NPC Iran hosts ‘Road to Tokyo 2020’ seminar

The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Iran recently wrapped up a seminar in Tehran aimed at raising awareness of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Entitled “The Road to Tokyo 2020,” the one-day convention was held on 29 April and featured International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Medical & Sport Sciences Director Dr. Peter Van de Vliet as the keynote speaker.

Van de Vliet shared his knowledge on methods of medical management and classification, as well as research programmes happening in the Paralympic Movement.

Before the start of the convention, NPC Iran Secretary General Masoud Ashrafi gave a brief history about the NPC and Movement in Iran, and how the NPC has helped raise awareness about people with impairments, as well as change people’s perceptions on disability. Ashrafi gave an example of their achievement by highlighting the new law passed by the Islamic Parliament that recognised the NPC as non-governmental independent public entity.

Iran finished with 24 medals (eight golds) at Rio 2016, the same total from London 2012. But among their notable highlights was the increase in female participants, which has been one of NPC’s goals. The nation saw seven females participate at London 2012 to 23 at Rio 2016.