that there will be no relegation from these Division B Championships and to combine Divisions B and C for the next round of Championships in 2022. There will be either a 10 Team Tournament or two 5 Team Tournaments held that year and those 10 Teams will be the two Teams relegated from Division A in 2022, the six Teams remaining in Division B and the two Teams currently in Division C. It’s a great outcome and it helps to resolve the issue of trying to find a host for a Division C event with only four Teams”

The event venue will be the Arena Ursynow, the same as the Metro Cup and despite the fact that spectators will not be able to attend, the Local Organising Committee and the Polish Federation have made sure that all of the fifteen matches will be live-streamed, so that viewers around the world, starved of live international Wheelchair Rugby for so long, will be able to enjoy the thrills and spills of the sport, once more. Details of how to watch will be posted on the IWRF and event websites in due course.

First time IWRF Technical Delegate, Simon Starr stated, “The Partnership between the Local Organising Committee and IWRF has been excellent and the Member Nations have been very understanding that we are all working extremely hard to ensure that we can arrange a European Championships in an environment that prioritises the health and safety of our athletes and officials. It’s been a long time in the making and now that we’re almost there, I’m really looking forward to what promises to be a brilliant Tournament and with no recent form to guide us, it truly is wide open.”

We continue to receive queries regarding our new requirements around mandatory medical diagnostic information for athletes.  The IPC Classification Code requires us to confirm that athletes have a permanent, verifiable health condition that results in an eligible impairment, as defined in our IWRF Classification Rules.  We perform this verification by examining medical diagnostic information submitted by athletes.

To streamline this process, we have created 2 new forms that will need to be completed when submitting the required information. 

These forms are:

IWRF Medical Diagnostic Form

IWRF Medical Review Request Form

IWRF Medical Diagnostic Form

This form is required for all New (N) athletes and must be received by the IWRF Head of Classification a minimum of 6 weeks prior to the event where the athlete is to be classified for the first time.  This form must be completed by a registered medical doctor, with a specialisation in the athlete’s health condition (where possible).  The form must also be accompanied by medical documentation that confirms the presence of the athlete’s health condition.  The form provides guidance regarding the types of medical evidence that are acceptable for each impairment type.  The form must be completed in English, and any accompanying medical documentation must also be in English or have a verified English translation.

IWRF Medical Review Request Form

This form is required for athletes who have sport class statuses of Confirmed (C), Review (R) or Fixed Review Date (FRD) and wish to be re-classified due to a change in circumstances with respect to their health condition.  This may be necessary, for example, if an athlete:

Received treatment which may change their impairment profile (e.g. Botox injections, tendon releases, amputation).

Has an impairment that is progressive and/or has changed to an extent that the athlete most likely does not fit his/her current sport class profile any more.

Has a new additional eligible health condition that has resulted in a permanent change to the athlete’s degree of impairment to an extent that the athlete most likely does not fit his/her current sport class profile anymore.

This form must be received by the IWRF Head of Classification a minimum of 12 weeks prior to the competition where the athlete, if the medical review is accepted, will undergo re-evaluation.  The change in impairment must be demonstrated by medical documentation.  Any included medical documentation must be in English or be accompanied by a verified English translation.  This form also requires endorsement by the athlete’s NMO or NPC.  If Medical Review is accepted, the athlete’s sport class status will be changed to Review (R) with immediate effect.

Submission of Medical Information

Submission of medical forms and documentation will be via a secure online system.  Emailed information will not be accepted due to the fact that email systems are not considered to be secure, and therefore are not suitable for sending sensitive athlete medical information to the IWRF.  Medical Diagnostic Information will be submitted through the IWRF Membership and Licensing System (MALS).  A guide for submission of this information will be published at International Wheelchair Rugby Federation : Classification (iwrf.com).

The process for submitting information via MALS is:

1. NMO to login to MALS
2. Click on the “NMO Licensees” tab
3. Identify the athlete that you would like to upload the form/information for
4. Under the “actions” column (far right) click the “Upload Documents” button
5. Select the document type (Classification) that you are uploading from the drop-down list
6. Complete the “File Title” and “Description” boxes
7. Select the file to upload
8. Click “Upload”
9. Email IWRF Head of Classification (gungerer@iwrf.com) to advise that athlete medical diagnostic information has been uploaded via MALS.  Please include all athlete names in this email.
10. If additional medical diagnostic information is required, or the submitted information is incomplete, further information will be requested via return email.

