Author: Editor Prime

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).

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) is pleased to announce that the Tokyo 2020 Games will procure 100{f611f693713f4a1bfda8cd25b372c35825df95e4c1b9553b221a9b1bb44db509} of the energy required for the operation of the Games from renewable sources, including electricity generated in Fukushima Prefecture, with the support of Tokyo 2020 Gold Partner ENEOS. As the major energy supplier for Tokyo 2020, ENEOS has committed to supplying electricity generated only from renewable sources to competition venues and games related facilities during Games operations.

The electricity supplied by ENEOS will be generated by means of wood biomass power using construction waste and tree clippings from within Japan and by means of solar power generation facilities in Fukushima Prefecture.

Fukushima Prefecture has focused on renewable energy supply as a key element of its reconstruction and recover strategy following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and Tokyo 2020 will support these efforts by making use of renewable electricity procured from the affected areas. As a part of this initiative, it is expected that during the Games all facilities in Ariake Urban Sports Park, which will host BMZ racing and skateboarding events, will be powered completely by renewable energy produced in Fukusima Prefecture.

To read the full release please Click here. 

Organisers have announced the schedule for the Tokyo 2020 wheelchair rugby competition following the completion of the draw for the event. With games taking place at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, from August 25-29th. 

Pool games are due to take place over three days, with four matches scheduled per day. The top four teams are set to feature in the semi-finals on August 28th, the same day as the classification matches which determine places five to eight.

The tournament is due to conclude on August 29th with the bronze and gold medal matches scheduled for 2pm and 6pm JST respectively. A full rundown of the comptition schedule can be found below:

Wed 25 Aug. 11:30 – 15:45 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Pool Phase Group B, United States vs New Zealand
• Pool Phase Group A, Australia vs Denmark

Wed 25 Aug. 17:30 – 21:45V – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Pool Phase Group B, Great Britain vs Canada
• Pool Phase Group A, Japan vs France

Thu 26 Aug. 11:30 – 15:45 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Pool Phase Group B, Canada vs United States
• Pool Phase Group A, Japan vs Denmark

Thu 26 Aug. 17:30 – 21:45 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Mixed – Pool Phase Group A, France vs Australia
• Mixed – Pool Phase Group B, Great Britain vs New Zealand

Fri 27 Aug. 11:30 – 15:45 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Pool Phase Group A, Denmark vs France
• Pool Phase Group A, Australia vs Japan

Fri 27 Aug. 17:30 – 21:45 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Mixed – Pool Phase Group B, United States vs Great Britain
• Mixed – Pool Phase Group B, New Zealand vs Canada

Sat 28 Aug. 11:30 – 16:00 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• 7th-8th classification
• Semifinal

Sat 28 Aug. 17:30 – 21:45 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Semifinal
• 5th-6th classification

Sun 29 Aug. 14:00 – 16:00 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Mixed – Bronze Medal

Sun 29 Aug. 18:00 – 20:45 – Yoyogi National Stadium

• Gold Medal
• Victory Ceremony

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Worldwide Paralympic Partner Samsung are launching today (4 May) an online competition to select four vloggers to share unique stories of breaking barriers at Tokyo 2020.

The competition is open to all athletes heading to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, as well as National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Team Officials.

Between now and 24 May, entrants are invited to create and post a video entry up to 60-seconds long (and a maximum of 50mb) through https://www.paralympic.org/tokyo-2020/samsung-vloggers or their own social media channels, by tagging Paralympics and using the hashtag #Tokyo2020. Submissions can either be in English or their native language, and must show something unique and engaging about their life and provide an idea of how they would create vlog content during Games-time.

Vloggers are encouraged to embody Samsung’s key campaign message of Together For One World as they prepare to show the world the astonishing feats and performances that the Paralympic Games delivers. 

A panel of experts from Samsung and the IPC will then analyse entries to determine the four successful vloggers who will be selected to be part of the campaign.

In total, the Tokyo 2020 Samsung Paralympic Vloggers team will involve 18 members. As well as the four vloggers selected from the competition, 11 athletes chosen by Samsung and the IPC, and three pre-selected Paralympic Games supporters will produce content for their own channels.

