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IPC kicks off one year to go #WaitForTheGreats campaign with a daring TV advert
To mark one year to go until the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has launched #WaitForTheGreats, a multi-pronged campaign that aims to generate excitement and interest ahead of next year’s rearranged Games. Running through to 6 September, the date the Closing Ceremony should have been taking place this year, the campaign will include a range of engaging content, including a daring TV advert which will be aired across the channels of rights-holders, commercial partners, IPC members and the IPC. On social media, the video can be viewed and shared via these links: YouTube: https://youtu.be/lTgdUglruNM (Audio described version: https://www.youtube.com/…) Twitter: https://twitter.com/… If you want to cross-post it on…
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IWBF complete 97% of assessments ahead of Tokyo 2020
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has agreed to grant additional time to the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) to finish verifying the eligibility of all 4.0 and 4.5 sport class players set to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Since January 2020, when the IPC declared the IWBF non-compliant with the 2015 IPC Athlete Classification Code, the global governing body of wheelchair basketball has needed to conduct eligibility assessments of 132 4.0 and 4.5 sport class players set to compete in Tokyo. This exercise – the first phase of an approved action plan towards Code-compliance – has found 119 players eligible and nine non-eligible. Four cases remain outstanding pending…
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Kurt Fearnley elected Vice Chairperson of IPC Athletes‘ Council
Multi-Paralympic and world champion Kurt Fearnley is taking on a new role as Vice Chairperson of the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Athletes’ Council. The Australian wheelchair racer was elected to replace the Netherlands’ Elvira Stinissen. The Dutch sitting volleyball player resigned in May for personal reasons, concluding a journey she began since being elected at the London 2012 Paralympic Games; she became Vice Chairperson in 2014. Fearnley, a three-time Paralympic champion in the T54 category, will serve as Vice Chairperson until December 2022. He joins Chairperson Chelsey Gotell, along with six elected members, three co-opted members and a representative from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission. In his role,…
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IPC Board discusses impact of COVID-19 pandemic
During four days of meetings that were held virtually and concluded on Wednesday (8 July), the IPC Governing Board discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the Paralympic Movement, including the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. On Tuesday (7 July), the Board endorsed the positioning, principles for re-planning, and a roadmap to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games following a video conference presentation by Yukihiko Nunomura, Tokyo 2020 Vice Director General and Chief Operating Officer. Tokyo 2020’s positioning document highlighted the Organising Committee’s commitment for the Paralympics in 2021 to be a global celebration of human endeavour, resilience and hope. With athletes and sports placed at the heart of the Games,…
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IPC Athletes‘ Council to launch global consultation regarding athlete protests
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes’ Council is to launch a consultation exercise with the global Para athlete community to gather a better understanding on ways athletes could express their views on key subjects at the Paralympic Games, while respecting the Paralympic Movement’s values and principles. The consultation comes after a dialogue between the IPC Athletes’ Council and the IPC and was fully supported by the IPC Governing Board at its meeting on Friday (3 July). Starting this month as part of the consultation exercise, the IPC Athletes’ Council and IPC will host a series of focus groups with Para athletes that have a dual purpose. Held in multiple languages…
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Para powerlifter Johannes Hernandez given 15-month ban for anti-doping rule violation
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has banned Puerto Rican Para powerlifter Johannes Hernandez for 15 months after he committed an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. The athlete returned an adverse analytical finding for a prohibited substance in a urine sample provided on 31 August 2019 during competition at the Parapan American Games, where he finished fourth in the Men’s Over 107kg category. The substances were Hydrochlorothiazide and metabolite, which are included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2019 Prohibited List under the class S5. Diuretics and Masking Agents. As a result of his violation, Hernandez is ineligible for competition for 15 months…
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IPC President Andrew Parsons urges US Open tennis to reconsider decision – statement
“The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is disappointed at the US Open’s decision not to include wheelchair tennis in this September’s event, a decision that has left a lot of the athlete community rightly upset and angered. We urge organisers to reconsider this decision which could potentially undo years of great work to promote and showcase the sport of wheelchair tennis. “We appreciate that the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown up multiple challenges for sport event organisers all around the world, but such challenges should not be used as an excuse to discriminate against a group of players and not offer inclusive competition for all. “There has been tremendous progress in recent…
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Rooba AlOmari suspended for non-analytical anti-doping rule violation
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) – pursuant to an agreed decision – suspended Bahraini Para athletics athlete Rooba AlOmari for 12 months for committing an anti-doping rule violation. The Rio 2016 Paralympian, who competes in the F55 class, was suspended for a failure to submit to sample collection. AlOmari competed at the 11th Fazza International Athletics Championships in Dubai in February 2019, where she was selected for doping control after she came second in the women’s javelin competition on 26 February. AlOmari failed to provide a urine sample after being notified of her selection for testing by a Doping Control Officer. Despite being willing to provide a sample, it transpired…
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IWBF granted more time on Tokyo 2020 athlete eligibility
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has agreed to extend until 1 August 2020 the deadline for the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) to verify the eligibility of all 4.0 and 4.5 class players set to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. In January 2020, the IPC announced that the IWBF was non-compliant with the IPC Athlete Classification Code and that immediate measures needed to be taken. As part of an approved action plan towards code-compliance, the IPC requested the IWBF conduct an Eligibility Assessment of all 4.0 and 4.5 sport class players set to compete at Tokyo 2020 before 29 May 2020. Such assessments…
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Para powerlifter Esther Oyema receives a four-year ban for anti-doping rule violation
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has banned the former Paralympic champion Para powerlifter Esther Oyema for four years after she committed an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV). The Nigerian, who won gold at London 2012 in the Women’s 48kg, returned an adverse analytical finding for a prohibited substance in a urine sample provided on 28 January 2019 after competing at the Lagos 2019 International Para Powerlifting Competition in Nigeria. The substance was 19-norandrosterone. This is included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2019 Prohibited List under the class S1.1B Endogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) and their Metabolites and isomers. As a result of her violation, Oyema will be ineligible for competition…
