Brazilian Paralympic Committee and Caixa sign unprecedented deal

“Caixa is a great partner and has always stood by the Brazilian Paralympic Movement."

The Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) and the Caixa Econômica Federal have signed an unprecedented agreement for the next four years. By 2016, Loterias Caixa will invest 120 million Brazilian real (BRL) (EUR 46.15 million) in 13 Paralympic sports and individually in approximately 50 athletes. This amount represents an average investment of BRL 30 million a year until the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The new contract represents an increase of more than BRL 20 million a year. Until last year, the Brazilian Paralympic Committee and Loterias Caixa had a BRL 22 million agreement for the two-year period from 2011-2012, supporting six sports and 22 athletes and guides.

The agreement includes the following sports: athletics, powerlifting, swimming, wheelchair fencing, shooting, football 5-a-side, football 7-a-side, boccia, goalball, sitting volleyball, sailing, table tennis and rugby.

The increased values come after the impeccable performance by Brazilian Paralympic athletes at London 2012. The athletes won 21 gold medals, and a total of 43 medals, accomplishing a unique feat for Brazil by achieving the goal that had been determined four years earlier: to finish the Games in seventh place in the medal standings.

“Caixa is a great partner and has always stood by the Brazilian Paralympic Movement. It now further strengthens its presence by supporting 13 sports on the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games programme. This is a sign that we are on the right track. The fact that we have signed a four-year agreement also gives us the peace of mind to continue in our determination to achieve a fifth-place finish in the medal standing at the Rio 2016 Games,” said CPB President Andrew Parsons.

“For quite some time, Brazilian Paralympic sport has been presenting an admirable growth, both in terms of quantity and quality,” stated Jorge Hereda, president of Caixa.

“Caixa is proud to have made a significant contribution to this process, either by sponsoring competitions or by offering financial support to dozens of athletes.”

In the first two years of the partnership (2013 and 2014), Caixa will invest BRL 56 million. In 2015, the year of the Para-pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, the Brazilian Paralympic Committee will receive an additional BRL 30 million. Finally, in 2016, Loterias Caixa will invest BRL 34 million in Paralympic sports.

With the Caixa investment, the budget of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee will reach approximately BRL 100 million in 2013 alone. Just over a month ago, the Brazilian Paralympic Committee and Brazil’s Ministry of Sports signed a BRL 38 million agreement that will benefit 16 sports this year. The amounts will add to funds received through the Agnelo-Piva Law, which stipulates that 2 per cent of the gross proceeds from all federal lotteries are destined to the Brazilian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and funds from the São Paulo State Government and the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Government.