#APCTop20 - No.8: Parapans and Pan Americans come together

The principle of the Olympic and Paralympic “One Bid, One City” agreement is the inspiration for No.8 in our countdown of the Top 20 moments in Americas Paralympic Committee history.

Back in 2000, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) signed a cooperation agreement to ensure the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be hosted by the same city.

15 years later, the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) and the Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO) followed suit, signing an historic collaboration agreement at the PASO General Assembly in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Under its terms, cities seeking to host the Pan American Games in future years now have to include the Parapan American Games in their bid.

APC President Jose Luis Campo said: “This is a truly historic agreement that facilitates the development of Para sport in the Americas for years to come.”

The agreement also led to more funding for the APC, with PASO an annual subsidy of USD 100,000 which is ratified at the end of each Olympic cycle.

The agreement also strengthened APC participation in PASO events, with PASO and the APC helping their National Olympic Committees to promote Paralympic sports.

The Pan American and Parapan American Games have been held in the same city since 2007, when Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, staged both events, but until 2015 no formal agreement existed. Guadalajara, Mexico, organised the fourth edition in 2011, while Toronto, Canada, hosted the last in 2015.

Lima, Peru, will host the 2019 Parapan American Games from 23 August-1 September, with a record 1,850 athletes competing in 17 sports.