Author: Editor Prime

The Birmingham Organizing Committee for The World Games 2022 (TWG2022) has officially launched ticket sales. The release date marks only one year until the city welcomes the world to the Opening Ceremony at Protective Stadium.

The World Games 2022, an international multi-sport event organized with the support of the International Olympic Committee, will hold its 11th edition in Birmingham from July 7-17, 2022. An anticipated 3,600 athletes will participate in more than 30 different sports throughout The Games.

“Today is a very big day for the State of Alabama and the entire nation as The World Games 2022 officially opens our ticket sales,” TWG2022 CEO, Nick Sellers said. “We could not be more excited for this once-in-a-lifetime event. This is the first opportunity sports fans will have to attend an international multi-sport event on American soil since the pandemic. We’re honored to have that distinction and we can’t wait to see thousands of fans from around the world in Birmingham a year from now to watch the new generation of sports.”

Tickets can be purchased for each individual sport, as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and in select packages. To purchase tickets to The World Games 2022, visit TWG2022.com. “We want to encourage everyone to jump on the opportunity to purchase their tickets now,” Sellers said. “We expect many venues to sell out quickly, and we don’t want anyone to miss out on their chance to witness history.”

The Birmingham Organizing Committee also announced several musical artists that will perform at The World Games 2022, including Master of Funk turned TWG2022 Master of Ceremonies Bootsy Collins and country music icons Randy Owen and Sara Evans.

In addition to the musical artists, the official mascots of The World Games 2022, Vulcan and Vesta, were also officially revealed.

Named after the famous Vulcan statue that overlooks Birmingham, the largest cast iron statue in the world, Vulcan is joined by a female companion, Vesta. Both mascots are presented by O’Neal Industries and in partnership with the Vulcan Park and Museum with costume design by Princess Closet Designs.

The Vulcan originally represented Birmingham at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and has come full circle to help the community welcome the world in July 2022.

The announcements and ticket sales were celebrated at an event at The Club in Birmingham featuring comments from Sellers, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato.

ABOUT THE WORLD GAMES 2022

The World Games 2022 Birmingham is the new generation of global sport competition, welcoming elite athletes from all over the world to compete for gold in 34 unique, multi-disciplinary sports. Featuring 3,600 athletes from more than 100 countries, the international event will unite global fans with the Birmingham community in 25+ venues around the greater metropolitan area. The World Games 2022

Birmingham, which marks the 40th anniversary of the event, will take place from July 7-17, 2022 and will generate an estimated $256 million in economic impact. The World Games was established by the International World Games Association, an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The World Games 2022 is supported by the International Olympic Committee. For more information visit TWG2022.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

The IWRF announce the inaugural International Wheelchair Rugby Federation Sports Science and Sports Medicine Conference 2021 in partnership with the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport (Loughborough University). The event brings together practitioners, coaches, medical staff and students, from the fields of sports science, medicine, physiotherapy, coaching and strength and conditioning.

Taking place Wednesday 22^nd September 2021 13:00 – 18:30 BST.

This virtual event will cover historical insights into sports science and medicine, covering topics on Classification, thermoregulation, autonomic dysreflexia, shoulder health, nutrition and much more.

The event is delivered by:

The event will be delivered by Professor Vicky Goosey-Tolfrey, Director of the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport (PHC), Loughborough University, and IPC Paralympic Scientific Award recipient 2017.

Dr Viola Altman, IWRF Classifier and Honrary Clinical Lecturer in Rehabilitation at Loughborough University.

Steve Griffiths, IWRF CEO.

Dr Ken Lee, IWRF Chief Medical Officer and Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Administration Medical Centre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA).

Supported by Dr Sven Hoekstra, Research Assistant of the PHC at Loughborough University.

The events online registration will be opening soon.

IPC announces six athletes to compete for the Refugee Paralympic Team at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

• The athletes and where they are refugees from: Ibrahim Al Hussein (Syria), Alia Issa (Syria), Parfait Hakizimana (Burundi), Abbas Karimi (Afghanistan), Shahrad Nasajpour (Iran), and Anas Al Khalifa (Syria).
• International stars Chris Martin, Alphonso Davies, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Barbara Hendricks, Khaled Hosseini, Asmir Begović champion the refugee cause and welcome the “world’s most courageous sports team” in a heart-warming reveal video https://youtu.be/dhlCevI-vIM
• IPC working with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and Airbnb to support the team and raise awareness of the 82 million displaced people globally.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has today confirmed the six athletes who will represent the Refugee Paralympic Team (RPT) at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The athletes, one woman and five men will compete in Para athletics, Para swimming, Para canoe and Para taekwondo.

