Beijing, China - The 51st meeting of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board (GB) concluded yesterday in Beijing, China, two days before the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. The focus during the two days of meetings was the upcoming Games, with an official update on the final preparations from BOCOG's President Liu Qi.

One result of the meetings included the approval of the new IPC Anti-Doping Code, which will officially go into effect on 1 January 2009. Additionally, the location for the next IPC General Assembly 2009 was chosen, namely Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The bidding had included the Malaysian city, along with Copenhagen, Denmark, and Budapest, Hungary. 

Furthermore, the GB was informed about the addition of the new IPC Honorary Board member Therese Rein. The Governing Board was also presented with a final report by the Rio 2007 Pan and Parapan American Games Organizing Committee on successful Games and the received a detailed report of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games coverage by ParalympicSport.TV and other television networks all around the world. More specifically, Universal Sports will bring the first ever multiplatform broadcast to the US. Co-owned by NBC Universal and InterMedia Parnters, BOCOG and the IPC announced the agreement in late August.

The next IPC Governing Board meeting will take place in the beginning of 2009 in Colorado Springs, USA.

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Notes to the Editor:

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to developing sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

Founded on 22 September 1989, the IPC is an international non-profit organization formed and run by 162 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from five regions and four disability specific international sports federations (IOSDs). The IPC Headquarters and its management team are located in Bonn, Germany.

For further information, please contact Steffi Klein, IPC Media and Communications Senior Manager, on e-mail: steffi.klein@paralympic.org or go to www.paralympic.org and www.ParalympicSport.TV.