Tokyo 2020 Minister visits Stoke Mandeville Stadium

“We are incredibly proud of the world wide recognition for Stoke Mandeville Stadium and WheelPower’s founder Sir Ludwig Guttmann.”

Toshiaki Endo, the Minister of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, visited Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Aylesbury, Great Britain on 29 October to learn more about birthplace of the Paralympic Movement.

During the visit Endo met with Martin McElhatton, Chief Executive of WheelPower who own Stoke Mandeville Stadium, and discovered the pioneering work of Paralympic founding father Sir Ludwig Guttmann, together with the charities work to provide grassroots sporting opportunities for people with an impairment.

Impressed by the 1984 Paralympic cauldron on display, Endo quizzed McElhatton on the size and logistics of lighting the flame at the last Games to be held at Stoke Mandeville over 30 years ago.

Acting as tour guide, McElhatton showed the Minister historical artefacts, a rehabilitation session in progress for spinal patients from The National Spinal Injuries Centre, and the current sporting facilities available.

Martin McElhatton said “We are incredibly proud of the world wide recognition for Stoke Mandeville Stadium and WheelPower’s founder Sir Ludwig Guttmann.”

“After London 2012 our mission was to help provide a legacy for disabled people, and immediately after the Paralympic Games we saw a 60 per cent increase in demand for our junior sports programme. We take great pleasure in inspiring Mr Endo and the Tokyo 2020 team to provide the best possible Paralympics for the elite athletes, but also to benefit the lives and opportunities for disabled people in Japan.”