Gustavo Fernandez won his first career Super Series tournament at the Japan Open at the age of 18. © • Japan Wheelchair Tennis Association France's Marie Bochet won five golds at the 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships. © • Marcus Hartmann Australia's Matthew Cowdrey won the gold medal during the men's 100m freestyle - S9 final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. © • Getty Images Melissa Stockwell winning the TRI-2 race during the ITU Para-Triathlon World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand. © • USA Triathlon The world-champion canoeist Fernando Fernandes is aiming for the podium at Rio 2016 © • ICF/ Balint Vekassy

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While Oliveira certainly has a large future ahead of him, nobody can deny the distinct appeal every para-athlete has in the world. Every single one of them has a unique story that elicits courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

Brazil’s Alan Fonteles Oliveira became the first Paralympian to be named to SportsPro magazine’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes list this week.

While Oliveira certainly has a large future ahead of him, nobody can deny the distinct appeal every para-athlete has in the world. Every single one of them has a unique story that elicits courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

Here’s a list of 15 Paralympians – in no particular order – who I believe have the potential to follow in Oliveira’s footsteps and become top marketable athletes on the international stage.

1. Greg Westlake (Canada, ice sledge hockey): As the captain of his team, Westlake is a veteran in the game and everything a sponsor looks for in athlete. He’s the top scorer on a world championship team, a charismatic and intelligent interviewee, and he knows what it takes to draw attention to his sport and fans to his games.

2. Jarryd Wallace (USA, athletics): Really now, what other Paralympian has their own hashtag? Despite not winning a medal in his Paralympic debut at London 2012, the sprinter’s #iRunForHim motto has quickly caught on and there’s no better athlete who has successfully self-branded his or herself. If Wallace can now get to the podium, he’s gold.

3. Marie Bochet (France, alpine skiing): The 19-year-old was the top winner at this year’s IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships, hauling in five golds. The future face of France’s Paralympic team. She was a part of the IPC Alpine Skiing development camp seven years ago and is the perfect example of a para-athlete who has gained significant support on her journey from grassroots to gold.

4. Marlou van Rhijn (Netherlands, athletics): The 200m T44 Paralympic champion had a Barbie doll modeled after her following London 2012. That’s got to be some sort of instant claim to fame. And with Dutch wheelchair tennis veteran Esther Vergeer now retired, van Rhijn can perfectly fill the void as her country’s Paralympic star of the future.

5. Gustavo Fernandez (Argentina, wheelchair tennis): I’ve been saying it for the past year now, but let me repeat it once again. This rising star, now No. 3 in the men’s singles world rankings, is the next big name in Paralympic sport. His father had a successful 17-year professional basketball career in Argentina, and his brother has played professional basketball in Italy after making a name for himself playing at Temple University in the USA. Now, at 19, it’s Gustavo’s turn to shine.

6. Ellie Simmonds (Great Britain, swimming): The swimmer’s tears alone after winning her first London 2012 gold are enough to capture a worldwide audience. And to think she’s just 18 and is already known by the entire British public is just remarkable. She has years of fame ahead of her.

7. Matt Cowdrey (Australia, swimming): Cowdrey is Speedo’s latest ambassador and the most-decorated Australian Paralympian of all-time. He’s continuing to swim his way through the record books and is expected to headline once again at this year’s IPC Swimming World Championships and potentially at the Rio 2016 Games.

8. Fernando Fernandes (Brazil, canoe): The three-time reigning champion in his sport, Fernandes has previously been a a professional able-bodied football player, a boxer, an international model for the likes of Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabanna, and Abercrombie & Fitch, and a star on the Brazilian edition of the reality TV show, “Big Brother.” Marketable is his middle name.

9. Heinrich Popow (Germany, athletics): Ottobock’s well-spoken ambassador was displayed on posters throughout Germany leading up to London 2012, and the 100m T42 Paralympic sprint champion is in the prime of his career heading into this summer’s IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France.

