Awards
The IPC regularly honours people, athletes and organizations for their outstanding achievements at Paralympic Games and/or extraordinary contributions to the Paralympic Movement with the following awards:
- Paralympic Order
- Paralympic Honour
- Paralympic Sport Awards
- Paralympic Media Awards
- Paralympic Scientific Award
Paralympic Hall of Fame
The Paralympic Hall of Fame ensures that a permanent record and institutional memory is kept of top Paralympic athletes and coaches of all time, thus honouring the performers who achieved a high and sustained level of success in our greatest events: the Paralympic Summer and Winter Games.
In order to be eligible, athletes and coaches must have achieved a very high and sustained level of success at the Paralympic Games. They must also have consistently displayed a spirit of fair play, and made a positive contribution to the Paralympic Movement. They must have ceased their participation in Paralympic sporting competition for at least four years (one Paralympic Games cycle).
Having started with the first inductees at the time of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games, the election and induction of new members will always take place to coincide with the Paralympic Games. The induction ceremony will always take place during the Paralympic Summer and Winter Games.
The Presenting Sponsor of the Paralympic Hall of Fame is Visa. Through this sponsorship, Visa reaffirms its commitment to the Paralympic Movement and to Paralympic athletes of the past, present and future.
Additionally, there are several awards presented by other organizations:
Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award
The Whang Youn Dai Overcome Prize has been presented to two athletes (one male and one female) at every Paralympic Games since the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games. The Prize is bestowed upon athletes who best exemplify the spirit of the Paralympic Games, regardless of the outcome of their performance, with the attitude of fair play. It is to honour those athletes who see beyond their limitations and who have a vision to better the world through sports and the Paralympic Games. The Prize is named after Dr. Whang Youn Dai, who has contributed her life and enthusiasm to promote the welfare of persons with a disability. For more information, please visit www.whangprize.org.
External Awards
The Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability is awarded to the athlete who best demonstrates excellent athletic performance and achievement in a competitive sport on the Paralympic programme within the award year. The athlete must also have shown strong leadership qualities in his/her chosen sport, in community activities and in public speaking. For more information, please visit www.laureus.com.
The General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) Award was created ‘to recognize and honour those individuals who have contributed to the development of their sport as well as to sport in general’. The first GAISF Award was presented in May 2003 to H.E. Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch. For more information, please visit www.agfisonline.com.
The International Fair Play Awards are given annually by the International Committee of Fair Play (CIFP), a prestigious organization co-founded by International Committee for Sports Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) and the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) more than 40 years ago. The awards include diplomas, letters of congratulations, and major trophies in three categories (the Pierre de Coubertin International Fair Play Trophy, awarded to an athlete or a team for a gesture of fair play; the Jean Borotra International Fair Play Trophy, awarded to a person for a general attitude of fair play showed during his/her career and the Willi Daume International Fair Play Trophy awarded to a person or an organization for promoting fair play). For more information, please visit www.fairplayinternational.org.
Please note that only members of the Paralympic Family (NPCs, IOSDs, IFs, Sports, Regions and IPC Councils and Committees) are eligible to participate in the nomination process.
The IOC/IAKS AWARD is the only architecture award of international importance for existing sports and leisure facilities. The IPC/IAKS Distinction recognizes the world’s best accessible sports and leisure facilities. It aims to promote accessibility to sports facilities and other buildings in order to give persons with a disability the opportunity to practise or view sport without limitation or barriers. 2006 was the first time that the IPC/IAKS Distinction for Accessibility has been awarded. More information can be found on the official website at www.iaks.info.
