Paralympic Hall of Fame founding partner Visa will once again sponsor the Paralympic Hall of Fame

Bonn, Germany - The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is currently calling for nominations for the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame, inviting all member organizations of the IPC to nominate their best-ever male and female athletes and coach in winter sports.

The Paralympic Hall of Fame founding partner Visa will once again sponsor the Paralympic Hall of Fame (PHF) and the induction ceremony which will be held in conjunction with the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

“Visa is proud of our longtime association with the International Paralympic Committee and pleased to be the presenting sponsor of the Paralympic Hall of Fame,” said Antonio Lucio, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Visa Inc. “I am looking forward to the induction ceremony in Vancouver and celebrating the commitment and achievements of the inductees as well as the spirit of sportsmanship, excellence and community embodied in the Paralympic Movement.”

For this ceremony, three inductees (one male athlete, one female athlete and one coach) chosen by the IPC Governing Board will be inducted as members of the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame. These individuals will be elected based on their athletic performance, history of fair play and participation in community service.

According to the IPC, to be eligible for induction in the Paralympic Hall of Fame, athlete and coach candidates must have participated in at least two Paralympic Games and must have won a number of medals, either directly or, in the case of a coach, through the athlete(s) or team(s) they coached. An athlete or coach must have ceased to be an active participant in the Paralympic Games for at least four years, or one Paralympic cycle, prior to the year of election.

"The Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame is a high-profile way of celebrating the great historical sporting achievements in the Paralympic Movement, commemorates Paralympians who have achieved true sporting excellence and will ensure that a permanent record and institutional memory is kept of those top athletes and their achievements. The IPC appreciates the support of its global partner, Visa in making this programme possible," said Sir Philip Craven, IPC President.

Paralympic Hall of Fame election and induction ceremonies are held in conjunction with the Paralympic Summer and Winter Games, and consequently take place only during those years in which the Paralympic Games are held. The PHF currently exists as a virtual Hall of Fame on the IPC Website.

The IPC has requested that persons who know of anyone fitting into the profile, should contact their National Paralympic Committee.

Visa has been a Worldwide Paralympic Partner and sponsor of the Paralympic Games since 2002. Visa also is a worldwide sponsor of the Olympic Games and the exclusive payment card and official payment service for the Olympic and Paralympic Games through 2012.

For more information on the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame, please visit http://www.paralympic.org/athletes/hall-of-fame

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Notes to the Editor:

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to developing sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

Founded on 22 September 1989, the IPC is an international non-profit organization formed and run by 161 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from five regions and four disability specific international sports federations (IOSDs). The IPC Headquarters and its management team are located in Bonn, Germany.

For further information, please contact Steffi Klein, IPC Media and Communications Senior Manager on e-mail: steffi.klein@paralympic.org or go to www.paralympic.org