PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
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 OR@S is the centre of Samsung’s on-site Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic activities. First debuting at the Sydney 2000 Games, the OR@S Pavilion is an engaging venue offering a relaxing lounge area for athletes and their fans and family members. The Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games are the first time that Samsung will operate its OR@S during the Paralympics.
Last week, the 11th National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China has ratified a bill submitted by the Central Government for China’s accession to the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). China has actively advocated and supported to the UN in its efforts in formulating the CRPD Convention.
A preparatory workshop on the IPC Observers’ Programme for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games was concluded successfully in Beijing, China on 26 June. Representatives from the Organizing Committees of all future Paralympic Games (Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014), all Candidate Cities for the Paralympic Games of 2016 (Chicago, Madrid, Rio and Tokyo) and Guangzhou Asian Para-Games 2010 took part in the workshop.
The IPC Sports Science Committee (SSC) met in Vancouver with local scientific committee members last week, furthering the plans for the scientific programme of the VISTA 2009 Conference. The conference will take place in the city from 22 to 26 March 2009 and will be under the theme of “Paralympic Legacy and Innovation”.