PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![Dmytro Solovey of Ukraine and Sharif Khalilov of Uzbekistan compete in the Men's 73kg Gold Medal Contest at the London 2012 Paralympic Games](/sites/default/files/images/140207143651786_151075385_0.jpg)
Uzbekistan: Five facts on the Sochi 2014 Paralympics
With a small team, Uzbekistan will compete at its first Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi after 20 years at the Winter Olympics.
![Sir Philip Craven shakes hands with the wife of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.](/sites/default/files/images/140208174147869__RB26713_0.jpg)
UN Secretary General meets IPC President
Ban Ki-moon and Sir Philip Craven talk about the Paralympic Movement ahead of Olympic Opening Ceremony in Sochi.
![Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia](/sites/default/files/images/140207100737408_Kuala%2BLumpur%2Bcredit%2BLaureus_0.jpg)
Kuala Lumpur to stage Laureus World Sports Awards
World’s premier honours event in the sporting calendar to take place on 26 March
![The Bulgarian team is led through the stadium by flag bearer Aleksandar Stoyanov during the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympic Games](/sites/default/files/images/140207141911928_97672181_0.jpg)
Bulgaria: 11 facts on the Sochi 2014 Paralympics
The Balkan country will be celebrating its twentieth year competing at the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi.
![Czech Republic ice sledge hockey team](/sites/default/files/images/130724110032069_czech1.jpg)
8 for 8: Czech Republic preview
The Czech Republic are still seeking their first Paralympic medal in ice sledge hockey and have all the ingredients to obtain one at Sochi 2014.
![Talisson Glock Montreal 2013](/sites/default/files/images/131016174135903_Talisson%2BGlock.jpg)
Focus: Brazilian para-swimming training facility
The Brazilian Paralympic Committee has created a programme for nine young swimmers in a bid to win more medals at Rio 2016.
![3D model of para-snowboard course Sochi 2014](/sites/default/files/images/140206154352747_Snowboard2_0.jpg)
Sochi 2014 unveil 3D model of para-snowboard course
First ever Paralympic snowboard-cross course is revealed, complete with 22 challenging features.
IPC launches three NPC websites, and one regional micro-site
Ecuador, Indonesia, Tunisia and the Americas Paralympic Committee will have an increased online presence.
![Danelle Umstead](/sites/default/files/images/131001134406372_167659204.jpg)
US name 26 athletes to Sochi 2014 alpine skiing team
Seven of the skiers named to the US Sochi 2014 team have won 22 Paralympic medals between themselves.
![Bank Ki-moon stood behind a podium addressing the IOC session.](/sites/default/files/images/140206130446474_467110851_0.jpg)
Paralympics essential part of Sochi 2014, says UN Secretary General
Speaking at the 126th IOC Session, Ban Ki-moon spoke of inspirational Paralympians.
![Mahmoud Khosravivafa was re-elected as President of the NPC Iran](/sites/default/files/images/140206151948403_NPC%2BIran2_0.jpg)
Khosravivafa re-elected as President of NPC Iran
Khosravivafa will serve a further four year term following election at 11th General Assembly.
![Oleg Syssolyatin of Kazakhstan competes in the Men's 10km Standing Cross-Country Skiing at Vancouver 2010](/sites/default/files/images/140206153514699_97840182_0.jpg)
Kazakhstan: 10 facts on the Sochi 2014 Paralympics
Having not medalled for 20 years, Kazakhstan hopes to send a much larger team to Sochi than it did four years ago to Vancouver.
![Iran and Rwanda sitting volleyball](/sites/default/files/images/130607152651151_151007856_0.jpg)
World ParaVolley joins forces with VolleySLIDE
VolleySLIDE will help bolster the grassroots sports development initiatives in sitting volleyball around the world.
![Russia's Aleksandra Frantceva and Guide Pavel Zabotin](/sites/default/files/images/120210155224237__NER0296%2BAlexandra%2BFrantseva%2BCredit%2BNicolas%2BNEREAU_0.jpg)
Frantceva beats Farkasova at alpine World Cup
Russia’s Aleksandra Frantceva claimed back her form in the slalom to beat world champion Henrieta Farkasova, who has won every race since returning from injury.
Gauthier-Manuel makes it two-from-two at World Cup
Frenchman Vincent Gauthier-Manuel completed a double victory in slalom in St. Moritz and overall World Cup rankings for slalom are confirmed.
![Dominic Larocque](/sites/default/files/images/140205112057469_CPCSochi2014_WhatsThere_DLarocqueENG_0.jpg)
Canada launch #WHATSTHERE campaign
Take a look at the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s edgy new campaign leading up to the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.
![Paquita Ramirez Capitan of Andorra competes in the Women's Visually Impaired Slalom during Day 3 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympics at Whistler Creekside on March 14, 2010 in Whistler, Canada](/sites/default/files/images/140117120359532_andorra%2Bathlete_0.jpg)
Andorra: 6 facts on the Sochi 2014 Paralympics
The small country in the Pyrenees will make its third appearance at a Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi.
![Cameron Leslie](/sites/default/files/images/130702174440312_Cameron%2BLeslie_0.jpg)
Swimming talent identification launches in New Zealand
Paralympics New Zealand launches bid to give swimmers in S1-S5 classifications more access to training, competitions and pool-space, supported by the Agitos Foundation.
![A picture of women celebrating their victory](/sites/default/files/images/121122171019741_151437622.jpg)
IBSA Goalball Worlds schedule announced
The 2014 IBSA Goalball World Championships will take place from 30 June – 5 July in Espoo, Finland.
![Evan Strong snowboarding](/sites/default/files/images/130306163014942_P1000057strong.jpg)
USA nominate 10 para-snowboarders to Sochi team
Top ranked riders, including Evan Strong, Amy Purdy and Mike Shea, named to first ever para-snowboard team for Sochi 2014.