Paralympic athletes are raising the bar of human potential to new heights. They are shining examples of the human capacity to overcome challenges against all odds, and through this of the strength and deter- mination of the soul, the courage and resolve of character, the unyielding will to reach victory and the incredible physical abilities we all hold within us.

Founder of the PARASPORT foundation Oleg Boyko

2 PARASPORT is a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to supporting the development of Paralympic sports throughout the world.

It serves as a long-term source of financial assistance in physical rehabilitation, social adaptation for athletes and people with physical and sensory impairments, and promotes equal opportunities for all members of communities.

PARASPORT works in close partnership with national Paralympic organizations.

3 Mission

The foundation, both in its role as a founding sponsor of the Paralympic Movement, and through a variety of other fundraising initiatives: • Supports Paralympic athletes in their participation in sports and social activities • Provides financial support directly to promising athletes • Stimulates public policy discussion and promotes sports among disabled individuals and groups • Helps enact measures to advance the state of Paralympic sports

4 5 Activities and Sponsorship Programmes PARASPORT strives to provide sufficient funding and charitable programs to Paralympic athletes through active cooperation with National Paralympic Committees. Today the foundation is working to develop charitable programs in three major fields.

Paralympic Team Sponsorship 1. Through its fundraising efforts and donations to national Paralympic teams, PARASPORT has provided substantial financial assistance for the athletes and sports facilities of various countries. PARASPORT sponsors the training of individual athletes with disabilities, assists in the construction of new sports facilities and methodology development. The foundation also helps to create new jobs for disabled sportsmen. This aid is provided mostly upon request and at the recommendation of the National Paralympic Committees and other Paralympic institutions.

In 2010, the foundation established special grants for Russian athletes participating in the Vancouver Winter Paralympics. The money was distributed among those sportsmen who did not receive Paralympic medals but finished in the top ten at the Games.

6 Paralympic Team Sponsorship

PARASPORT has provided financing support for the Russian Paralympic Team since its launch. The foundation granted financial aid for the Russian team`s participation in the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, Great Britain, the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, Canada, the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, and the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin, Italy.

Since 2015, PARASPORT Foundation Vietnam has been providing financial assistance to Vietnamese Paralympic athletes. At the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games Vietnam has won its first ever with support of the Foundation.

The PARASPORT foundation provided financial and organizational support to the Ukrainian Paralympic Team for in arranging its training and participation in the Beijing Summer Paralympic Games in September 2008.

7 8 2. Paralympic Movement Development The PARASPORT foundation is deeply committed to issues and events pertaining to athletes with disabilities throughout the world. Assistance is realized by financing and arranging official events and sports programs to strengthen cooperation between Paralympic institutions, international organizations, athletes, and society at large. PARASPORT works in the Asia-Pacific region through its Vietnam branch, Parasport Asia Pacific, which opened in February 2015.

PARASPORT was the general partner of the IWAS World Games. The Games brought together over 800 participants from 35 countries and were held on 26 September-3 October 2015 in Sochi.

PARASPORT made a large contribution to support the Vietnamese National ParaGames in August 2015. The nationwide games, with more than 1000 participants, including athletes, coaches, and guests, took place in the Sports Center of Dong Nai, Vietnam.

9 Official Events

In May 2015, PARASPORT arranged an official visit to Russia of the Vietnam Paralympic Association, headed by its President Pham Van Tuan to Russia. At the meetings, the Governing Boards of the Russian Paralympic Committee, the Vietnam Paralympic Association and PARASPORT discussed issues of mutual cooperation for the development of the Paralympic Movement. The three groups signed a Memorandum of Russo-Vietnamese Cooperation, committing to the enlargement of Paralympic sport development efforts.

In 2013, PARASPORT co-organized a meeting between Sir Phillip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, and the heads and representatives of the National Paralympic Committees of the CIS countries, Eastern Europe and the Baltic states in Russia. The issues of Paralympic movement development worldwide, the strengthening of cooperation between the IPC, and the National Paralympic Committees were discussed. Sir Phillip’s first visit to Moscow, in 2007, was arranged by the PARASPORT foundation.

PAPASPORT sponsored and organized the IX General Assembly of the European Paralympic Committee, in Moscow, Russia, on the 23 and 24 of September 2011.

10 Award Ceremonies PARASPORT sponsors award ceremonies for outstanding achievements in Paralympic sports in order to promote Paralympic activities to governments, institutions, the media, and the general public, and to increase the public’s awareness of and engagement with the Paralympic Movement.

Since 2007, the foundation has been sponsoring and organizing the Back to Life national award ceremony for Russia. The awards are given in ten categories to the outstanding athletes, coaches and physicians in Russia’s National Paralympic Team who achieve successful results at the Winter and Summer Paralympic Games and other international competitions.

In 2008, the foundation sponsored and organized an Ambassadorial Reception at the Beijing Paralympics. The event served as a meeting point for the representatives of fifteen National Paralympic Committees, the Games organizers, and the International Paralympic Committee.

11 12 3. Special Events PARASPORT gives financial and organizational assistance to unique events and projects intended to make a breakthrough in the minds of society and overcome stereotypes, with a view to changing public opinion about people with disabilities.

During the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, the PARASPORT foundation sponsored the Russian talk show Heroes of Our Time. The objective of the television program was to provide positive examples to help people find themselves, and to promote qualities such as determination, optimism and willpower, all of which can help bring about success no matter what hardships might be faced. The show was launched on Russia’s leading business channel RBC TV.

In December 2014, the Parasport Foundation participated in the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Sports House – the first ever in the history of the Russian Paralympic Movement.

13 Special Events

Since 2011, PARASPORT has been organizing master classes for students of a boarding school for children with disabilities. Famous Russian Paralympic athletes come to share their skills in wheelchair basketball, para-table tennis, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair dance, boccia, arm wrestling, etc.

In January 2016, PARASPORT hosted official celebrations dedicated to the Russian Paralympic Committee’s 20th anniversary and PARASPORT`s 10 years of supporting the worldwide development of the Paralympic Movement. The event was attended by the representatives of the Paralympic Committees from 25 countries.

In 2011, PARASPORT published the first children’s book about the Paralympic Movement in Russia and the world, Paralympic Sports: Courage and Overcoming. The most recent edition was published in 2015.

14 Thank you!

Contact us: [email protected]

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