Retention of Medical Information by the IWRF

The IWRF will retain the submitted medical documentation until the end of the event where the athlete is classified for the first time, or the athlete’s medical review occurs.  At the end of the event, the athlete’s Classification Database file will be updated to reflect that the medical documentation received was accepted and met the IWRF’s requirements in terms of confirming that the athlete has an eligible health condition and impairment type.  At this time, all submitted documentation will be securely destroyed.

There may be situations where Classification Panels request to see an athlete’s medical diagnostic information in order to assist them in allocating a sport class during an event.  With this in mind, the IWRF recommends that athletes retain copies of any medical information submitted during the processes outlined in this article, should they be required again in the future. 

We strongly recommend that athletes bring any medical diagnostic information that has been submitted with them when they are being classified, as this information may be useful in assisting Classification Panels in allocating the correct sport class.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has opened nominations for the 2021 IPC Scientific Award in its continuing effort to honour the work of researchers in the Paralympic Movement.

The Award will be presented at the 2021 VISTA Conference taking place virtually, over six days in partnership with six leading Universities between 18 November and 16 December 2021. The Award winner will also deliver a keynote address at the VISTA Conference.

First awarded in 2005, the biennial Scientific Award recognises an academic researcher for his or her work and contribution in the field of sports for persons with an impairment. More information and details on how to submit nominations before the 23 July 2021 12:00 GMT deadline can be found at www.vista2021.com.

Dr. Debra Alexander, IPC Governing Board Member, Chair of the IPC Science and Research Working Group and VISTA 2021 Scientific Committee Chair, said: “We feel truly blessed to, during these challenging times, not only celebrate the 10th anniversary of IPC’s scientific gathering but also the achievements of Para sport researchers who continue to pursue excellence and inspire through their work ethic, passion, dedication and contribution to Para sport research and the Paralympic movement.  

“Over and above acknowledging and rewarding the work of our researchers, the award encourages and promotes further study and contribution to the body of scientific knowledge and expertise in Para sport.”

The Award was presented to Professor Yves Vanlandewijck at the VISTA 2019 conference held at the Institute of Sport Science in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Vanlandewijck is a professor in Rehabilitation Sciences at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, at Leuven University, Belgium and at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH) Stockholm, Sweden. He is one of the pioneers of and a leading lecturer in the International Master programme in Adapted Physical Activity.

He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, is a reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed scientific journals and has promoted more than 10 PhD projects in the field of physical activities and sports for people with impairments. Professor Vanlandewijck joined the IPC Sport Science Committee in 1995, and between 2004 and 2018 chaired this committee.

At VISTA 2017, the Award went to Loughborough University professor Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey while at VISTA 2015, it was presented to Professor Jennifer Mactavish, Dean of the Yeats School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson University.

More information on previous award winners can be found on the IPC website  https://www.paralympic.org/the-ipc/awards/paralympic-scientific

IPC members, IPC Governing Board members, Sport Technical Committees, IPC Standing Committees and Councils can all submit nominations ahead of the deadline which is on 23 July 2021 at 12:00 GMT.

More information can be found on the IPC handbook, section 2, chapter 3.11. https://www.paralympic.org/sites/default/files/document/181017180708072_Sec+ii+chapter+3_11_1+IPC+Award+Selection+Policy_September+2018.pdf

The VISTA 2021 Conference will take place online (www.vista2021.com).

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that Taipei City, Chinese Taipei, will stage the 20th IPC General Assembly between 11 and 12 December 2021. Ahead of the General Assembly, the IPC Conference will take place on 9 and 10 December at the same venue and will include the 2021 Paralympic Awards.

Organised by the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Chinese Taipei and held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, the 2021 IPC General Assembly will have extra significance as elections for the IPC President and the IPC Governing Board will take place, while a vote on a new IPC constitution will also take place.

The General Assembly is the supreme authority of the IPC and meets every two years. It last met in October 2019 in Bonn, Germany, on the occasion of the IPC’s 30th anniversary. The last IPC Governing Board elections took place in 2017 when the event was staged in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The IPC Governing Board is elected by the IPC membership every four years at the IPC General Assembly, and is responsible for setting the policies and for ensuring that the directions set by the membership at the General Assembly are implemented. Composed of 12 elected members, plus the IPC CEO and Chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council, it meets at least three times a year and meetings are chaired by the President.

There will be an election for IPC President. Current IPC President Andrew Parsons has held office since 2017, when he succeeded Sir Philip Craven. Also up for the election will be the position of IPC Vice President and 10 members at large. An interim agenda, along with a call for nominations for candidates will be circulated this week.

