PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS

In its first year, the Organizational Development Initiative (ODI) is off to a great start. With nine National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) participating from four regions the ODI had officially gone global.

Bonn, Germany - Today, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced the winners of the Paralympic Awards 2007, which honour those who contribute directly to the Paralympic Games and the Paralympic Movement.

From 10 to 12 October, the second World Press Briefing organized by the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee (BOCOG), took place in Beijing, China, with more than 330 media representatives (written press, photographers, news agencies) from all over the world. Representatives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC) and the London 2012 Organizing Committee (London 2012) were present as well.

The city of Cheongju, Korea, was host to the 2007 IPC Archery World Championships, which took place from 2 to 10 October.

Yesterday, Podi, the Petro-Canada Paralympic Schools Programme mascot was unveiled at General Gordon Elementary School in Vancouver, Canada. The mascot was joined by Paralympic athletes and other special guests who tried their hand at Ice Sledge Hockey, Goalball and Wheelchair Basketball.

Last weekend, Gunten at Lake Thun in Switzerland was the meeting place for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes’ Council.

On the occasion of the Next Step Conference in Windhoek, Namibia, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven and UK Sport Chief Executive Officer John Steele signed a partnership agreement to continue to support the development of the Paralympic Movement through the Organizational Development Initiative (ODI), a long-term strategic investment in those organizations and their key people responsible for the delivery of sustainable and effective Paralympic sport from the grassroots to the elite level worldwide.

From 26 to 27 September, the second Project Review for the London 2012 Paralympic Games took place in London, Great Britain.

Bonn, Germany - The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced today that two Ukrainian athletes in the sport of Powerlifting, tested positive for a Prohibited Substance and a sanction of two years ineligibility was imposed for their first doping offence.

On 28 September, the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC) launched an online educational tool that reaches out to schools and universities throughout Canada.

Last week, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) conducted its first site inspection visit to one of the two bid cities for the 2010 IPC Athletics World Championships.

On 25 September, the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (BOCOG) and Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Co. Ltd (BOB) signed the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Broadcasting Agreements with China Central Television (CCTV) and Beijing Television (BTV). BOCOG Executive Vice-President Jiang Xiaoyu and BOB General Manager Manolo Romero were present at the signing ceremony in Beijing, China.

Bonn, Germany - From 6 to 17 September 2008, the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games will take place in Beijing, China. Around 3,500 media representatives are expected to cover the Games. In the course of the preparation for this unique event, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee (BOCOG) are collaborating to ensure a successful media accreditation process.

The Next Step 2007 Conference, hosted by UK Sport and the Namibian Government, took place from 19 to 22 September in Windhoek, Namibia.

Last week, Classfication was the central topic during four days of meetings at the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Headquarters in Bonn, Germany.

Yesterday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that its Executive Committee approved the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods for 2008.

On 21 September, around 750 employees of the world class-ship builder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) gathered, together with their families and friends, at the FSG shipyard in Flensburg, Germany, to participate in the official launch of the first vessel built for Canadian shipping company B.C. Ferries.

The 2008 International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS) is the successor of the Pre-Olympic Congresses and the Paralympic Congress, and will be held in Guangzhou, China, from 1 to 5 August 2008, themed "Sport Sciences and Harmonious Society in the 21st Century".

On 18 September, following eight days of intense meetings, a Venue Operational Planning Review for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games was concluded successfully in Beijing, China. Various staff members of the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (BOCOG), including BOCOG Venue Managers as well as Apostolos Rigas, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Head of Paralympic Games Strategic Projects participated in the Review.

Hosted by the Hellenic Paralympic Committee, a total of 27 members (National Paralympic Committees, IPSFs and IOSDs) from all over Europe met from 14 to 15 September at the 7th European Paralympic Committee (EPC) General Assembly and Conference in Heraklion, Crete. Representatives from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) also attended the meeting, including IPC President Sir Philip Craven and IPC CEO Xavier Gonzalez.