Image
INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: “LIMA 2019 TRANSFORMED SPORTS INTO A SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION TOOL”
In a press conference about the impact of the Games, the IPC President Andrew Parsons said a very high bar is set for Chile 2023.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said Lima has positioned itself as the epicenter of the world’s Paralympic Movement, thus leaving an invaluable legacy for Peru and the world community.
“There is a before and after the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games,” stated in a press conference, accompanied by the COPAL President Carlos Neuhaus, and the President of the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) Julio César Ávila.
“Lima 2019 has transformed sports into a social transformation tool. I have no doubt that when I come back to this beautiful country, I will find a more inclusive society with equal opportunities for people with an impairment,” Parsons said and highlighted that a very high bar is set for Chile 2023.
Additionally, the IPC President praised a shift in awareness in the society regarding impairment, which created an inclusive atmosphere, where Para athletes have greater options for development and are considered role models that will inspire bravery and hope to future generations. Lima 2019 honored by the Americas Paralympic Committee.
“In Peru, the future of Paralympic sports is already guaranteed. The sports centers have permanent accessibility conditions for Para athletes. Also, the population now recognizes them as heroes who teach that everything is possible with effort and dedication,” he remarked.
The Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) President Julio César Ávila thanked the Lima 2019 Organizing Committee President Carlos Neuhaus for holding the most spectacular Para sports event in the continent with a countless number of world records.
“These have been the biggest Games I’ve ever attended. Important records have been broken, such as ticket sales. However, the most significant thing is the impact on the society of Lima that has now a different attitude towards impairment, considering it as a continuous source of inspiration,” the APC President affirmed.
In that sense, Lima 2019 marks a milestone in the history of the world’s Paralympic Movement, fostering the Paralympic values in Peru and around the globe, thus laying the foundations to develop a more inclusive and egalitarian community in the Americas, where the slogan Let’s all play! has been immortalized.