International Paralympic Committee Reaches Milestone 100th Governing Board Meeting

The International Paralympic Committee hosted its 100th in-person Governing Board meeting in Milan last week with the Italian Paralympic Committee hosting the event.

During the three-day meeting, the Board discussed key learnings from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and received progress updates on future Paralympic Games editions and the IPC membership. The first IPC Governing Board meeting took place 35 years ago on September 23, 1989, following the inaugural IPC General Assembly in Duisburg, Germany.

“Since the first Governing Board meeting in September 1989, the IPC and the Paralympic Movement has grown immeasurably with many decisions taken by the current and previous Governing Boards fundamental to this growth,” said Andrew Parsons, International Paralympic Committee president.

Today, the IPC Governing Board aims to meet at least three times a year in-person with meetings chaired by the IPC President. The current Board features 14 members — 12 that are elected by the IPC General Assembly every four years and the chairperson and first vice chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council. The presidents of the Americas Paralympic Committee, Asian Paralympic Committee, European Paralympic Committee and Oceania Paralympic Committee also attended.

“Our sincere thanks go to the Italian Paralympic Committee for hosting this historic meeting,” Parsons said. “Under the leadership of my good friend President Luca Pancalli, the Italian Paralympic Committee has made significant strides forward, writing new chapters into the great history of the Paralympic Movement in Italy.”

The Board also heard from the IPC Athletes’ Council, including its new chairperson, Vladyslava Kravchenko, who attended her first board meeting days after her election to the role.