Originally started at London 2012, Samsung Paralympic Vloggers has captured the Games experiences of several world-leading athlete over the last four editions of the Paralympics. This has included US wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden, Brazilian swimming legend Daniel Dias and 2016 Refugee Team athlete Ibrahim al Hussein.

Craig Spence, the IPC’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer, said: “Tokyo 2020 will mark the fifth edition of the Samsung Paralympic Vloggers project where athletes provide exclusive behind the scenes video blogs from the Paralympic Games.

“This unique initiative provides a fantastic insight into the daily lives and experiences of Paralympians attending one of the world’s biggest sport events.  We are greatly excited to see how creative athletes will be in producing content for this competition and during the Games themselves. The content for Tokyo 2020 in particular will be unique as athletes adapt to taking part in a first Paralympic Games during a pandemic.”

The Tokyo 2020 Samsung Paralympic Vloggers is an extension of a project which began at London 2012 and continued through Sochi 2014, Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018.

The 2018 instalment of the Samsung Paralympic Vloggers initiative was the biggest yet, with almost five million views across social media, as well as coverage from broadcasters and within stadiums. And the series is only set to get bigger in Tokyo.

All content created in Tokyo will be uploaded to the IPC’s YouTube Channel, the IPC website and the respective vloggers’ social media accounts throughout the Paralympic Games, between 24 August and 5 September 2021.

Greg Polychronidis, who was a part of the first Samsung Paralympic Vloggers campaign at London 2012, recalls: “It (was) great, because I had the opportunity to share the magical world of the Paralympic Games with all of our followers. Magnificent scenes from the venues as well as incomparable moments from the Paralympic Village could be shared around the world because of the Samsung Paralympic Vloggers campaign, and I am really proud because I’ve been a part of it!”

To submit your entries, please visit: https://woobox.com/d2hrtc or enter on social media by tagging in Paralympics and using the hashtag #Tokyo2020. The deadline for athletes to submit their entries is 24 May. 

Full details on how to enter the competition are available online: https://www.paralympic.org/tokyo-2020/samsung-vloggers

For more information, please contact IPC Digital Activations Co-ordinator Ryan Hills at ryan.hills@paralympic.org

Paralympian #164 Cameron Leslie and Para athletes Hayden Barton-Cootes, Cody Everson, Robert Hewitt, Tainafi Lefono, Gareth Lynch, Gavin Rolton and Mike Todd have been selected by Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) to the New Zealand Paralympic Team heading to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games which begin on 24 August. The announcement was made in Cambridge today at the conclusion of the team’s recent training camp and marks the second group of Para athletes to be announced to the New Zealand Paralympic Team.

Paralympian #164 Cameron Leslie was a Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and again at Rio 2016 in Para swimming. He is also one of the most successful high pointer players throughout the world in Wheelchair rugby. Leslie will be competing at his fourth straight Paralympic Games in Tokyo and will be looking to continue his outstanding performances this time in both Para swimming and Wheelchair rugby. He will be the first NZ Paralympian since the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games to have competed at a Paralympic Games in more than one Para sport. At the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games Paralympian #58 Janette Cordery competed in both Para athletics and Para swimming winning a bronze medal. Leslie has a quadruple limb deficiency.

Para athlete Hayden Barton-Cootes has been involved with the Wheel Blacks since 2015, where he made his debut against Australia. Barton-Cootes has had the opportunity to play in the Australian and Japanese domestic competitions gaining valuable experience. He also plays Wheelchair basketball for the Auckland team and sees this as an opportunity to complement his Wheelchair rugby. Barton-Cootes has a spinal cord injury.

Para athlete Cody Everson is currently the Captain of the Wheel Blacks and is a highly competitive person. After a rugby injury at the age of 15 he met Paralympian #111 Sholto Taylor while at the Burwood Spinal Unit, a long-time member of the Wheel Blacks. Taylor encouraged Everson to watch the Wheel Blacks in action, giving the boy who wanted to be an All Black a new dream to work towards. Everson has a spinal cord injury.

Para athlete Robert Hewitt has played rugby all of his life however following an accident in 2009 his focussed moved to Wheelchair rugby. He has been involved with the Wheel Blacks since 2010 and made his international debut in 2012 in South Africa. Hewitt loves being involved in Wheelchair rugby as it is a team sport with like-minded individuals all striving to achieve the same goal. Hewitt has a spinal cord injury.

