IPC President Parsons visits Andalucia 2022 World Para Table Tennis Championships

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons travelled to Granada to visit the ongoing Andalucia 2022 World Para Table Tennis Championships, highlighting the fruitful relationship between the sport's international federation and the IPC.

“It is always fantastic to see major Para sport events in person, especially in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and I would like to thank the ITTF led by its President Petra Sörling for hosting me," Parsons said. "Having attended the last World Championships in Slovenia, it was wonderful to see first-hand the evolution in athletic performance and growth in participation to record levels. In particular, event organisers have done an impressive job in creating spectacular fields of play and all-round accessibility at the event.” 

Palacio de Deportes de Granada has provided players with a world-class venue befitting a World Para Championships. Its centrepiece is a playing hall with a deep red court mat and eight tables. The court surrounds flash sponsors’ logos. Players enter the arena to fanfare, their names emblazoned on a 30-metre-long screen that fills one side of the arena.

The ITTF World Para Championships are held every four years, since the first edition in 1990. IPC President Parsons also visited the event in 2018.

“We are delighted to welcome President Parsons at this incredible event,” said ITTF President Petra Sörling. “It is an honour to have him come and support our World Para Championships, which help foster and grow the collaboration between our two organisations. We are thrilled to be working with the IPC in the run up to Paris 2024.”

During his visit, the IPC President got to see how the venue was adapted for wheelchair users. Ten special toilets, two ramps for the practice area and two ramps for the entrance were installed for this purpose. These upgrades to the field of play are helping set an example for the organisers in France as they prepare to prioritise accessibility for the athletes at the 2024 Paralympic Games.

The venue also has fully accessible accommodation and transportation services, including six low-platform buses. Around 100 volunteers have pledged to make this event one of the best ever to be held in Granada.

The event is using a live-scoring system for the first time with all results available in real time on the ITTF website.

There are 326 players from 51 teams competing, which marks a record number of participating teams since the first edition of the World Para Championships in 1990. All continental federations are represented.