Yesterday, Ljiljana Ljubisic, Chairperson of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes’ Council and five-time Paralympian, has been honoured with the 2007 Juan Antonio Samaranch Disabled Athlete Award from the United States Sports Academy (USSA) for her outstanding sporting career.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Dr. Jacques Rogge and Juan Antonio Samaranch presented Ms. Ljubisic with the award during a ceremony at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Said Ms. Ljubisic: “This unexpected award has left me awed, inspired and deeply honoured. I am grateful that I was born at a time when the world began to encourage athletes with a disability to openly pursue their sporting ambitions. I am a very proud Paralympian who has been blessed with incredible opportunities and the freedom to achieve a dream that otherwise might not have been possible.”

The Juan Antonio Samaranch Disabled Athlete Award, previously known as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President’s Disabled Athlete Award, has been awarded by USSA since 1990 as part of the Academy Awards of Sport Medallion Series. The award is presented annually to an athlete with a disability, who has made significant contributions to sport. Past recipients include Chris Waddell, Erin Popovich, Marlon Shirley and IPC President Sir Philip Craven.

The United States Sports Academy (USSA) is an independent, non-profit institution that offers sport-specific programmes to students, teachers, and administrators around the world. The Academy has a special mission to serve the sports industry as a resource in instruction, research and other vital sports-related services.
 
For more information about the United States Sports Academy, “America’s Sports University,” please visit the official website at www.ussa.edu.