IPC publish 2021-2022 Annual Report

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has published its 2021-2022 Annual Report. The report details how in the year of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games the IPC recorded strong revenues, delivered on the commitments to its Members under the continuing challenge of a global pandemic, and laid stronger foundations for the future of the Paralympic Movement.

Read the complete report here. 

This year’s report was published later than planned due to a change of independent auditor. In April 2022 Deloitte was announced as an Olympic and Paralympic TOP partner. This meant that the IPC could no longer use them as it had done in previous years to independently audit its financial statements.

After an international search for a new independent auditor, the IPC appointed Eber Stolz to conduct a voluntary audit of the financial statements for the fiscal year-end 31 December 2021.

Reflecting on a momentous year, Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “Without doubt 2021 was an extremely demanding year for the IPC and the whole Paralympic Movement. It is one that in decades to come we will all look back on with great pride and immense satisfaction. 

“Faced with unimaginable challenges, we did what Paralympians do every day of their lives. We sought solutions to succeed.

“Within a 12-month period, we delivered the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the most challenging circumstances, launched the world’s biggest human rights movement to represent persons with disabilities, and received overwhelming approval for a new constitution that ensures the IPC’s governance structures are world leading. 

“We continued preparations for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, strengthened our working relationship with the IOC, and staged a first ever online General Assembly where members elected the most athlete-focused and gender-balanced Governing Board in history.

“It was an extremely hard but rewarding year, which ensured the IPC’s purpose grew in strength and relevance globally.”

Greater revenues

The IPC’s revenues for the 2021 financial year almost tripled compared to 2020.

The substantial increase from EUR 19,276,939 in 2020 to EUR 53,421,929 in 2021 is due to the delivery of a single initiative, the Tokyo Broadcast project where the IPC was responsible for broadcast sales and production for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was a one-off project that will not be repeated in the future.

In total, 54 per cent of all 2021 revenue was attributable to the Tokyo Broadcast project (EUR 28,906,513), as was 54 per cent of all expenses (EUR 28,619,434).

Focus on Tokyo 2020 

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are a key focus of the 2021-2022 Annual Report. In a guest column Tokyo Metropolitan Governor Yuriko Koike considers how the Games will have their place in history and that Para sport will have a powerful legacy in the Japanese capital for generations. 

Governor Koike said: “Our mission is to build upon the legacy borne from the Games and create a future Tokyo that is brimming with diversity and inclusion.” 

The Paralympic Games are the biggest showcase of persons with disabilities on the world stage. Support for the IPC’s Members ahead of Tokyo 2020 included grant initiatives and development programmes, and the report reflects on how Tokyo 2020 has been a catalyst for transforming the lives of athletes.

It also details the challenge of classifying athletes in the middle of a pandemic, and how the IPC and IOC closely collaborated when there was no manual on how to deliver a postponed Games. 

These record-breaking, history-making, and era-defining Paralympic Games also marked important progress, including the greatest diversity of medal winners ever, groundbreaking initiatives that aim to overcome discrimination against persons with disabilities in Africa, and the IPC’s most successful anti-doping operation. 

Beyond the Games

The year 2021 was also about more than the Games. It was the year that the IPC helped launch WeThe15, which aspires to be the biggest human rights movement to represent the 1.2 billion persons with disabilities who make up 15 per cent of the world’s population.

WeThe15 is a global movement publicly campaigning for disability visibility, accessibility, and inclusion.

It was also a year of important governance commitments and long-term initiatives that will define the future direction of Para sport. In classification, the cornerstone of the Paralympic Movement, a new three-year-long Classification Code Review began in 2021, while at the IPC’s first ever remote General Assembly, the IPC Governance Review was approved by 96 per cent of Members. 

The new IPC Constitution ensures that the governance structures of the Paralympic Movement’s global governing body are up-to-date, world leading and robust enough to thrive in the ever-changing sporting landscape. 

The year 2022 also marked fresh beginnings as a new IPC Athletes’ Council and IPC Governing Board were elected, the latter now being the most athlete-centric Governing Board ever, with no less than nine Paralympians and Para athletes.

It was a year of record digital engagement, in which TikTok became the IPC’s most predominant social media channel, and the IPC’s Worldwide Paralympic and broadcast partners helped deliver transformational change through pioneering partnerships.

“It was,” concluded President Parsons, “a monumental team effort, with so many people going above and beyond the call of duty for one simple reason, they believe in what we do, they believe Change Starts With Sport and they believe in our vision to make a more inclusive world through Para sport.”