Members also will be voting on the IPC’s new constitution, which follows several years of dialogue with members about the IPC’s governance review, entitled “Remaining Fit for Purpose”. As the title of the effort suggests, the purpose of this dialogue has been to ensure that the IPC remains a world leading sports organisation.  The final version of the new constitution will be made available to members six-weeks prior to the General Assembly.  

The IPC and NPC Chinese Taipei, in its capacity of host of the 2021 IPC General Assembly, will be providing the opportunity for members to participate in the General Assembly in person or remotely. The assembly sessions will be live streamed for members attending remotely, which will include a mechanism for members to cast their votes.

Mike Peters, IPC Chief Executive Officer, said: “After a robust and transparent bid process, that attracted several highly competitive bids, we are thrilled that Chinese Taipei will host the 20th IPC General Assembly and would like to congratulate NPC Chinese Taipei for their excellent bid.

“This is a landmark meeting, as in addition to members electing a new IPC Governing Board, they will be asked to approve a new IPC constitution, both of which will have an impact on the future direction of the Paralympic Movement and the athletes we all serve, as well as the one billion people on this planet who have a disability.

“It is fitting that the General Assembly is held in east Asia this year between the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. It also will be exciting for us to join in person as a Paralympic Movement once more.”

Dr Mu Ming-Chu, President of NPC Chinese Taipei, said: “We are thrilled and grateful for this opportunity to work with IPC in staging the 2021 IPC General Assembly. NPC Chinese Taipei is committed to providing a safe and pleasant environment for all delegates to attend this biennial event. We are confident in hosting a successful IPC General Assembly with a smooth election and a spectacular Awards ceremony. This year is going to be extraordinary and memorable. I look forward to welcoming all members of the IPC family to join us to have a wonderful time in Taipei City.”

Representatives from the IPC’s 201 members made up of NPCs, International Federations, Regional Organisations, and International Organisations of Sport for the Disabled can attend and vote.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has introduced a virtual #ParalympicAlbum to engage its social media audience with the top Para athletes going for gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Each week until 31 July, Paralympic fans can head to @Paralympics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to vote on two athletes per sport. The athletes – female and male – with the most votes will be featured on the sticker album.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=paralympics&set=a.10158791295516281

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CO-dqvQNJ3E/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Paralympics/status/1394275321529217025?s=20

The #ParalympicAlbum launched on 17 May as part of the ‘Sport Week’ series; each week the IPC is producing content on its digital channels to engage and educate its audience about the 22 sports on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic programme. The content includes the announcement of Ones to Watch – a list of the top athletes vying for the podium this summer. Paralympic enthusiasts can go to the IPC website https://www.paralympic.org/ to understand what makes these athletes standout.

Para archery and Para athletics kicked off Sport Week, with videos, engaging facts and athlete feature stories published on the IPC’s platforms. As for the #ParalympicAlbum, fans picked the USA’s Matt Stutzman and China’s Zhou Jiamin to complete the first sticker slots. Cuba’s Omara Durand and Germany’s Markus Rehm racked up the most votes to secure their spots on the album.

This week will offer Para badminton, which makes it first appearance at a Paralympics this summer, and boccia. The format continues until the end of July, wrapping up with wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that the 10th edition of the VISTA Conference will be organised virtually over six days in partnership with six leading Universities between 18 November and 6 December 2021.

Designed to provide a platform for sport scientists and researchers to hear from and have dialogue with experts in the field of sport for athletes with impairments, VISTA 2021 will be led by KU Leuven, Belgium; University of Stellenbosch, South Africa; The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden; School of Kinesiology; Western University, Canada; University of Pittsburgh, USA; and Yonsei University, South Korea.

VISTA 2021 will address six themes at the heart of the Paralympic Movement: Ethics and Integrity (18 Nov) – Socio-Cultural Legacy (22 Nov) – Health and Medicine (29 Nov) – Evidence-Based Classification (1 Dec) – Technology in Paralympic Sport (14 Dec) – Paralympic Performance (16 Dec).

Each theme will be discussed during dedicated three-hour long online sessions which will include a keynote address (30 min), oral presentations (90 min) and a panel discussion with renowned experts (60 min). Keynotes, oral and poster presentations will be pre-recorded and made available online to all participants on 1 November 2021. In this way, the three hours online session is reserved for Q&A and interaction with the audience.

Sports scientists and experts in Para sport are invited to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations through the conference website www.vista2021.com which will open on May 15, 2021. Abstract submissions are expected until 10 July 2021, 23:59 WET.

