PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS

On the third day of the Paralympic Torch Relay, the torch paid a visit to Canada’s economic capital, Toronto.

The Paralympic Torch Relay was in Quebec City, Canada, for its second stop on 4 March, making it the only visit to a francophone community during the route.

Bonn, Germany - The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is proud to announce that KIT digital and Highwinds support the ParalympicSport.TV broadcast from the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. ParalympicSport.TV will broadcast more than 150 hours of live and on-demand coverage of the Vancouver Winter Paralympics.

Visa once again will be the Presenting Partner for the Paralympic Hall of Fame (PHF) induction ceremony which will be held in Whistler, on 14 March at the Paralympic Hospitality Centre, in conjunction with the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. The induction ceremonies will feature the third group of Paralympic athletes to be inducted into the Paralympic Hall of Fame by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

As Canada gets ready to host the world’s best Paralympic winter athletes starting on 12 March, the inspirational 10-day journey of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay is officially underway with the first group of Paralympic Torchbearers - one from each province and territory - gathering in the nation’s capital to create stories that will inspire the nation. More than 600 torchbearers will proudly carry the flame as the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay, presented by Coca-Cola and RBC and supported by the Government of Canada and the Province of BC, visits 11 communities over the next 10 days, culminating in the lighting of the Paralympic Cauldron at BC Place in downtown Vancouver on 12 March 2010.

Adecco Group UK & Ireland today announced that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athlete Career Programme (ACP) would be extended to British and Irish Paralympians for the first time helping Paralympic athletes find their place in the workforce following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

DB Schenker has reached an agreement to provide the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), headquartered in Bonn, Germany with Logistics, Freight Forwarding and Customs Clearance services across the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games (12-21 March) and London 2012 Paralympic Games (August 29 to September 9) as well as other key IPC events. Both the IPC and DB Schenker have been working together since Athens 2004.

Bonn, Germany - With more than 25 broadcasters anticipated to have TV coverage from the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, the number of broadcasting hours and cumulated TV viewers are expected to exceed that of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games. There were 285 hours of broadcasting time during the Torino Paralympics, resulting in a cumulated audience of 1.4 billion (in 25 analyzed markets).

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) today unveiled the lineup of Canadian talent that will pay tribute to the medal-winning athletes of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games with nightly headline performances at Whistler Medals Plaza.

Bonn, Germany - As the entire media team of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will soon be heading to Canada for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, all preparations are in their final stages. The Games do not begin for another 11 days, however various tools and channels are already in place to relay as much information as possible to Paralympic fans around the world.

The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), and the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), yesterday announced that Sam Sullivan will be Canada's Paralympic Ambassador and also announced additional funding for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

Leading North West football players were today on hand to help welcome Football 7-a-side to the 2010 BT Paralympic World Cup. Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given and Burnley FC players Wade Elliott and Michael Duff took part in a sport demonstration at the Manchester Arndale with members of the British Football 7-a-side team to highlight the sport.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the Worldwide Olympic Partner for Wireless Communications Equipment, is pleased to announce the corporation has become an Official Sponsor of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games and a Worldwide Paralympic Partner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The sponsorship announcement was made today by Gyehyun Kwon, Vice President and Head of Worldwide Sports Marketing for Samsung Electronics, Sir Philip Craven, IPC President and Ward Chapin, VANOC Chief Information Officer.

Capture a piece of the magic and be there in person as Canadian and Paralympic history is made on 12 March as the world’s best winter Paralympians are officially welcomed during the dazzling and awe-inspiring Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

From 19-21 March, the IPC Academy Accessibility Summit "Helping to Build an Accessible Future" will take place in Vancouver, Canada, on the occasion of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

Representatives from a total of 21 different Paralympic sports attended last week’s Classification meeting in Bonn, Germany.