Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Youtube
Citi Volunteer Award 2023 nominees: Meet James Chiutsi
Malawi Paralympic Committee President one of three people shortlisted for the honour, which can be voted for online as part of the 2023 PARA SPORT Awards 31 Aug 2023
The Citi Volunteer Award recognises someone who has given up their own time to support the growth of Para sport as a volunteer; either as a classifier, technical official, event support or IPC member support.
James Chiutsi: Masterminding Malawi’s Para sport growth
James Chiutsi has been a powerhouse of Para sport on the African continent since being appointed head of the Malawi Paralympic Committee (MPC) in 2018. Under his leadership, the number of Para athletes in the country has grown from 20 in 2019 to around 300 in 2023, one of whom has secured the first-ever Minimum Qualification standard for the Paralympic Games for Paris 2024.
That achievement is just one of a host of firsts for Malawi since James became MPC President. In 2022, the country hosted its first World Para Athletics-sanctioned event and its first IPC regional training event, with classification for vision impaired athletes. Malawi has also established five new Para sport programmes for its athletes, including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball and Para powerlifting.
James has recognised the power of Para sport to help change society, championing its inclusion in school sports curriculums and promoting the IPC’s own education programme, imPOSSIBLE. He has also spearheaded the drive for gender equality within the MPC, achieving 50/50 gender balance in its leadership team.
He has also overseen the strengthening of Para sport governance and administration structures in Malawi, leading to greater encouragement of athletes and volunteers in the Paralympic Movement. This includes sport technical training, Para sport training for journalists, and both athlete and coach development.
The 2023 Awards
The 2023 PARA SPORT Awards will be organised alongside the IPC General Assembly on 27 September 2023 in Bahrain.
They will celebrate the terrific achievements of summer and winter sport athletes in one event, along with recognising the work of volunteers, coaches, and members of the IPC whose efforts have contributed to strengthening the impact of Para sports worldwide.
Ten categories will be awarded overall, seven of which will take place in Bahrain. The Citi Volunteer Award is the only award that has a public vote, which runs online from 1-15 September.
