IPC Meets With IIHF and ISIHF in Vancouver

With less than three months to go before the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board announces the programme of the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Xavier Gonzalez, IPC CEO, conducted a meeting with Rene Fasel, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and Dr. Mark Pitkin, President of the International Standing Amputee Ice Hockey Federation (ISIHF).

The meeting, devoted to the ISIHF’s application for including Standing Amputee Hockey in the 2014 Paralympic Sport programme, was held between sessions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Co-ordination Commission in Vancouver last week and was attended by Rita van Driel, IPC representative to the IOC Co-ordination Commission for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Among topics that were discussed were the status of the ISIHF application, and the IIHF’s role in its further international development.

Said Mr. Gonzalez: “To be considered for inclusion in the Paralympic Sport Program for 2014, the ISIHF submitted the application in 2006 and passed several stages in the process according to IPC regulations. The next step for the ISIHF would be to address, by the end of September, IPC's five-point request for clarification and additional information. Then, IPC will be in a position to continue evaluation including final consultations with Sochi 2014 and the IOC.”

Said Mr. Fasel: “IIHF has been in support of the development of Standing Amputee Hockey since its initiation, and is looking forward to the organization’s meeting the IPC’s highest standards.