Para athlete Tainafi Lefono is a long-time Wheel Black team member since a rugby injury in 2007. Outside of his sporting commitments he is a Physiotherapist currently working in the community as a neuro physiotherapist. Throughout Lefono’s time with the Wheel Blacks he has had the opportunity to travel to many countries to compete and last year became a dad for the first time. Lefono has a spinal cord injury.

Para athlete Gareth Lynch had an accident six years ago while diving into a swimming pool that resulted in a spinal cord injury. He has always played sport and has loved competing in a team environment again with the Wheel Blacks. In a short period of time Lynch has developed outstanding skills through his drive and commitment. Lynch has a spinal cord injury.

Para athlete Gavin Rolton started playing Wheelchair rugby in 2007 following a diving accident in 2005. He was selected to the Wheel Blacks for the first time in 2009 he has been a member of the team since. Rolton has captained the team from 2013-2021 and continues to be one of the top players in the world for his point class (0.5). Rolton has a spinal cord injury.

Para athlete Mike Todd was born with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease which is a neurological condition that effects all limbs. He was introduced to Wheelchair rugby in 2008, representing Canterbury ever since and he made his Wheel Blacks debut against Australia in 2015.  Todd has also been heavily involved with the administration of Canterbury Wheelchair Rugby. Todd has CMT causing muscle degeneration. 

Para athlete Hayden Barton-Cootes said, “It is going to be an incredible experience in Tokyo with many of us making our Paralympic debut together as part of the Wheel Blacks. We have an amazing whanau culture, and we will be drawing on that as we take on the best Wheelchair rugby teams in the world. We are looking forward to making our friends and whanau back in New Zealand proud of us while representing the silver fern.”

Paralympian #164 Cameron Leslie said, “It is a huge honour to be selected to represent New Zealand in both Para swimming and Wheelchair rugby. It is something I have aimed for over several campaigns but never been fortunate enough to realise this goal. It’ll be awesome to see the Kiwi public celebrate Wheelchair rugby at the Paralympic Games once again; we know Kiwis love their rugby.”

Paula Tesoriero (Chef de Mission, NZ Paralympic Team) said, “We are thrilled to welcome the Wheel Blacks to the NZ Paralympic Team and see the return of a team Para sport for New Zealand at the Paralympic Games. Their enthusiasm and passion will really add to our team environment in Tokyo.”

Fiona Allan (Chief Executive, PNZ) said, “It is fantastic to announce our second group of Para athletes selected to represent New Zealand at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games today. The 8 Para athletes who make up our Wheelchair rugby team – the Wheel Blacks – have satisfied PNZ Selectors that they have met the selection criteria for Tokyo 2020 Paralympics through previous performances and their ongoing commitment to training here in New Zealand.”

She continues, “The Wheel Blacks that will include 7 Paralympians making their Paralympic debut in Tokyo will be looking to continue the legacy of committed and competitive New Zealand’s Wheelchair rugby teams, and through their performances both on and off the court drive social change.”

On Thursday evening the 8 team pool draw took place for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with the Wheel Blacks representing New Zealand in pool B alongside United States, runners-up at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, Britain and Canada. 

Nick Heyworth (President, NZ Wheelchair Rugby) said, “After a wait of over 13 years since NZ Wheelchair Rugby last attended the Paralympic Games, I speak on behalf of all the players, officials and volunteers of our sport by wishing the athletes and support staff all the very best for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.”

The New Zealand Paralympic Team has featured the Wheel Blacks at three Paralympic Games in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. With the team winning three medals including a gold medal at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.

The addition of the Wheelchair rugby team takes the New Zealand Paralympic Team to 13 selected Para athletes to date, with selections pending for up to up to another 6 Para sports over the coming months. The eventual team is expected to include up to 45 Para athletes in total. In mid-April, Paralympians Cameron Leslie, Nikita Howarth, Tupou Neiufi, Sophie Pascoe and Jesse Reynolds were selected to Tokyo 2020 in Para swimming.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will be held from Tuesday 24 August to Sunday 5 September 2021 and will include 22 Para sports on the event schedule and up to 4,400 Paralympians competing. The Paralympic Games is the largest event worldwide for driving social change and inclusion. 

