IPC Athletes' Council members speak at Council of Europe event

Two International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes’ Council members - Chairperson Vladyslava Kravchenko and member Martina Caironi – were speakers at the closing event of a European Union-Council of Europe joint project in Strasbourg, France, last week on the subject of Sport for All: Promoting Inclusion and Combating Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities.

The event brought together athletes, sport professionals, policymakers and officials from the European Commission and the Council of Europe to discuss good practices and the way forward to improve inclusion of persons with disabilities in sport.

During her session, two-time Paralympian Kravchenko presented to Members of the European Parliament who form part of the Parliamentary Alliance for Good Governance and Integrity in Sport on career pathways for persons with disabilities in sport. She spoke alongside broadcaster Andy Stevenson, and three-time Paralympian and Executive Vice-President of the French Handisport Federation Ludivine Munos. 

“Sport is not merely a recreational activity. It is a powerful instrument for improving public health, promoting social inclusion, strengthening communities, advancing equality, supporting education and youth engagement, stimulating economic growth, and fostering European values,” explained Kravchenko, who also highlighted the success of an IPC initiative in helping Para athletes transition from the field play to careers in the workplace.

Kravchenko added: “In 2025, the IPC launched an annual leadership course called Para Athlete Professionals to support retiring Paralympians transition from high performance sport to life beyond competition.

“Each year 20 athletes receive in-person and online training to give them the skills, confidence and networks needed to thrive within the Paralympic Movement and beyond. So far, it has been a great success and the feedback from participants is incredible.

“In my view, when you look at the success of Para Athlete Professionals, EU countries should fund and implement programmes that assists Para athletes in their career transition, given the extensive skills and experience that athletes bring.”

Four-time Paralympian Caironi was part of a panel discussion on athlete leadership and advocacy, alongside Para judo coach and Finnish Paralympic Committee Vice President Päivi Tolppanen.

The Italian three-time Paralympic champion spoke passionately about how she got involved in Para sport and the impact it has had on her life.

“Thanks to sport I can be proud of myself and who I am,” said Caironi. “Sport played an incredible role in helping me overcome the trauma of losing a leg and still plays a really important role in my life.

“Through sport I have met so many people around the world who have contributed towards changing my perspective towards disability. This is what makes Para sport so unique, in addition to the usual benefits of sport, Para sport transforms attitudes towards persons with disabilities and drive social inclusion.”

The European Union-Council of Europe joint project "Sport For All: Promoting Inclusion and Combating Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities" builds on ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive sports culture by breaking down barriers and promoting greater inclusion of people with disabilities in sports.

Marking the culmination of capacity-building activities in co-operation with the eight project countries (Armenia, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine), the event will unveil recommendations and a comprehensive analytical report addressing Para sport systems in the abovementioned countries, outcomes of two training workshops for sport professionals, and an educational toolkit containing practical resources for improving inclusion and preventing discrimination in sport.