10. Melissa Stockwell (USA, triathlon): The three-time world champion in the TRI-2 class was the first American female soldier to lose a limb in the Iraq war in April 2004, just a month into her deployment, and then took part in the Beijing 2008 Paralympics in swimming. She recently met with American President Barack Obama and George W. Bush at the opening of the Bush Library in Texas.

11. Will Bayley (Great Britain, table tennis): Bayley is one of the best at giving fans an inside look into his life via Twitter, Instagram and Channel 4’s videos. After grabbing silver in singles at London 2012, Bayley’s next four years are all focused on getting to the next step on the podium, and he’s eager to share his journey with the world along the way.

12. Mikhalina Lysova (Russia, nordic skiing): With five golds and a bronze to her name at this year’s IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships, the visually impaired skier is on her way to the top. Having just turned 21 and with Russia hosting the next Paralympic Winter Games, now is the perfect time for Lysova to enter the spotlight and shine on the world’s stage.

13. Natalia Partyka (Poland, table tennis): As both an Olympian and Paralympian, Partyka is one of Poland’s most successful athletes in any sport and is a three-time singles gold medallist at the Games on the Paralympic side. Born without a right hand and forearm, Partyka’s fan base back home is enormous and she’s been in everything from books and magazines to TV shows and documentaries.

14. Daniel Dias (Brazil, swimming): Everybody’s talking about sprinter Alan Fonteles Oliveira, but don’t forget swimmer Daniel Dias as one of the potential Rio 2016 stars for the host nation. He won six golds at London 2012 – all in world-record times – and just picked up his second Laureus Award. With the Games coming home for Dias, expect him to be the centre of attention for the next four years in Paralympic sport.

15. Amy Purdy (USA, snowboard): With snowboard making its Paralympic debut at Sochi 2014, Purdy has the chance to become one of the sport’s first stars. The double-amputee, who received a kidney transplant from her father, is also a spokesperson and actress, having participated on the USA’s hit television series, The Amazing Race.

Canada's Summer Mortimer won the gold medal during the women's 100m backstroke - S10 final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. © • Getty Images

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Benoit Huot: Bringing the World Championships home

“I am very excited to be able to race at home in a World Championship. This special opportunity is unique in a life of an athlete, as friends and family will be there cheering for Canada.”

With the 2013 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships less than 100 days away, Swimming Canada has announced their team that will compete in Montreal.

Montreal 2013 will be the first ever para-swimming world championship on North American soil, and the Canadian team will feature a strong contingent of competitors from the Montreal area. Benoit Huot of Longueuil and Valerie Grand’Maison of Montreal are among the standouts on the 26-member team, which will compete from 12-18 August at Parc Jean-Drapeau Aquatic Complex.

Four-time Paralympian Huot was Canada’s flag bearer for the London 2012 closing ceremonies after increasing his career Paralympic medal total to 19, to go along with 28 world championships. Despite all his success in the pool, Huot lists carrying the flag as his proudest moment, and expects that same feeling when he represents his country on home soil.

“I am very excited to be able to race at home in a World Championship. This special opportunity is unique in a life of an athlete, as friends and family will be there cheering for Canada,” Huot said. “What I am the most proud of about this summer is the fact that Canadians and people from Quebec will have a better understanding of what para-swimming is all about. This competition will increase the awareness of our movement and will inspire the next generation of swimmers.”

Canada's full team can be found here.

Grand’Maison, meanwhile, continued to write her name in the record books at the Paralympics with a world record and gold medal in the 200m S13 individual medley. The holder of nine Paralympic medals, 13 world championships medals and six world records is excited to continue the momentum into 2013.

“My performances from last summer in London made me really confident about my training program with Peter Carpenter,” Grand’Maison said. “I know what to do to swim fast, I know how to focus and train well, and I have the experience to race hard. It's an absolutely amazing opportunity for me to race at home, in the same pool that I train at every summer, and it's going to provide great visibility to Paralympic swimming in the region. It's been a tough year coming back from London, now I just want to have fun and enjoy racing in front of my friends and family.”