Para athletes selected to the New Zealand Paralympic Team are:

Paralympian/Para Athlete	Resides	Classification	Impairment (Disability)	Coach
Cameron Leslie	Whangarei	3.0 P	Quadruple limb deficiency	Greg Mitchell
Hayden Barton-Cootes	Auckland	3.0 P	Spinal cord injury	Greg Mitchell
Cody Everson	Christchurch	1.0 P	Spinal cord injury	Greg Mitchell
Robert Hewitt	Hamilton	2.0 P	Spinal cord injury	Greg Mitchell
Tainafi Lefono	Auckland	2.0 P	Spinal cord injury	Greg Mitchell
Gareth Lynch	Auckland	1.0 1(1)	Spinal cord injury	Greg Mitchell
Gavin Rolton	Wellington	0.5 P	Spinal cord injury	Greg Mitchell
Mike Todd	Christchurch	2.0 P	Muscle degeneration	Greg Mitchell

Following the confirmation of the eligibility of the nominations received for the Tokyo 2020 IPC Athletes’ Council Election, the IPC would like to announce 22 athletes have been accepted as candidates to fill the six summer representative positions on the IPC Athletes’ Council:

List of candidates (in alphabetical order)

No.	Name	NPC	Sport
1	CAIRONI, Martina	Italy	Para Athletics
2	COETZEE, Louzanne	South Africa	Para Athletics
3	COOKE, Carol	Australia	Para Cycling
4	DIAS, Daniel	Brazil	Para Swimming
5	DURAND ELIAS, Omara	Cuba	Para Athletics
6	EJIKE, Lucy	Nigeria	Para Powerlifting
7	KANOVA, Alena	Slovakia	Para Table Tennis
8	KHETSURIANI, Irma	Georgia	Wheelchair Fencing
9	KRAVCHENKO, Vladyslava	Malta	Para Swimming
10	MILLER, Stephen	Great Britain	Para Athletics
11	MENDAK, Joanna	Poland	Para Swimming
12	NOZDRUNOV, Iurii	RPC	Para Table Tennis
13	OSMAN KHALIFA, Sherif	Egypt	Para Powerlifting
14	RODRIGUEZ GACIO, Susana	Spain	Para Triathlon
15	SCHIFFLER, Michelle	Germany	Sitting Volleyball
16	SUZUKI, Takayuki	Japan	Para Swimming
17	VANHOVE, Tom	Belgium	Goalball
18	VARGA, Katalin Eszter	Hungary	Para Canoe
19	VISSER, Jitske	Netherlands	Wheelchair Basketball
20	WALBY, Tony	Canada	Para Judo
21	WANG, Yanzhang	China	Para Athletics
22	ZAHRA, Nemati	Iran	Para Archery

The IPC Athletes’ Council Elections will take place from 19 August to 3 September during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the Proud Paralympian area in the Main Dining Hall. There will also be additional voting booths for Para Cycling athletes at the Izu La Foret hotel from 22 to 25 August and at Fuji International Speedway from 27 to 30 August.

We would like to take this opportunity to re-emphasise that the participation of all Aa accredited athletes in the voting process is crucial and we ask you to actively educate your athletes on this process and encourage them to cast their vote during the Games.

Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic partner, Airbnb, has launched an Athlete Travel Grant programme to support elite athletes impacted by the global pandemic and postponement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. Airbnb and the IOC are offering up to 500 athletes $2,000 USD in Athlete Travel Support Credit redeemable for Airbnb accommodation bookings in upcoming training or competition travel, which we would like you to encourage your athlete community to apply!  

The application can be found online here, and deadline to apply is Friday 14 May.

Application Process

The athlete should review the qualification criteria to ensure he or she is eligible. Then, the athlete must share a bit more about his or herself and their journey. Applicants will be reviewed based on selection criteria designed by the IOC, which will take into consideration all aspects of the application, including the personal statement provided as well as geography and sport to ensure diversity across recipients. To learn more about the selection process, see the Athlete Travel Grant Terms and Conditions. Those selected will be notified via email within 6-8 weeks from the application close date. Submissions will be accepted between 12:00am PDT 19 April 2021 and 11:59pm PDT 14 May 2021.

How to know if your athlete qualifies

Pro tip – before applying, make sure the athlete is eligible by reviewing the requirements below.

