100th IPC Governing Board meeting takes place in Milan
The IPC Governing Board discussed key learnings from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and received progress updates on future Paralympic Games editions and the IPC membership. 25 Nov 2024
Thirty-five years after it was founded, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) staged its 100th in-person Governing Board meeting in Milan, Italy, last week with the Italian Paralympic Committee hosting the event.
The first IPC Governing Board meeting took place on 23 September 1989 following the inaugural IPC General Assembly in Duisburg, Germany. Back then the group was called the Executive Board. Today, the IPC Governing Board has full power and authority to manage the affairs of the IPC in a non-executive capacity. It aims to meet at least three times a year in-person with meetings chaired by the IPC President.
The current Board features 14 members, 12 that are elected by the IPC General Assembly every four years, and the Chairperson and first Vice Chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council.
Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “Since the first Governing Board meeting in September 1989, the IPC and the Paralympic Movement has grown immeasurably with many decisions taken by the current and previous Governing Boards fundamental to this growth.
“The IPC is very proud of our roots and progress, and are extremely grateful to the leadership, guidance and decision-making provided by every single Board member, including my two predecessors Dr Robert Steadward and Sir Philip Craven, over the last 100 meetings.
“Our sincere thanks go to the Italian Paralympic Committee for hosting this historic meeting. Under the leadership of my good friend President Luca Pancalli, the Italian Paralympic Committee has made significant strides forward, writing new chapters into the great history of the Paralympic Movement in Italy.”
During the three-day meeting, the Board discussed key learnings from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and received progress updates on future Paralympic Games editions and the IPC membership.
The Board also heard from the IPC Athletes’ Council, including its new Chairperson Vladyslava Kravchenko who attended her first Board meeting days after her election to the role.
The IPC’s Regional Organisations were invited to attend part of the meeting to discuss the role of IPC regions within the Paralympic Movement. The Presidents of the Americas Paralympic Committee, Asian Paralympic Committee, European Paralympic Committee and Oceania Paralympic Committee attended.