Other Montreal-area athletes making up the squad include Valerie Drapeau of Longueuil, and Justine Morrier, Aurelie Rivard and Maxime Rousselle of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

Athletes were selected based on their performances at last month’s Can-Am Para-swimming Championships in Minneapolis. Canadians established 32 new national marks, led by Danielle Kisser of Delta, B.C., with five.

“Being able to compete on home soil is an honour and a privilege. We have a great mix of veteran and first-time swimmers and coaches and it bodes well for Canada at the start of this new Paralympic quadrennial,” said Para-swimming National Coach Craig McCord, a member of the IPC Coaches’ Advisory Group. “It will be a benchmark to see where we stand against the world one year post London 2012 and how we are positioned on the road to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio. It will also give the athletes a taste of what it will be like two years from now when they walk into the stadium to compete at Parapan Am Games in Toronto. I have full confidence that our swimmers will be ready to go when we start rolling on Aug. 12.”

Preparations are well underway for the seven-day international competition, at which around 650 of the world’s best swimmers with disabilities from 60 countries are expected to compete.

Great Britain recently announced a 32-strong team for Montreal that will include four-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds and 12-time Paralympic medallist Sascha Kindred. In Montreal Simmonds will face her arch-rival Victoria Arlen, part of the 25-member Team USA. In London the two went head-to-head in three finals with the American finishing ahead of her British nemesis on two occasions.

Other big names expected to compete in Montreal include Brazil’s Daniel Dias, a winner of six gold medals all in world record times at London 2012, USA’s 12-time Paralympic champion Jessica Long and the Australian duo of Matthew Cowdrey and Jacqueline Freney who, between them, amassed 12 gold medals in London last summer.

The last IPC Swimming World Championships took place in August 2010 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands and consisted of 181 different medal events. With 58 medals in total, including 21 golds, Ukraine topped the medals table ahead of USA and Russia.

For more information about the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships, please visit www.ipcswimmingworlds2013.org

Dr. Gaétan Tardif, President Canadian Paralympic Committee © • Canadian Paralympic Committee

"The hard work starts right away. I'm really looking forward to working with the sport community to help Canada become the world's leading Paralympic nation. I truly believe I have the best volunteer job in the world!"

The Canadian Paralympic Committee elected a new Board of Directors including a President, a Vice President and seven Directors at the 2013 CPC Annual General Meeting in Toronto. All will serve four-year terms, from 2013 to 2017.

Dr. Gaétan Tardif is the new President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. He takes over from David Legg, who held the President position for three years.

Fluently bilingual, Tardif has participated in seven consecutive Paralympic Games, most recently as Team Canada's Chef de Mission at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Tardif is an academic physician and health care executive with leadership experience in several professional and not-for-profit organisations. He is Medical Program Director - Rehabilitation and Post-Acute Care at the University Health Network and a Professor in the Department of Medicine and director, Division of Physiatry (PM&R) at the University of Toronto.

Tardif also served as Director of Administration and Chair of the HR Committee on the Canadian Paralympic Committee Board of Directors from 2008 to 2013 and was a member of the Games Committee from 2006 to 2013.

"Thank you very much for your vote of confidence," Tardif said to the voting delegates. "The hard work starts right away. I'm really looking forward to working with the sport community to help Canada become the world's leading Paralympic nation. I truly believe I have the best volunteer job in the world!"

CPC's new Vice-President is Debbie Low.

Low is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario. She was the Executive Director of ParaSport Ontario from 2002 to 2005, Assistant Chef de Mission for the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, Chef de Mission for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games and a member of the International Paralympic Committee's Games Committee. She has also been involved in nine sets of Canada Games, including Chef de Mission in 1999 and 1997.

Low was a Canadian Paralympic Committee Board member and served on the Games and High Performance Committee from 2007 to 2011, including serving as CPC's Board representative on the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Bid Committee.

Also elected today were seven Directors of the Board. They are: Ellen Waxman, Rick Baker, Gail Hamamoto, Andrea Carey, Blair McIntosh, Rem Langan and Jim Westlake.

Waxman and Baker are new members of the Board, while Hamamoto, Carey, McIntosh, Westlake and Langan are returning to the Board.