To be eligible, you must complete the application in full, and be/have:

• Currently competing under an IOC or IPC recognized federation within a sport that is part of the official programme of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 /Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 /Olympic Games Paris 2024/Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 / Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 /Paralympic Games Paris 2024.
• Competed at an elite level as defined by the IOC and IPC, including competing at one of the following levels during the previous 40 months:
  • Olympic/Paralympic Games
  • World Championship
  • World Cup
  • Continental Championship
  • Tokyo/Beijing Olympic Qualifier
  • Tokyo/Beijing Paralympic Qualifier
• Not currently serving sanctions for a contravention of the Olympic Charter or the IPC Handbook, any doping-related offense, or any other act against the integrity of sports competitions (e.g. match fixing).
• Eligible to register for an Airbnb account under your own name and be legally able to receive Athlete Travel Support Credits from Airbnb. Airbnb users must be 18+ years of age.

You can find more information about the programme on the FAQ page here.  For any questions about the application process, please contact AirbnbATG@blacktomato.com.

The IWRF is delighted to announce that the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship Division A has been awarded to France.

The European Championship will take place in Paris, 21st – 27th of February at a prestigious Parisian Sport Venue.

The European Championship Local Organising Committee is composed of members from CAPSAAA Paris Wheelchair Rugby Club, the Fédération Française Handisport and the Wheelchair Rugby French Commission.

 IWRF President Richard Allcroft said,

“This is a great way to start 2021 by looking ahead at our future competition structure. In the middle of last year the IWRF restructured its calendar up to and including Paris 2024. This required squeezing 4 years of competition in to only 3 years. France has long been a member of the IWRF and have developed their national clubs and featured at the highest level consistently. After speaking with them over the previous few months it was clear that they were passionate and committed about promoting wheelchair rugby in the lead up to the Paralympic Games taking place in Paris in 2024. I would like to congratulate them on their strategic approach and wish them all the best in their preparations”.

Head of IWRF Competitions Kathy Newman added,

“The IWRF Competitions Committee was really impressed with the bid plans received and presented from Paris, France to host the 2022 IWRF European Championship – Division A.  The Organizing Committee’s attention to detail was exemplary.  France has made a commitment to event hosting and we are excited to continue to work with France.  Each time they host an event they improve on the event delivery.  As we move towards the 2024 Paris Paralympics hosting this event will build capacity to ensure an exceptional event”.

The top eight teams in Europe will play off to see who is crowned European champion over eight days of exciting wheelchair rugby.

Guislaine Westelynck, President of the French Handisport Federation stated

 “It is a great honour for us to have the opportunity to host the 2022 European Championship. French Wheelchair Rugby have been booming for the last 10 years and France has become one of the top European nation in this discipline. On the brink of Rugby World Cup 2023 and Paralympics 2024 in Paris, we are honoured to co-organise with CAP SAAA Paris the first major international Wheelchair Rugby event in France. It is the beginning of a long story that is starting between France and IWRF to develop Wheelchair Rugby around the world”. 

Ryadh SALLEM Founder of CAP SAAA Paris added:

“With various international events already organized (Women’s Cup, Wheelchair Basketball European championship …) CAP SAAA Paris is honoured to be associated with IWRF and FFH in organizing the European Wheelchair Rugby championship A. From the 21st to the 27th of February 2022 Paris will be the capital of the European Wheelchair Rugby for the first time in its young history in France. CAP SAAA Paris is a club of para sports (Basketball, Rugby, Swimming and Archery), mental disabilities (Basket and Athletics) and is dedicated to the promotion and awareness of disability through the universal values of sport.”

For further information please contact Kathy Newman (knewman@iwrf.com)

The draw for the Tokyo 2020 Wheelchair Rugby competition took place on Wednesday 28^th April, at the Sheffield College campus in Hillsborough Sheffield. With the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) conducting proceedings.

The qualified Nations were drawn into two pools. With the draw taking place in pairs, each pair was pre-determined by the nations seeding in the world ranking list. With the tournament host Japan choosing Pool A.

The results of the draw are as follows :

The IWRF wish to thank the staff and students from the Sheffield College for supporting the draw at short notice and wish all the teams the very best in their preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The recording of the draw can be viewed via the IWRF YouTube account : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qokTKSlziPk&t=1s