The team represents the more than 82 million people around the world who have been forced to flee war, persecution, and human rights abuses, 12 million of whom live with a disability. The Chef de Mission for the team is Ileana Rodriguez, a refugee from Cuba who competed in the London 2012 Paralympic Games in swimming for the USA.

Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “I would urge people everywhere to support the world’s most courageous sports team, the Refugee Paralympic Team. These athletes exemplify how change starts with sport: they have suffered life-changing injuries, fled for their safety and undertaken dangerous journeys, but despite the many barriers put in their way, they have become elite athletes ready to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

“Sport is a powerful tool to include refugees with disabilities in society and the announcement of the Refugee Paralympic Team is a poignant moment for the IPC – we are delivering on a commitment we made at the UNHCR Global Refugee Forum in 2019 to promote equal participation in sporting events for refugees.”

The IPC is working with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to provide opportunities for these remarkable Para athletes to tell their stories at the Games and send a strong message of hope and inspiration to others around the world who have been forced to flee. While all refugees face significant challenges, those with disabilities are frequently at heightened risk and face additional barriers to accessing assistance, services, and opportunities.

UNHCR, the IPC and the RPT athletes are calling for a world in which all displaced people – with or without disabilities – can equally access sport and a commitment to an inclusive and equal world for all. RPT athlete Abbas Karimi, who was a member of UNHCR’s Global Youth Advisory Council and who has recently been named a UNHCR High Profile Supporter epitomises this commitment as a passionate advocate for disabled refugees’ access to and inclusion in sport – at all levels.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi welcomed the announcement.

“I am thrilled to congratulate each of the six athletes named today as members of the IPC Refugee Paralympic Team. I am also immensely proud of our collaboration with the International Paralympic Committee in promoting inclusion of refugees with disabilities in sport. These athletes, as individuals and as a Team are sending a message of hope and inspiration to refugees around the world. They are truly trailblazers in promoting refugee and disability inclusion, in elite sport and in life, and we hope their example will move us one step closer towards an inclusive and equal world for all,” Grandi said.

The RPT was announced via a video by stars from the worlds of music, sport, literature, stage and screen who champion the refugee cause. They included Goodwill Ambassadors and High Profile Supporters from UNHCR, the UN Refuge Agency. The athletes on the Refugee Paralympic Team for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are:

• Ibrahim Al Hussein, Syrian refugee living in Athens, Greece, Para swimming – announced by Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin.
• Alia Issa, Syrian refugee living in Athens, Greece, Para athletics (club throw) – announced by British actress and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
• Parfait Hakizimana*, Burundian refugee living in the Mahama Refugee Camp, Rwanda, Para taekwondo – announced by opera singer and French Legion d’honneur recipient and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Barbara Hendricks.
• Abbas Karimi, Afghan refugee living in Fort Lauderdale, USA, Para swimming – announced by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Khaled Hosseini, the best-selling author of The Kite Runner and himself an Afghan refugee.
• Anas Al Khalifa, Syrian refugee living in Halle, Germany, Para canoe – announced by footballer and UNHCR High Profile Supporter, Asmir Begović, who was forced to flee his home in Bosnia and Herzegovina at a young age, first arriving in Germany.
• Shahrad Nasajpour, Iranian refugee living in Phoenix, USA, Para athletics (discus) – announced by Bayern Munich and Canada footballer Alphonso Davies, himself a refugee originally from Liberia and recently announced as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.

*Parfait’s participation in the Games is subject to him being classified by 1 August 2021.

The RPT Tokyo 2020 will compete under the IPC flag, and will be the first Team to enter the Japan National Stadium during the opening ceremony. 

The IPC has been able to support the RPT to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games thanks to the generous backing of commercial partners:

• Airbnb – Worldwide Paralympic Partner. Airbnb, as part of its mission of belonging, has been supporting refugee initiatives since 2015, first through its Open Homes programme, and now Airbnb.org and Paralympian Experiences – and is the lead partner of the Refugee Paralympic Team.
• ASICS – Official Supplier of the IPC. ASICS is the official sport apparel kit provider of the RPT at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
• Panasonic – Worldwide Paralympic Partner. Panasonic published a photo book entitled Ayase Haruka meets Beautiful Athletes showcasing their “Beautiful Japan towards 2020” campaign. Part of the proceeds from the sales of this book were donated to supporting the RPT.

