Latest news with #InternationalParalympicsCommittee
West Australian
28-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Paralympics boss positive about Brisbane 2032 progress
Brisbane is on the right track for the 2032 Paralympics but the new venues must consider accessibility first, the international boss says. During a short two-day trip to Brisbane, International Paralympics Committee President Andrew Parsons was favourable of the progress the city is making towards the 2032 deadline. "We are very happy where we are in the preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Games," Mr Parsons told reporters. The Games have been shrouded in controversy as the city had an unprecedented runway to decide on a venue plan after being elected the host almost four years ago. But with several false starts and changed venue plans, the final 2032 infrastructure plan was finally unveiled more than 1300 days later in March. Mr Parsons was positive despite the debate around the Games, calling it the "opportunity of a lifetime" to change Australia and Queensland. "'I'm absolutely convinced that this is the place to be in 2032," he said. He praised the Queensland Liberal National government's 100-day review that delivered on the "long-term needs for infrastructure to benefit the people of Queensland" The state government's plan includes inner-city Victoria Park becoming the Brisbane Games hub, with a 63,000-seat main stadium and a nearby national aquatic centre set to be built. Brisbane and Australia are already ahead of the curve in terms of accessibility but there's always more that can be done until venues are 100 per cent disability friendly, Mr Parsons said. "Now that venues are announced (we need) to make sure that we have the right planning in front of us," Mr Parsons told reporters. "... we just passed a very important milestone, and now it's how we work with the organising committee and the levels of government." But Mr Parsons was firm the blueprint for the new stadium and any other infrastructure must have accessibility in mind, first and foremost. He said any existing infrastructure must be checked over to ensure it is also accessible. Progress is expected to begin after the state government earlier in May introduced a bill to ensure 2032 Olympic sites would be exempt from planning laws as officials race to get the venues built in time. Not all plans are finalised as the state government seeks the $2.5 billion the federal government set aside for a now-scrapped 2032 project, Brisbane Arena, be reallocated to fund other Olympic venues. The private sector is instead expected to help foot the bill for the indoor stadium project now called Brisbane Live Arena, set to host Olympic swimming. But Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee President Andrew Liveris isn't worried as it is unlikely it would be finished by the Games, nor would it be needed. "If it's ready before 2032, we're going to be looking very strongly at it as a venue. But we don't count on that," he told reporters. "So we don't need it. But if it's there, we'll use it." On the issue of funding, Mr Liveris said to give the federal government a chance to land on the right agreement, given the election was only several weeks ago.
Japan Times
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
IPC chief tasks sports with setting own rules for transgender athletes
Berlin – Each sport must set its own rules on the participation of transgender athletes, instead of one global rule, and they must be based on scientific data, International Paralympics Committee President Andrew Parsons said on Thursday. Speaking one year ahead of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, Parsons, who is also an International Olympic Committee member, said any decision should have an inclusive approach. The Olympic Games and the Paralympics currently allow transgender athletes to compete. Italy's Valentina Petrillo became the first openly transgender athlete to participate in the Paralympics after the visually impaired sprinter competed in Paris last year. "Protecting the female participation is a must, but we also have to address the fact that there are more transgender individuals who want to practice high-level sport," Parsons said in an interview. "We must have an inclusive approach. It should be guided by science. I think science is what can give us answers in every sport about participation of transgender athletes. "I believe that every sport has to find its own way. When it comes to transgender ... science is the guiding principle." The IOC has refused to apply any universal rule. Instead, in 2021, it instructed international federations to each come up with their own rules for their sports. Some sports, including athletics, swimming and rugby, have done so, but many have yet to finalize a policy on the issue. United States President Donald Trump, however, whose country will host the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, has issued an order to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports. Trump said he would not allow transgender athletes to compete at the LA Games and urged the IOC to "change everything to do with the Olympics and this absolutely ridiculous subject. "We have 3½ years to go to the Games, and a lot of things will happen between now and then," Parsons said. "I think we need to work with international federations. We will be supporting them in the buildup to the Games and to apply their rules in their specific competitions." Parsons has, however, more immediate issues to tackle with the 2026 Paralympics a year away, and Italian organizers racing to complete key venues on a tight deadline. "It's a tight schedule, but we are confident, and we have been reassured by the Italian authorities, that it's going to be delivered," he said. The Paralympics will host more than 600 competitors in 80 events of six paralympic sports across Milan, Cortina and two more clusters in mainly existing or temporary venues. "We maximize the use of existing venues," Parsons said. "So in this edition, yes, it means that the venues are very spread out," Parsons said. The Winter Paralympics will have spectators — with some 200,000 tickets on offer — after the Beijing 2022 Paralympics were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 90% of tickets cost €35 euros ($37.75) or less. "We are happy where we are at the moment," Parsons said regarding preparations for the Paralympics.
