OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYmpIC CommITTEE ISSUE No. 2 | 2009 SPORT PROFILE: TABLE TENNIS BT PARALYMPIC WORLD CUP PARALYMPIC SPORT IN RwANDA g page 7 g page 8 g page 13 Paralympic mascot Sumi enlivens spirit, “ celebrating one year to Vancouver „ g page 4 Sharpshooters Finish Off Winter Season ICE SLEDGE HOCKEY and Slalom. At the event, the overall COMPETITIONS WRAP Nation Ranking was won, for the first UP THE YEAR FOR time, by Canada, followed by Austria and the USA. WINTER ATHLETES Closely in Mt. Washington, Nordic Ski- ers completed their World Cup series The final year before the Vancouver in Biathlon and Cross-Country Ski- 2010 Paralympic Winter Games brought ing. With athletes from 19 different countless high-level performances nations in Comox Valley, the event onto different fields of play, undeni- completed the series with final ran- ably bringing forth great anticipation kings ensuing. for the big event to come. And in Wheelchair Curling, the World Athletes in the Paralympic Sport of Ice Curling Federation (WCF) World Wheel- Sledge Hockey were no less than an chair Curling Championships also had outstanding group of sharpshooters, as athletes finishing their season to the various competitions leading up to qualify for the upcoming Games. The the World Championships Tournaments countries ranked in the top ten com- A and B culminated the winter season. prise Norway, Canada, United States, Most notably, the games in both tour- Korea, Scotland/Great Britain, Sweden, naments determined the qualifiers Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Japan. for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games next year. The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Win- ter Games will take place next year At the 2009 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey from 12-21 March. All Paralympic World Championships Tournament A, Winter sports will be in Canada, in- six teams made that qualification offi- cluding Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Cross- cial. It was clear in fact from 12 May, Country Skiing, Ice Sledge Hockey and the last day of the pool games in this Wheelchair Curling, bringing athletes competition, that teams from Canada, out to show highly-trained and skilled Japan, Norway and USA would proceed performances that will inspire every to the semi-finals, and therefore quali- Paralympic fan around the world. fied for the Vancouver 2010 Paralym- pic Winter Games. For more information about the Paralympic Winter Games, please visit Czech Republic and Italy were two All athletes saw the finals as a clear shot to compete in Vancouver www.paralympic.org. more teams to qualify for Vancouver. After a hard three See footage from Ostrava on www. losses, the Czech Nearly 1,200 kilometres away in Eind- Although the winter season 2008/2009 ParalympicSport.TV. team defeated hoven, the Netherlands, the 2009 IPC is now officially over, and many ath- Korea in the play- Ice Sledge Hockey World Champion- letes undoubtedly have the Vancou- off round 5:1. ships Tournament B took place less than ver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games Italy’s play-off two months earlier from 15-21 March, on their minds, the eight team slots for against Germany exactly one year before the Vancouver Ice Sledge Hockey are not completely IPC ANNIVERSARY had the Italians 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. filled. A Paralympic Qualifier is still in g page 2 scoring in the the wings for four teams whose fate re- penalty shoot- The competition brought out teams from mains undetermined. 20 Years of IPC out, putting them Estonia, Great Britain, Poland, Sweden as the sixth and and host country The Netherlands. The The Paralympic Qualifier in Ice Sledge Interviews with former IPC Presi- final team on the five teams were not only competing for Hockey will include the top two teams dent Dr. Robert Steadward, Hans list. the gold medal, they were also aiming to from Tournament B, Estonia and Swe- Lindstrom and Fred Jansen recall reach the finals which would therefore den, and the bottom two teams from the 20 years of the IPC and the The eight days in put them in the qualification tourna- Tournament A, Germany and Korea. many experiences which have oc- the north-eastern ment for the Vancouver 2010 Paralym- The two winners of those competi- curred along the way. city of Ostrava gave audience mem- score remained 0:0 throughout the pic Winter Games. tions will fill the final two slots for Ice bers and Paralympic fans around the game, but the teams brought on in- Sledge Hockey teams to compete in IPC President Sir Philip Craven also world the chance to experience the creased intensity as the clock contin- Every athlete’s fast-moving sledge on Vancouver. talks about the important role that highly physical Paralympic Sport. The ued to run out. Just when the audience the ice saw this as their chance to volunteers have had on the Para- gold medal battle for example bet- assumed