PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS

On 9 September, Xavier Gonzalez, CEO of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and Zainal Abu Zarin, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC), signed a host agreement in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the APC to organize the Asian Women in Paralympic Sport (WIPS) Leadership Summit to be held in Malaysia in 20v08.

From 5 to 7 September, the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Chef de Mission Seminar took place in Beijing, China, with delegates of more than 90 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) as well as International Paralympic Committee (IPC) representatives participating.

Bonn, Germany - Today marks the one-year countdown to the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. The occasion is being celebrated by a number of events in Beijing, China, attended by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven, IPC Governing Board Members Greg Hartung and Shen Zhifei as well as IPC Chief Executive Officer Xavier Gonzalez and other IPC staff members.

Yesterday, the Beijing Sports Vocational Training Center for the Disabled, a 10-hectare multifunctional complex with facilities and services for athltes with a disability, was officialy unveiled during a ceremony in Beijing, China.

Building upon the success of the inaugural Legacy Lives Conference in London, Great Britain, in 2007, Legacy Lives 2008, to be held from 28 to 30 January 2008 in Barbados, will once again bring together over 250 of the world's leading decision makers in the major sporting events arena – from event rights holders, Local Organizing Committees (LOCs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), bidding and host cities and International Federations (IFs) to create a forum for a better understanding of the ever increasing importance of legacy planning and implementation – for everyone involved in the bidding, planning, staging and delivery of major events – and of all the sustainable benefits that can and should be integral to this process.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced that it is looking for people to join its Working Committees. WADA Committees act as advisory committees and provide guidance for WADA’s programmes.

Today marks five years to go to the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, which will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. At this time, London and the whole of the UK will be the centre of the world’s attention as the Opening Ceremony gets underway in Stratford, London.

More than 42,000 people flocked to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, to experience the excitement of the International Paralympic Day 2007.

Berlin, Germany - Today, during the International Paralympic Day (IPD) 2007 celebrations in the world-famous Pariser Platz in Berlin, Germany, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, signed an agreement to extend Samsung’s role as a Worldwide Partner of the IPC through to extend the end of 2008.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - The Rio 2007 Parapan American Games have come to an end after seven days of action packed competition. A total of 1,132 athletes from 25 countries competed in ten sports - Athletics, Football 5-a-side, Football 7-a-side, Judo, Powerlifting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Volleyball (Sitting), Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Tennis. Haiti took part in an international competition for the first time.

Throughout the Rio 2007 Parapan American Games, representatives from future organizing committees participated in the Parapan American Games Knowledge Sharing Programmme.

Today, the President of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, visited the Parapan American Games Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and talked to some athletes as well as to staff and volunteers of the Rio 2007 Parapan American Games Organizing Committee (CO-RIO).

The International Paralympic Day (IPD) 2007 to be held on 23 August in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, will be covered extensively by local media partners. The newspaper ‘Der Tagesspiegel’, the television station rbb and the Wall AG will help to bring Paralympic Sport to the public.

Today, Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Patrick Glennon, Director Global Athlete Career Programme of Adecco signed an agreement in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The signing ceremony was attended by several media, IPC Governing Board members and Adecco Brazil representative Marcela Graca Lima.

Iran is looking to win the first medal at Paralympic Winter Games

Ice Sledge Hockey only made its Paralympic Games debut at the Lillehammer 1994 Games but has quickly become one of the biggest spectator attractions at the Winter Paralympics.

Evan O’Hanlon, Scott Reardon and Chad Perris began a podcast to keep people up to date ahead of the Paralympics.

Brazil’s Daniel Dias made history in the pool in Guadalajara with a clean sweep in all of his events.

After winning 16 medals at the Paralympic Winter Games, Verena Bentele is calling it quits.

Five of six gold-medal positions remained unchanged on Friday in the second day of the Slalom event at the IPC Alpine Skiing Competition.