Participants registering for the six-day conference before 15 September 2021 at www.vista2021.com can take advantage of an early bird registration fee of EUR 175. Students can book their places for EUR 80 until 15 September. Partial registration for selected themes is also foreseen at www.vista2021.com. Participation in the conference is free for all Paralympians who participated in the Paralympic Games from Rome 1960 to Tokyo 2020. Registration fee is waived for delegates from countries on the lower 50% of the UN Human development Index ranking 2020. 

VISTA provides a forum for exchanging the latest information, research and expertise related to the Paralympic Movement and promotes cross-disciplinary interaction between sport scientists, athletes, coaches, administrators and the media.

Further information regarding registration and speakers for VISTA 2021 can be found at www.vista2021.com

Wheelchair Rugby Australia (WRA) has today announced Kayo Sports as the official streaming partner of the 2021 GIO Wheelchair Rugby National Championship on the Gold Coast later this month.

The historic announcement comes as a major boost to the domestic wheelchair rugby scene in Australia, with Kayo set to stream 19 matches across both divisions of the championship, including all medal matches, live and free on their platform. In addition, Fox Sports will broadcast a highlights package from each day of the tournament.

All 19 matches will be streamed free via Kayo Freebies, with fans able to access the coverage by downloading the Kayo Sports app or visiting www.kayosports.com.au/freebies and registering for a Freebies account. Kayo Freebies are free, and no credit card details are required to register and start streaming.

Following a disappointing 2020 season of no competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deal is set to reignite domestic interest in wheelchair rugby ahead of the impending Paralympic Games in August later in the year.

Wheelchair Rugby Australia’s General Manager, Chris Nay said “This is a history-making deal for our sport. We are extremely grateful to the team at Kayo and Fox Sports for seeing the value in our product and supporting us in this manner. The difference this streaming deal and added exposure will make to our athletes, state programs and the broader disability sports community in Australia is immeasurable.”

Kayo’s Director of Marketing, Kim McConnie, said: “We are really excited to be partnering with Wheelchair Rugby Australia to help showcase the incredible talent and skill involved in the sport to new audiences.

“This partnership forms part of our ongoing commitment to make selected games and events from all sporting competitions supported by the Federal Government’s women’s, niche and underrepresented sports grant available for free on Kayo, where our rights permit.”

The event will be staged in one of Australia’s premier sporting facilities, the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre in Carrara. Tickets are on sale at the website below, with the Bronze and Gold medal matches scheduled to take place on Sunday 30 May before a sell-out crowd.

Tickets available at www.wheelchairrugby.com.au

2021 GIO Wheelchair Rugby National Championship

Dates: Friday 28 – Sunday 30 May

Venue: Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, Carrara QLD 4211

Ticketing: www.wheelchairrugby.com.au

Further Information:

Chris Nay, General Manager, Wheelchair Rugby Australia

M: 0405 036 727

E: chris@wheelchairrugby.com.au

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Allianz’s official podcast ‘A Winning Mindset: Lessons From The Paralympics’ won a prestigious Webby Award on Tuesday (18 May), recognised as the winner in the Best Branded Podcast or Segment category.

‘A Winning Mindset’ took the accolade in the Best Branded Podcast or Segment category at the Webby Awards from a shortlist which also included notable global organisations including Headspace.

Produced in collaboration with Livewire Sport and launched in August 2020, A Winning Mindset featured 20 episodes, with each episode digging deeper than the Paralympian’s on-field accomplishments with athletes sharing experiences that can benefit the audience’s everyday life, such as self-acceptance, mental health and body image.

Natalia Dannenberg-Spreier, IPC Head of Brand and Engagement, said: “We are delighted to accept this award on behalf of the International Paralympic Committee, Allianz, Livewire Sport and show host Andy Stevenson. Huge thank you to the Para athletes and special guests.

“Their stories of defiance, leadership and self-acceptance motivated and provided life lessons to our listeners. In a year where the global pandemic has disproportionately affected the world’s 15 per cent who have a disability, it was important for the voices of the world’s largest marginalised group to be heard, to initiate change towards a society more inclusive of persons with disabilities.”

Eike Bürgel, Global Head of Olympic and Paralympic Program Management at Allianz, added: “Thank you to every athlete for continuing to challenge, connect with and give confidence to each of us through your stories. This award belongs to you – and Allianz remains committed to getting behind you and the wider Paralympic Movement for what’s ahead.”

This year’s star-studded nominees across different podcast categories included Oprah’s Book Club, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and On Purpose with Jay Shetty. 

