The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) welcomed 125 of its member organizations to Berlin for an “extremely productive” two-day membership gathering.
Representatives of National Paralympic Committees, International Federations, Regional Organizations, International Disability Sports Organizations and World Para Sports gathered in the German capital.
Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “It has been wonderful for IPC members to meet again in person for the first meeting since 2019.
“A lot has happened during this time, including significant progress on key issues such as the governance review, classification code review and strategic plan, which will guide our thinking through 2026. .
“The gathering of members is about sharing knowledge. This allows us to share best practices from across the Paralympic movement and ensures that the IPC remains a leading sports organization in the world. They were two extremely productive days to ensure that we meet the expectations of our members. »
The first day of the Members Meeting began with the President’s update from Andrew Parsons and the IPC Management Report from IPC CEO Mike Peters. This was followed by a lengthy question and answer session for members with the two presenters.
Peters then presented the proposed IPC Strategic Plan 2023-26. Consultation with IPC members is key here as they shape the IPC’s strategic business priorities that will guide the organization through the next Games cycle. The agreed priorities reflect the focus and areas of work of the IPC up to 2026.
Much of Thursday afternoon was devoted to reviewing IPC governance with three sessions led by IPC Vice President Duane Kale.
Kale updated members on the latest progress of the Governance Review, a two-year member consultation endorsed by 96% of IPC members at the IPC General Assembly which took place in December 2021 There were also dedicated sessions on Board Composition and Obligations of Members Regarding Governance Review.
Thursday’s final session was a panel on mentoring. Members heard Paul Bird (Chair, Oceania Paralympic Committee), Samson Deen (Chair, African Paralympic Committee and President, NPC Ghana) and Veronica Velasquez (General Secretary, NPC Colombia) explain why mentorship is important to them and their region. The trio also participated in a panel discussion and member Q&A on different examples of mentorship tactics, approaches and outcomes.
A successful first day concluded with Andrew Parsons presenting Paul Bird with the Paralympic Order, the highest honor a member of the Paralympic Movement can receive.
Bird has been at the forefront of the Paralympic Movement for over 40 years. He represented Australia in Para swimming and Para athletics at the 1980 and 1984 Paralympic Games, winning gold and silver medals. Off the field of competition, he has also excelled in administrative roles, as Chef de Mission or Deputy Chef de Mission for Team Australia at five Paralympic Games, member of the Paralympics Australia Board of Directors (1993- 2014) and President of the Oceania Paralympic Committee, a role he has served for the past 15 years.
The second day of the Members Meeting began with an exciting announcement from global IPC partner Airbnb. Last week, Airbnb launched a new category on its website called Suitable. This category makes it easier for wheelchair users to search for accessible holiday homes on the platform by displaying ads with verified step-free paths to the house, bedroom and bathroom.
There were two sessions on membership programs led by Kristina Molloy, IPC’s Chief Membership and Impact Officer. The first detailed all the initiatives available to support Members, while the second highlighted good practice examples of such support. Members heard from Paul Kurzo (Vice President, Badminton World Federation), Anita Danyi (International Relations Manager, NPC Hungary) and James Chiatsu (President, NPC Malawi) before another panel discussion and Q&A session with the members.
The important topic of classification code review was the subject of a highly interactive session moderated by IPC Classification Manager Tea Cisic. In January 2021, the IPC Board of Directors approved a review of the 2015 IPC Athlete Classification Code and quickly established a code writing team.
Since then, the code writing team has completed the first phase of consultation with members. Cisic provided a detailed update on this and on the ongoing second phase of consultation which will end in December 2022. This was a consultation session with members asking many questions and the classification team providing detailed answers.
The afternoon began with two sessions (one plenary and one small group) on athletes with high support needs. Led by Chelsey Gotell, IPC Board Member and former Chair of the IPC Athletes Council, this topic has generated encouraging engagement on member consultation and next steps.
This was followed by a panel discussion on athlete representation moderated by Mike Peters. Members heard Julian Bajada (General Secretary, NPC Malta), Majid Rashid (Chairman, Asian Paralympic Committee and IPC Board Member) and Birgit Skarstein (IPC Athletes Council Member), explain why athlete representation in member organizations is so important. important and how it can have positive results.
The last session of the Members’ Gathering was an update for members on the transfer of governance of the world of Paralympic sports. All sports for which the IPC is currently the International Federation will be phased out of the organization by 2026.
Members heard from Christian Holtz (Chief Executive, World Para Sports IPC), Fiona Allen (General Secretary, NPC New Zealand), Luca Pancalli (Chairman, NPC Italy and IPC Board Member) and Raul Calin (General Secretary, International Table Tennis Federation).
The next IPC General Assembly is expected to take place in the last quarter of 2023 at a venue yet to be confirmed.
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