PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![A man with a gold medal around his neck gives a speech from the stage with the Agitos logo behind him.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/Paul%20Bird%20Membership%20Gathering%202022.jpg?h=afd44ddd&itok=z2Rga1_x)
Paralympic Order recipient Bird dreaming big for the Paralympic Movement
Australia's Paul Bird received the Paralympic Order, the highest accolade connected with the Paralympic Movement, at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Membership Gathering on 17 November 2022
![An aerial view of a Para ice hockey game with five players on ice](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/GettyImages-1384704485.jpg?itok=ZUwAXCcl)
Canada hosts four-team Para Hockey Cup
First tournament since 2019 will see a rematch of the Paralympic Games final against USA; Czech Republic and Italy also join the event
![A female Para swimmer with a cap with the German flag](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/GettyImages-1241385728.jpg?itok=9mTEvoTp)
Colombia’s Serrano, Germany’s Scholz take 2022 World Series crown
South American country picks other two titles while Chile, Denmark and Mexico also celebrate at this year's Citi Para Swimming World Series
![Two men with prosthetic legs sprint on an athletics track at a packed stadium.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/GettyImages-82807015.jpg?h=02825e31&itok=62yGer0n)
Paralympic medallist McFall recruited as world's first "Parastronaut"
John McFall will take part in the Parastronaut Feasibility Project, which looks at ways to include persons with physical disabilities in human spaceflight
![A group of people waving from a stadium stand](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/Volunteers%20Paris%2023.jpg?h=c8d3a56e&itok=fbPk9PI6)
Paris 2023: Call for volunteers!
Nearly 2,000 volunteers across 15 different functional areas will be mobilised to help organise the event in the French capital
Al Ain 2022: Six talking points
From thrilling finals to happy hosts to pulling off first ever major title, the Al Ain 2022 World Shooting Para Sport Championships had a lot of talk about
![Two male Para ice hockey players competing on ice](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/FB_IMG_1669137427261%20%28002%29.jpg?itok=fvrD50qf)
Bangkok 2022: France aiming high at international debut
'The goal is to make it to the B-Pool in our first World Championships,' captain Franck Cadonna reveals ahead of the C-Pool Worlds in Thailand
![A female Para powerlifter celebrates with a cheer on the bench after a successful lift.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/d4_168_6NS0469_hiroki_nishioka.jpg?h=f92679c8&itok=mgunY-3i)
Portugal's first and only Para powerlifter Fragoso proud to be smallest in the field
The Paralympic swimmer-turned-powerlifter will next compete at the Vila Real de Santo Antonio 2022 IWAS Games, to be held in Portugal from 23-29 November
![A man gives a speech from the stage as a room full of IPC member organisations looks on.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/IPC%20General%20Assembly%202022.jpg?itok=dHtO8KDu)
IPC unites in Berlin for its Membership Gathering
The two-day IPC Membership Gathering was held from 17-18 November 2022
![Five male athletes wearing a red T-shirt](/sites/default/files/styles/image_crop_16_9_800_450/public/2022-11/1%20United%20States%20blind%20football%20team.jpg?itok=oSRR4gX2)
Newly launched U.S. national blind football team dreaming big for LA 2028 Games
• Ten players were named to USA's first-ever national blind football team, which was formed in November 2022