Before a sold out crowd on Friday night (10 May) at Toronto's Mattamy Athletic Centre, the Canadian Paralympic Committee celebrated champions past and present at the Paralympic Hall of Fame and Sport Awards Ceremony.

Honoured in person were the six 2013 inductees in to the Canadian Paralympic Committee Hall of Fame, announced last month:

• Athletes Robert Easton (Victoria, B.C, originally from Edmonton, Alta.), Jennifer Krempien (Richmond, B.C., originally from St. Albert, Alta.), and Tim McIsaac (Winnipeg, Alta.)

• Coach Tim Frick (Pender Island, B.C.)

• Builders Janet Dunn (Victoria, B.C., originally from Ogema, Sask.), and John Howe (Brantford, Ont.)

Two-time Paralympian and wheelchair racer Robert Easton who won eight gold and medals and one silver in 1984 and 1988.said: "I was a 14-year-old kid who one day asked, "Can I go to the Paralympics?" And nobody said no, so I assumed that was yes. We started on a journey that no one truly knew how hard it would be. The medals and the records were nice, but I truly did want to figure out just how fast I could go. I'm also really aware that part of the value of sport is what it leaves you with afterwards. What it leaves you with is the ability to set goals, to persevere, to overcome challenge you didn't even realize were challenges. Those skills served me well not only in sport but also throughout my career.”

Speaking after his induction Tim Frick , who coached Canada’s women’s wheelchair basketball team to an 11-year winning, said: “"The Paralympic Movement has given me a lifetime of joy and accomplishment but really, the pleasure has been all mine. I've loved every single moment and continue to be involved."

Initiated in 2000, the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates those who have made a significant contribution to the growth and development of the Paralympic Movement in Canada. These individuals will be acknowledged within the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame Honoured Members section located in the Olympic and Paralympic Gallery at Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary. The Canadian Paralympic Committee holds an induction process every two years, during a non-Paralympic Games year.

Also announced and presented on Friday evening were the prestigious CPC Sport Awards for 2012, including:

Best Games Debut: Summer Mortimer, winner of two gold, one silver and one bronze medal in swimming at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Best Team Performance: Men's wheelchair basketball team, who went undefeated and won the gold medal at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Best Male Athlete: Patrick Anderson, top scorer among all wheelchair basketball players at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, averaging 25 points per game, who led Team Canada to gold

Best Female Athlete: Michelle Stilwell, winner of gold and silver medals in athletics at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Para-Development Coach: Chris Holden: Accomplished grassroots program director and senior coach for para-alpine skiing, para-snowboarding, adaptive waterskiing and wakeboarding

Tim Frick Paralympic Coach Excellence: Jerry Tonello, Head Coach of the Men's wheelchair basketball team that won the gold medal at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Michelle Stilwell said: "I want to especially thank my husband, Mark, and my son, Kai, who have consistently believed in me and given up and sacrificed so much so that I can achieve my goals and my dreams in sport. I also want to thank my coach Peter Lawless who has always given me the most amazing direction for me to be able to reach my goals and dreams in sport."

Patrick Anderson said: "I should say thanks to my coaches, teammates, and the staff, but "thanks" isn't really the right word. "Congratulations" is a better one. Teams win together and lose together, and that goes for awards as well. So, congrats!"

The Canadian Paralympic Committee created the Sport Awards after the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympic Games in order to recognize outstanding athlete and team performances at the Paralympic Games, as well as excellence in coaching at both the high performance and development levels.

"Making the benefits of sport available to all is critical to Canada becoming a world leading Paralympic nation."

The Canadian Paralympic Committee has announced the 2013-14 recipients of the Para-Equipment Fund, supported by Invacare Canada, as well as the Recruitment Program Fund. Both funds are supported by the Government of Canada's Sport Support Program.

The Para-Equipment Fund (PEF) delivers grants of up to 5,000 Canadian dollars (CAD) to national and provincial sport organisations as well as local level clubs to purchase adapted equipment - for sports such as wheelchair basketball, sledge hockey, or skiing for people with visual impairments, for example - to enable people with a disability to take part in sport. Grants awarded help the sport organisations cover 50 per cent of the total cost of the equipment.