Catherine Powell, Global Head of Hosting at Airbnb, said: “I’d like to congratulate the six members of the Refugee Paralympic Team competing in Tokyo 2020 officially announced today. When I read the stories of Abbas, Shahrad, Anas, Alia, Ibrahim and Parfait, their journeys seem so different, yet there is a common thread – how often one person helped change their lives by welcoming these terrific athletes into their new communities and making them feel they belong, I encourage you to go and read more about these athletes and join Airbnb in cheering them on!”

Tokyo 2020 President Hashimoto said: “The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee welcomes the participation of the Refugee Paralympic Team at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, following its debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. I hope that the Refugee Team will show the world the endeavour, the resilience and the hope of human beings through sporting competition, and that they will perform at their best with a wish for peace. We will continue to cooperate with the IPC and relevant local municipalities and will make every effort to ensure everything proceeds smoothly and safely for the Refugee Team.”

The RPT also honours the legacy of Sir Ludwig Guttmann. He was a refugee who found a new home to welcome him and repaid that kindness by helping create one of the world’s great movements, the Paralympic Movement. The RPT builds on previous refugee initiatives created by the IPC. At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games a two-person team of refugee and asylum-seeking athletes formed the Independent Paralympic Athletes Team.

Ileana Rodriguez, Chef de Mission for the Refugee Paralympic Team, added: “I am so pleased for all the athletes who have made it to the Refugee Paralympic Team. This past year has been especially challenging for refugee athletes, but they are no stranger to toughness in their lives. Showing the very best of human spirit, they will be a team like no other at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. They will proudly represent the 12 million refugees around the world who have a disability and show that everyone has potential.”

The six countries that will compete in the Wheelchair Rugby tournament at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham in Alabama have been announced.

The United States as the host will be joined by Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Japan and Switzerland when the sport makes its debut on The World Games programme.

“I’m proud to see the inclusion of wheelchair rugby into The World Games 2022,” said International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) President Richard Allcroft, and continued: “My thanks to the Organising Committee in Alabama, USA for pushing this initiative and to the International World Games Association for their innovative thinking in terms of inclusion. It was important to us as the International Federation that we included a discipline of our sport that wasn’t in the Paralympic Games. This continues the ethos of The World Games.”

 

At The World Games 2022, the Wheelchair Rugby discipline to be played is Low Point Wheelchair Rugby. It is a mixed gender full contact sport where athletes with impairment classes 0.5 (most severe), 1.0 and 1.5 take part, on a scale that goes up to 3.5. The 4 athletes on the court total a maximum of 3.5 points.

Besides the teams invited, the IWRF have put four countries on standby in case those already confirmed have to withdraw from The World Games next year. They are, in order of priority, France, Sweden, Finland and Israel.

The World Games 2022 will be organised in the period 7–17 July 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA with 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and over 100 countries.

 The 2021 IWRF European Championship Division B will be held in Warsaw, the capital of Poland from 30.06.2021 until 3.7.2021.

The championship’s will be the first fully sanctioned International Wheelchair Rigby tournament to be held since the outbreak of the pandemic.

The schedule for the tournament is as follows, with all timings UTC +2 hours:

Wednesday 30.6.21

10:00 – 11:30: Poland v Czech Republic

12:30 – 14:00: Switzerland v Russia

15:00 – 16:30: Finland v Czech Republic

17:30 – 19:00: Poland v Israel

Thursday 1.7.21

10:00 – 11:30: Finland v Switzerland

12:30 – 14:00: Russia v Israel

15:00 – 16:30: Switzerland v Czech Republic

17:30 – 19:00: Poland v Russia

Friday 2.7.21

10:00 – 11:30: Finland v Israel

12:30 – 14:00: Poland v Switzerland

15:00 – 16:30: Czech Republic v Israel

17:30 – 19:00: Finland v Russia

Saturday 3.7.21

10:00 – 11:30: Switzerland v Israel

12:30 – 14:00: Russia v Czech Republic

15:00 – 16:30: Poland v Finland

Live Streaming of all the games during the IWRF European Championship Division B will be available online, via the IWRF and Poland Wheelchair Rugby YouTube as well as the IWRF Facebook account:

Polish Wheelchair Rugby YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB0bqwtLebiVCdFUk0wvp8w

IWRF Wheelchair Rugby YouTube:

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.