IPC saddened by the passing of Anne Ebbs

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is saddened by death of Anne Ebbs, a Paralympian who was a pioneer of Para sport in Ireland and an IPC Paralympic Order recipient.

Born in Meath, Ireland, in 1940, Anne was a talented Para table tennis player and won silver medals at the Heidelberg 1972 Paralympic Games and the Stoke Mandeville/New York 1984 Paralympic Games. She also won a bronze medal at the Arnhem 1980 Paralympic Games.

Anne was the founder of the Irish Paralympic Council, which later became Paralympics Ireland. She was the General Secretary of Paralympics Ireland between 1987 and 2008.

Under her stewardship, Anne improved the high-performance standards of Para sport in Ireland to a position where it was equivalent to other leading sports. Additionally, she had all the Irish disability sport federations work together to achieve common goals and promote opportunities for athletes with a disability within their respective sport.

Anne received the Paralympic Order, the highest tribute a person connected with the Paralympic Movement can achieve, in 2008. The Paralympic Order honours persons who have made important contributions to the Movement, have illustrated the Paralympic ideal through their actions, have achieved remarkable merit in the Paralympic sporting world or have rendered outstanding services to the Paralympic cause.

Speaking at her presentation in 2008, the then IPC President Sir Philip Craven said: “Anne Ebbs typifies that which is great about an athlete, volunteer and staff member by being committed to Paralympic Sport and fighting for the rights of athletes, thus furthering the cause of the Paralympic Movement.” 

Anne also held the position of Sports Director with the Irish Wheelchair Association and was Chef de Mission for the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games and Deputy Chef de Mission at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games. She was given the honour of being made a lifelong honourable member of Paralympics Ireland in 2013.