President of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee meets with new Minister of Sport

The President of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, met Brazil’s new Minister of Sport George Hilton on Wednesday (28 January) to discuss preparations for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

At Rio 2016, the Brazilian team is aiming for a top five finish in the medals table for the first time in their history.

"The Brazilian Paralympic Committee regards the Sports Ministry as its biggest partner and a great part of our success comes from the agreements we have reached,” said Parsons, who is also Vice-President of the International Paralympic Committee.

“My visit is also a way to congratulate him for his first acts in the cabinet, like choosing Ricardo Leyser for the Executive Secretariat, Ricardo Trade for the High Performance Secretariat, and Lars Grael for the National Commission of Athletes. These choices had a positive effect in the world of sports."

Parsons also invited the new minister to visit the Brazilian Paralympic Centre, which is being built in Sao Paulo. The facility is going to be one of the biggest in the world following its construction in May.

"We want the first athletes to be there in this semester. During the meeting I also invited the minister to take part in the Parapan American Games Opening Ceremony, in Toronto, Canada, as well as a meeting we will hold with the athletes later this year,” added Parsons.