The Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC) officially launched the Vancouver Venues’ Aboriginal Art Programme earlier this month. This ambitious programme for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games will provide a platform for Aboriginal artists in Canada to participate in the Games.

Earlier this month, the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of the Netherlands joined together with the country’s National Olympic Committee to present the official Paralympic and Olympic Teams for the Beijing 2008 Games. This was the first time the presentation was organized with both Committees together and on such a large scale.

The semi-finals of the 2008 Wimbledon Doubles Masters Series are now available on www.ParalympicSport.TV.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is significantly closer to its goal of hosting doping-free Games in 2010 with two major announcements on the anti-doping programme and laboratory for the 2010 Winter Games.

Through a policy of rotation, there are vacant positions on the following World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Working Committees: Athlete Committee, Education Committee, Finance and Administration Committee, as well as Health, Medical and Research Committee.

The Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee (BOCOG) has officially announced their basis for selection of the distinguished torchbearers for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Torch Relay. There will be a total of 850 people participating in the exciting event.

The revised World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) was approved unanimously by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Foundation Board in November 2007. This new code will come into force on 1 January 2009, significantly affecting all international sporting authorities at that time.

Today, the International Paralympic Committee officially announced the eligible candidates for the 2008 IPC Athletes’ Council (AC) Election.