This year, 42 sport organisations representing 17 para-sports in regions across Canada received a total of 154,679.17 CAD from the Para-Equipment Fund. Due to the matching nature of the Fund by the recipient, a total of 309,358.34 CAD will be invested into the para-sport system.

"Our involvement in the Para-Equipment fund allows us at Invacare and our performance wheelchair team at Top End to work towards our goal of making life's experiences possible," said Vince Morelli, General Manager of Invacare Canada, a leading manufacturer of wheelchairs for both everyday use and competitive sports. "The Fund will help nurture the hopes and dreams of more kids with disabilities, allowing them to participate and be active through Invacare's product lines - and maybe even one day compete for Canada at the Paralympic Games!"

The Recruitment Program Fund (RPF) awards grants of up to 10,000 CAD to sports organisations to financially support the creation of a new sports program or the expansion of an existing successful program that provides a positive introductory sports experience for participants with an impairment.

Funds may be used towards enhancing program options, such as facility rental space, coaching, volunteer training and more.

This year, 28 sport organisations representing 18 para-sports in regions across Canada received a total of 196,151.00 CAD from the Recruitment Program Fund.

Summary

Between the two funds, a total of 350,830.17 CAD in funds will be distributed to 60 sport organisations across the country (10 organisations are receiving both funds), representing 21 different sports. Including the matching of 154,679.17 CAD by recipients of the Para-Equipment Fund, a total of 505,509.34 CAD will be invested in sports programs and sports equipment for people with an impairment in Canada.

The complete list of recipients of the 2013-14 Para-Equipment Fund and Recruitment Program Fund is posted and downloadable HERE

"Supporting the Para-Equipment Fund and Recruitment Programs Fund, and playing a leading role in the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport are things our Government is proud to do," said the Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). "By providing these opportunities for people with disabilities, we are helping develop athletes who could one day proudly wear the maple leaf and represent Canada on the international stage."

"Making the benefits of sport available to all is critical to Canada becoming a world leading Paralympic nation," said David Legg, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "To do this it is essential to make available quality introductory sport programming and adapted sports equipment in order to give those with a disability a place to play and a positive sport experience. I would like to congratulate the recipients of the Para-Equipment Fund and the Recruitment Program Fund, and thank Invacare Canada, the Government of Canada, and all involved in para-sport for their dedication and efforts in helping develop Canada's para-sport system."

“I would be lost without it. Playing rugby helps me to keep active and gives me goals to work towards.”

Many of the stars of Canada’s London 2012 silver medal winning wheelchair rugby team will be in action later this month competing for their respective provinces in the Canadian Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Calgary.

Amongst them will be British Columbia’s Trevor Hirschfield - one of Canada’s most experienced players - and rookie Zak Madell who will represent Alberta in the event which takes place between 17 and 19 May.

In the lead-up to the Championships, Hirschfield and his teammates are training five days a week and he believes they are in good shape for what lies ahead.

“We are expecting to make finals at nationals,” said Hirschfield who was made national team captain earlier this year having been a regular in the side since 2006.

“It’s an amazing honour, there is a long list of amazing captains before me so to be part of this elite group is pretty special,” he said.

A 1.0 classified player, Hirschfield has a huge love of wheelchair rugby, a sport that has been a massive part of his life over the past seven years.

“I would be lost without it. Playing rugby helps me to keep active and gives me goals to work towards,” he said.

At 29 years old Hirschfield is almost as a veteran of the sport compared to his 18 year old national teammate Madell, one of the rising stars in the wheelchair rugby world.

Madell played lacrosse when he was younger, and has only been playing wheelchair rugby for a little over two years. Despite this he has already won a London 2012 Paralympic silver medal.

“It was encouraging for the team to win silver [in London] because going into the tournament we were ranked fifth in the world,” Madell said.

“Also beating team USA was a big confidence boost for us.”

Madell said Alberta team training has been strong and he is increasing his own workload more and more for the tournament which will see Alberta field two squads.