that overtime was inevitable make it to the Games, with Estonia and Finishing up the winter season in Al- lympic Movement and the IPC, and ween USA and Norway filled the first however, Andy Yohe scored the winning Sweden eventually placing in the top two pine Skiing, athletes were in Whistler, the continued support welcomed of three 15-minute periods with power- goal with just over 11 seconds left, spots. The Estonian team took the top Canada, to compete in Downhill, Su- from all around the world. ful strikes and constant defence. The putting the final score at 1:0, USA. position, winning 1:0 against Sweden. per-G, Super Combined, Giant Slalom 2 THE PARALYMPIAN IPC 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY – PART I ISSUE No. 2 | 2009 Athletes Grow With Organization After 20 Years Former IPC President Dr. Robert Steadward Recalls Progress Over The Years With Hans Lindstrom and Fred Jansen THE PRESIDENT'S MEssAGE The number of competi- record six-day run of tions and events this win- the event had many ter season were quite the athletes who were dose of excitement for successful at the Paralympic Winter Sport Beijing 2008 Para- fans around the world. lympic Games see- State-of-the-art venues ing this event as a became fantastic back- key stepping stone in ground settings, and their preparations for countless volunteers did World Championships more than their fair share in 2010/2011 and the in contributing to the suc- London 2012 Para- cess. Now with the winter lympic Games. season 2008/2009 offi- “… we had the cially over, athletes have opportunity to Inside this issue, we the Vancouver 2010 Par- link all Canadians have included a spe- alympic Winter Games in cial section on the 20 with the Paralym- Left Former President Steadward at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games clear view. pic Winter Games year anniversary of the Right The motto ‘No Limits’ was held by all participants throughout the Lillehammer 1994 Paralympic Winter Games next year.” IPC, with interviews of Sport events which have people who have been taken place in Whistler/ a part for the organi- The comprehensive list of changes a disability to work with on an equal without the work in establishing the Vancouver, Canada, this zation for many years. T that has been compiling in recent level. Sport for people with a disability sports technical structure, IPC sports year proved that the upcoming Games Through their eyes and in their years within the Paralympic Movement had in the past principally focused on programme and rules, which was lead will be no less than impressive. Like words, readers have the chance gives anyone a clear picture of accom- rehabilitation through the implementa- by former IPC Executive Committee in Beijing, Paralympic fans will have to experience the past that has plishment and evolution. This year, as tion of remedial exercise and was not Member Hans Lindstrom. Mr. Lind- a chance to witness Paralympic Sport made IPC what it is today. the IPC celebrates its 20 year anniver- really seen as on a high level. strom recalled this as a difficult, but on an elite level, but in its winter form. sary, that list has more defined bor- rewarding task to complete. Winter athletes have been fine tuning We also see the IPC Swimming ders however when focus turns to the “In the 1980s we struggled for our their skills this season in order to not Summit in Berlin covered, with progress of athletes and the actual or- rights, recognition, respect and equal- “When the IPC was founded there was only prepare for the Vancouver Games, athlete interviews from Athletes’ ganization of the committee. ity in order to equate ourselves with no sports programme, no sports tech- but also for qualification purposes. Council members Teresa Perales the so-called normal realm of sport,” nical infrastructure and no compre- and David Smetanine. In the Edu- Dr. Robert Steadward, the former IPC Dr. Steadward said. “Our athletes hensive rules package,” Mr. Lindstrom After the 2009 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey cation and Development section, President, took office when the IPC were considered patients rather than said. “It was necessary to immediately World Championships and the World we examine the success of the was just beginning in 1989. He served high performance athletes and were prepare the constitution for the op- Wheelchair Curling Championships, Paralympic School Day Project until 2001, which erational practicalities of the organ- to name two deciding events, athletes that has been happening in Swe- encompassed three “Sport for people with a disabili- ization.” now have their definitive results with den over the past few years. four-year terms. As their respective ranking, clearing the the first President ty had in the past principally Mr. Lindstrom, who was also with the way for training and Games prepa- The Accessibility section includes of the organization, focused on rehabilitation through IPC at the beginning, said it started ration.