Last weekend, the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (BOOCG) celebrated the 300-day-countdown to the Paralympics next year, which will officially open on 6 September 2008.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) would like to offer its condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Joan Scruton who passed away on 1 November 2007.

On 10 November, Scuola dello Sport, together with the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), will organize a one-day seminar for top coaches and trainers dedicated to sport activities for athletes with a disability. For the first time in Italy, sport for persons with a disability is integrated in a top level programme for coaches, becoming part of the Scuola dello Sport's education calendar.

From 1 to 3 November, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics group met in Bonn, Germany for a Sport Business Planning session and the Sport Technical Committee (STC) Meeting.

Yesterday, the 20th International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) Congress was officially opened in Cologne, Germany. Amongst congress participants from all over the world, Fritz Schramma, Lord Mayor of Cologne, Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Dr. Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner, President of IAKS attened the Opening.

For the fourth time, a National Paralympic Day was held on 25 October in Tehran and 29 provinces of Iran with around 17,000 persons with a disability attending. Sport complexes throughout Iran opened their doors to mostly children with a disability, accompanied by their parents, coaches, volunteers and organizing staff.

Last weekend, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Science Committee held its meeting in Bonn, Germany.

On 25 October, more than 750 people attended Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame 52nd Induction Gala at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Canada.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) awarded Euro 230,350 (= AUD 365.000) to support a classification research project in the sport of IPC Athletics, entitled “Evaluating the Impact of Neuromusculoskeletal Impairment on Athletic Performance” and lead by Dr. Sean Tweedy (University of Queensland, Australia), Dr. John Bourke (Head of Classification, IPC Athletics) and Prof. Yves Vanlandewijck (Chairperson, IPC Sports Science Committee).

Bonn, Germany - The 9th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Co-ordination Commission Meeting took place in Beijing, China, from 23 to 25 October.