Focus on Paralympic Test Events at Sochi Co-ordination Commission Meeting

“I am very impressed by the resources that the Sochi city authorities dedicate to transform the city into an environment that is barrier free."

The Paralympic Test Events Programme prior to the next Paralympic Winter Games was one of the topics discussed in the Paralympic Working Group during the seventh IOC Co-ordination Commission meeting for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games this week.

According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, special attention and focus will be given for the preparations of these events.

Miguel Sagarra, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) representative on the Co-ordination Commission, IPC CEO Xavier Gonzalez and Paralympic Games Senior Manager Thanos Kostopoulos attended the meetings on behalf of the IPC.

Besides the test events plans, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee updated the IPC representatives on various areas such as the Paralympic Transport Plan, the Medals Plaza and Olympic Park activities and the competition schedule.

Gonzalez was especially pleased with the progress made in relation to the barrier-free environment in Sochi and the Accessiblity Map project developed in conjunction with the Sochi 2014 Awareness programme.

Gonzalez said: “I am very impressed by the resources that the Sochi city authorities dedicate to transform the city into an environment that is barrier free.

“The Accessibility Map Project will help to spread this concept and ensure that the whole of Russia will benefit from it.”

The IPC and the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee will meet again in April for a Project Review.