NBC News
06-03-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Each sport must find its own solution for trans athletes, Paralympics chief says
BERLIN — Each sport must set its own rules on the participation of transgender athletes instead of one global rule, and it must be based on scientific data, International Paralympics Committee President Andrew Parsons said on Thursday. Speaking on one year ahead of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, Parsons, who is also an International Olympic Committee member, said any decision should have an inclusive approach. The Olympic Games and Paralympics currently allow transgender athletes to compete. Italy's Valentina Petrillo became the first openly transgender athlete to participate in the Paralympics after the visually impaired sprinter competed in Paris last year. 'Protecting the female participation is a must but we also have to address the fact that there are more transgender individuals who want to practice high-level sport,' Parsons told Reuters in an interview. 'We must have an inclusive approach. It should be guided by science. I think science is what can give us answers in every sport about participation of transgender athletes. 'I believe that every sport has to find its own way. When it comes to transgender ... science is the guiding principle.' The IOC has refused to apply any universal rule. Instead, in 2021, it instructed international federations to each come up with their own rules for their sport. Some sports, including athletics, swimming and rugby, have done so, but many have yet to finalize a policy on the issue. Trump ban However, United States President Donald Trump, whose country will host the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, has issued an order to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports. Trump said he would not allow transgender athletes to compete at the LA28 Games and urged the IOC to 'change everything to do with the Olympics and this absolutely ridiculous subject. 'We have three and a half years to go to the Games and a lot of things will happen between now and then,' Parsons said. 'I think we need to work with international federations. We will be supporting them in the build-up to the Games and to apply their rules in their specific competitions.' Parsons has, however, more immediate issues to tackle with the 2026 Paralympics a year away and Italian organizers racing to complete key venues on a tight deadline. 'It's a tight schedule but we are confident, and we have been reassured by the Italian authorities, that it's going to be delivered,' he said. The Paralympics will host more than 600 competitors in 80 events of six paralympic sports across Milan, Cortina and two more clusters in mainly existing or temporary venues. 'We maximize the use of existing venues. So in this edition, yes, it means that the venues are very spread out,' Parsons said. The Winter Paralympics will have spectators back — with some 200,000 tickets on offer — after the Beijing 2022 Paralympics were affected by the pandemic. Nearly 90% of tickets cost 35 euros ($37.75) or less. 'We are happy where we are at the moment,' Parsons said regarding preparations for the Paralympics.
Reuters
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Each sport must find own solution for transgender athletes, says IPC chief
BERLIN, March 6 (Reuters) - Each sport must set its own rules on the participation of transgender athletes instead of one global rule and it must be based on scientific data, International Paralympics Committee President Andrew Parsons said on Thursday. Speaking on one year ahead of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, Parsons, who is also an International Olympic Committee member, said any decision should have an inclusive approach. The Olympic Games and Paralympics currently allow transgender athletes to compete. Italy's Valentina Petrillo became the first openly transgender athlete to participate in the Paralympics after the visually impaired sprinter competed in Paris last year. "Protecting the female participation is a must but we also have to address the fact that there are more transgender individuals who want to practice high-level sport," Parsons told Reuters in an interview. "We must have an inclusive approach. It should be guided by science. I think science is what can give us answers in every sport about participation of transgender athletes. "I believe that every sport has to find its own way. When it comes to transgender ... science is the guiding principle." The IOC has refused to apply any universal rule. Instead, in 2021, it instructed international federations to each come up with their own rules for their sport. Some sports, including athletics, swimming and rugby, have done so, but many have yet to finalise a policy on the issue. TRUMP BAN However, United States President Donald Trump, whose country will host the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, has issued an order to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports. Trump said he would not allow transgender athletes to compete at the LA28 Games and urged the IOC to "change everything to do with the Olympics and this absolutely ridiculous subject. "We have three and a half years to go to the Games and a lot of things will happen between now and then," Parsons said. "I think we need to work with international federations. We will be supporting them in the build-up to the Games and to apply their rules in their specific competitions." Parsons has, however, more immediate issues to tackle with the 2026 Paralympics a year away and Italian organisers racing to complete key venues on a tight deadline. "It's a tight schedule but we are confident, and we have been reassured by the Italian authorities, that it's going to be delivered," he said. The Paralympics will host more than 600 competitors in 80 events of six paralympic sports across Milan, Cortina and two more clusters in mainly existing or temporary venues. "We maximize the use of existing venues. So in this edition, yes, it means that the venues are very spread out," Parsons said. The Winter Paralympics will have spectators back -- with some 200,000 tickets on offer -- after the Beijing 2022 Paralympics were affected by the pandemic. Nearly 90% of tickets cost 35 euros ($37.75) or less. "We are happy where we are at the moment," Parsons said regarding preparations for the Paralympics. ($1 = 0.9270 euros)