Following the exciting news of winning a Webby Award, the IPC and Allianz can also confirm that a second series of A Winning Mindset will launch later this year, focusing on 20 new athletes who provide wisdom and motivation through their sporting and personal achievements.

The Webby Awards are a leading international award honouring excellence on the Internet, considered by The New York Times as “Internet’s highest honour.” It is presented annually by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), a judging body composed of over 2,000 members including leading Internet experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries, and creative celebrities.

Reflecting the tremendous growth of the Internet, The Webbys now honours excellence in seven major media types: Websites, Video, Advertising, Media & PR, Social, Apps, Mobile, & Voice, Games, and Podcasts.

Greek boccia player Greg Polychronidis said: “Winning the Webby award is a major achievement and I really feel proud that I’ve been a member of the IPC & Allianz chosen athletes that shared their story in order to inspire, as well let people know the insights of the Paralympians path.

“Personally, I shared a setback that made me stronger afterwards and led me to great sports achievements. Allianz is not only my sponsor, but also a company that is truly interested in all I do and always is next to me in order to win competitions.”

In addition to Greg’s story, all 20 episodes delved into personal stories and explored how they have used the support of others to achieve their goals in and away from sport.

Australian goalball player Meica Horsburgh talked mental health and explained how she recovered from a dark moment in life, https://audioboom.com/posts/7690551-meica-horsburgh-on-mental-health, while French wheelchair basketball player Grace Wembolua boldly described her journey from surviving an arson attack to becoming a body-image influencer: https://audioboom.com/posts/7695921-grace-wembolua-on-body-confidence

Among other guests were Paralympic champions Sherif Osman of Egypt https://audioboom.com/posts/7712341-sherif-osman-on-the-importance-of-willpower and Bebe Vio of Italy https://audioboom.com/posts/7756744-bebe-vio-on-defiance; and Breaking Bad TV series star RJ Mitte: https://audioboom.com/posts/7734148-rj-mitte-on-what-hollywood-can-learn-from-the-paralympics

The first series achieved over 100k+ downloads and received interaction from National Paralympic Committees, International Federations and notable social media personalities such as Australian comedian Adam Hills and British broadcaster Clare Balding OBE.

The first official Paralympics video game ‘The Pegasus Dream Tour’ pre-registration system is launching Monday (17 May), with those interested being able to apply already through Pegasus official website https://pegasus-dream.com/, as well as on Google Play and Apple App Store.

‘The Pegasus Dream Tour’ will be available worldwide on smartphone devices on 24 June 2021 in the build-up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, as part of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)’s efforts to further promote Para sports across new young audiences.

Developed by JP Games, a studio founded by renowned Japanese game director Hajime Tabata, ‘The Pegasus Dream Tour’ is an avatar role-playing game (Massive Avatar RPG) which places players into a virtual Paralympic Games held in a fantasy, futuristic, inclusive and diverse metropolis known as Pegasus City.

The game generates an advanced avatar named ‘Mine’, which pursues its dreams of becoming a Para athlete and is created based on the player’s own face through a photo taken with their smartphones. Mine can forge new relationships with other avatars by freely roaming the city and participating in different competitions.

IPC Brand & Communications Officer Craig Spence said: “We are greatly excited about The Pegasus Dream Tour launch on 24 June as it will help the Paralympic Movement connect and build engagement with new and younger audiences, as well further increase Para sport awareness ahead of Tokyo 2020.

“We want all gaming and sports enthusiasts to pre-register already for this ground-breaking video game, which will see people from across the world virtually coming together and being able to enjoy the Paralympic Games in a whole new, innovative and fun way.”

Players can participate in boccia, football 5-a-side, athletics and wheelchair basketball online tournaments and interact with other players as they take part in this immersive Paralympic experience not only as spectators, but as actual participants.

‘The Pegasus Dream Tour’ aims to enable people to enjoy the Paralympics in an innovative way by gathering in Pegasus City, having fun and interacting with their friends even if they cannot do it physically due the current difficult circumstances.

It will be available in five languages: Japanese, English, French, German and Spanish.

In addition, nine of the world’s best Para athletes will show up in the game such as Japan’s boccia player Takayuki Hirose, Canadian wheelchair basketball player Patrick Anderson, New Zealand’s field athlete Holly Robinson and Argentina’s football 5-a-side legend Silvio Velo.

They are joined by Worldwide Paralympic Partner Bridgestone-supported athletes Manami Tanaka (wheelchair tennis, Japan), Kohei Kobayashi (badminton, Japan), Rie Ogura (badminton, Japan), Scout Bassett (athletics, USA) and Chaiwat Rattana (athletics, Thailand).