“All competing teams will be split into two pools. Alberta will be sending two teams, one A and one B to fill in for a team that dropped out at the last minute,” explained Madell.

“I expect it to be a very difficult tournament for team Alberta now that we are playing in the A division but I am looking forward to a weekend of high intensity rugby.”

Both Hirschfield and Madell will be looking to take some good form out of the nationals, with both hoping Canada can go one step further than London 2012 at next year’s World Championships in Denmark.

“We are looking forward to the World Championships in 2014 and the team is hungry for gold,” Hirschfield said.

IPC Athletes' Council May 2013 © • IPC

“The Paralympic Movement is growing in strength all the time and I doubt a few years ago athletes would dare to imagine that they would be competing in front of packed stadia and in some cases 80,000 people. Now it’s a reality and one we need to be prepared for both mentally and physically."

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that Todd Nicholson has been elected as Chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council for the next four years.

Nicholson, 44, a five-time Paralympian and part of Canada’s 2006 Paralympic gold medal winning ice sledge hockey team takes over the role of Chairperson from American six-time Paralympian Bob Balk who was elected to the Council in 2004 and has been Chairperson since February 2009.

Originally elected to the IPC Athletes’ Council at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, Nicholson has been vice Chairperson since 2011. His first Paralympic Games were in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994 when Canada won ice sledge hockey silver. Four years later in Nagano, Japan, he added a silver medal to his collection.

The IPC Athletes’ Council is the collective voice of Paralympic athletes within the IPC and the greater Paralympic Movement. Its role is to provide feedback and advice and report to the IPC Governing Board on behalf and in the interest of the athletes in all IPC matters.

As Chairperson, Nicholson, will be an ex oficio member of the IPC Governing Board with voting rights. He will also be put forward by the IPC to join the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes' Commission.

Todd Nicholson, the new Chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council said: “It’s a great honour and privilege to be elected Chair and to continue Bob’s great work.

“The Paralympic Movement is growing in strength all the time and I doubt a few years ago athletes would dare to imagine that they would be competing in front of packed stadia and in some cases 80,000 people. Now it’s a reality and one we need to be prepared for both mentally and physically.

“As the Movement grows it is even more important that athletes have a voice within the IPC and as Chair I will continue to ensure this happens whilst offering as much assistance as possible.”

Outgoing chairperson Bob Balk said: “It has been a great nine years, very rewarding and a lot of fun.

“I took the role as a tremendous responsibility and am really proud of the athletes I have worked with. In the last four years we’ve accomplished a great deal – the first Paralympic Reunion event in London, the first Athlete Leadership Summit, the launch of the International Paralympians Association, and having athlete representation on all IPC standing committees.

“I really enjoyed my time as chairperson and wish Todd the very best of luck in taking over the role.”

Xavier Gonzalez, the IPC’s Chief Executive Officer said: “I would like to congratulate Todd on becoming the Chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council. I look forward to working with him and welcoming him to his first IPC Governing Board meeting in June in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“Todd takes over at a time when the Paralympic Movement is going through a rich growth spurt, which makes it all the more important that the athletes voice is heard loud and clear within the IPC.

“I would also like to thank the outgoing Chairperson Bob Balk as well. Bob has been with the Council for over eight years and I would like to pay credit to his hard work and great service during this period. He has been a pleasure to work with and has achieved a lot during a short time frame.”

The IPC Athletes' Council is made up of nine athletes – six from summer sports and three from winter sports.

The six summer sport members are sitting volleyball player Elvira Stinnissen of the Netherlands, track athlete Arnaud Assoumani of France, archer Gizem Girismen from Turkey, USA football 7-a-side athlete Jon McCullough of the USA, Spanish swimmer Teresa Perales and wheelchair fencer Yu Chui Yee of Hong Kong.

The two winter sport council members in addition to Nicholson are Polish Nordic skier Katarzyna Rogowiec, and Norwegian ice sledge hockey player Eskil Hagen. Rogowiec and Hagen will serve their terms until the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games when elections will take place.

For further information on the IPC Athletes’ Council, please visit www.paralympic.org/Athletes/Council