IPC-IOC Amendment First Step Towards Future

On 25 August, in Lausanne, the President of the IPC, Phil Craven, and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, signed an amendment to the IPC-IOC Agreement of 19 June 2001 on the organization of the Paralympic Games. The amendment transfers broadcasting and marketing responsibilities of the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Paralympic Games to the Organizing Committees of these Olympic and Paralympic Games. For this, the Organizing Committees will pay US$9 million for the 2008 Games and US$14 million for the 2010 and 2012 Games.

Said Mr. Craven: "The amendment lays an excellent foundation for the IPC’s quest to fully develop the Paralympic Movement – a huge task, which we can now begin to explore. It also emphasizes the close partnership which continues to develop between the IOC and the IPC."

This amendment gives IPC the possibility,medium term, to secure the development and growth of the Paralympic Movement. It also shows the increasing contribution of Paralympic athletes and the Paralympic Games to the joint IOC-IPC partnership.

"This is a significant amount of money but the amendment will come into effect in 2008 and covers a period from 2008 to 2012. In the next few years, the IPC has committed itself to considerable investments, eg, to ensure the broadcasting of the ATHENS 2004 and Torino 2006 Paralympic Games. The production costs for Athens alone, are around EURO 5 million," said Mr. Craven.

The money will fund ongoing activities and will give the IPC some time to look for additional funds for further activity, taking dreams closer to reality. The IPC continues to concentrate on increasing its revenues to be able to augment services to its members, raise awareness and focus on development.

The IOC President said, "This is a big day for the Olympic Movement. The IOC is happy to be able to support the IPC for these forthcoming editions of the Paralympic Games and, in doing so, to strengthen its relations with the Paralympic Movement".

This amendment follows the signing of two agreements, the first in October 2000 outlining the principles for a further relationship between the two organizations.A second Agreement was signed in June 2001, recognizing the need to build synergies in the organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Although the second Agreement comes into effect in Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010, the Organizing Committees of Salt Lake 2002, Athens 2004 and Torino 2006 have chosen to implement the concept of having one Organizing Committee for both Games.