Gotell thanks outgoing IPC Athletes’ Council members

Chelsey Gotell, Chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council, has paid tribute to the five elected summer sport athletes and the three co-opted members whose terms came to an end at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Due to the postponement of Tokyo 2020, Vice Chairperson Kurt Fearnley of Australia (Para Athletics), Great Britain’s Sarah Storey (Para Cycling), and USA's Monica Bascio (Para Cycling) all served five-year terms and did not seek re-election, neither did Turkey’s Gizem Girismen (Para Archery) who served two terms. The Netherlands’ Elvira Stinissen (Sitting Volleyball) stepped down in June 2020 for personal reasons. The terms of co-opted members Natalie du Toit of South Africa (Para Swimming), South Korea’s Suk Man Hong (Para Athletics), and Singapore’s Nurulasyiqah Mohammad Taha (Boccia) also concluded after Tokyo.

During the last five years, the IPC Athletes’ Council published its first ever strategy, tripled the number of athlete representatives amongst IPC members, and worked closely with the IPC with regards to the replanning of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The Council also led a global consultation with the athlete community on how Paralympic Games participants may demonstrate, protest or make political statements.

“As a group we can be immensely proud at what the IPC Athletes’ Council has achieved over the last five years,” said Gotell, whose time as Chairperson of the IPC Athletes’ Council ends in November when a new leader is elected.

“We have made significant steps forward in many areas, including increasing athlete representation at all levels of the Paralympic Movement and publishing a first ever IPC Athletes' Council strategy.

“Because of the new strategy, we now have a more proactive approach and stronger accountability both to the athlete community and the IPC.  We’ve also gone from 30 athlete councils or representatives to more than 90. That’s a big jump, but we’ve got 200 members – so there’s still plenty of progress to make.

“I am extremely grateful to all members of the Council for their efforts and would like to thank the outgoing summer sport representatives and co-opted members whose terms came to an end at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.”

Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “The IPC Athletes’ Council has made tremendous advances over the last five years in many areas. For certain, the athlete voice within the Paralympic Movement is now much louder than it was before Rio 2016 and as an athlete-centred, membership focussed organisation, we warmly welcome this progress.

“The whole IPC Governing Board is immensely grateful for the work of all IPC Athletes’ Council members and would like to place on record our thanks to the outgoing members whose terms concluded at Tokyo 2020. After serving longer terms than normal due to the pandemic, they can look back on their achievements with great pride and happiness.”

At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, six new members were elected to the IPC Athletes’ Council and will serve through to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. They are Italy’s Martina Caironi (Para Athletics), Brazil’s Daniel Dias (Para Swimming), Cuba’s Omara Durand (Para Athletics), Japan’s Takayuki Suzuki (Para Swimming), the Netherlands’ Jitske Visser (Wheelchair Basketball) and Iran’s Zarah Nemati (Para Archery). They join the three winter sport members – France’s Marie Bochet (Para Alpine Skiing), Finland’s Rudolf Klemetti (Para Nordic Skiing) and Norway’s Birgit Skarstein (Para Nordic Skiing) – who are serving terms through to the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

In November, elections will take place within the IPC Athletes’ Council to determine a new Chairperson. The new Vice-Chair will be elected following the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games.