The Evaluation Commission which will visit the four Candidate Cities bidding to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The team will be headed by Nawal El Moutawakel, who also chaired the 2012 bidding process. The full team will include representatives from the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, with additional advisors.

Beijing, China - After 12 days of competition, the Closing Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games on 17 September 2008 officially ended a period of record-breaking competition and events.

Beijing, China - From 4 to 15 September, all accredited athletes participating in the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games had the chance to take part in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes’ Council Election.

The Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award Committee would like to present the two recipients of the award that recognizes elite athletes that have exemplified an exceptional level of determination to overcome their adversities through sports and the Paralympic Games. The Whang Youn Dai Achievment Award will be awarded at the Closing Ceremony of the Paralympic Games by Dr. Whang and Miguel Sagarra, IPC Vice-President.

Although the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games are not yet finished, the number of new records set is adding up. Each day, with each event, it is a matter of fact now that the athletes have come to the Chinese capital to perform at the highest possible level.

Beijing, China - With a total of 29 rightsholders covering more than 75 countries worldwide, from all regions (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania), the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games has the largest number of rightsholding broadcasters in the history of the Parlaympic Games. Currently, the broadcaster with the winning number of hours is China’s CCTV and BTV, with more than 22 hours of Paralympic Games daily on different channels. This includes live programmes, as well as news.

Johnson & Johnson, a sponsor of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, in partnership with the Wheelchair Foundation, recently announced the donation of 1,000 sport wheelchairs to the China Foundation for Disabled Persons (CFDP). These specialized wheelchairs will be distributed to 20 community organizations and centers across China that work with people with a disability. The sport wheelchairs will help give more athletes and citizens with a disability the opportunity to achieve a healthy lifestyle through sport.

Beijing, China - The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) today announced that the men's team from I.R. Iran has withdrawn from the tournament due to dissatisfaction with the draw proposed for the cross-over round and subsequent schedule.