IPC Board discusses impact of COVID-19 pandemic
During four days of meetings that were held virtually and concluded on Wednesday (8 July), the IPC Governing Board discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the Paralympic Movement, including the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
On Tuesday (7 July), the Board endorsed the positioning, principles for re-planning, and a roadmap to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games following a video conference presentation by Yukihiko Nunomura, Tokyo 2020 Vice Director General and Chief Operating Officer.
Tokyo 2020’s positioning document highlighted the Organising Committee’s commitment for the Paralympics in 2021 to be a global celebration of human endeavour, resilience and hope. With athletes and sports placed at the heart of the Games, Tokyo 2020 believe the Paralympics will be a spectacular showcase of sport with Para athletes entertaining the world and advancing a more inclusive world.
Following an audit of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) and International Federations regarding classification requirements ahead of Tokyo 2020, Gen Duff, the IPC’s Acting Classification Director, presented the Board a range of strategic proposals based on scenarios relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and likely sport calendar. Further membership updates will be provided on this in due course.
The Board was also informed that due to the postponement of Tokyo 2020, the IPC Athletes’ Council elections were postponed until August 2021. As a result, members whose term would have ended in August 2020 have had them extended by a further 12 months until next year’s elections.
Andrew Parsons, IPC President said: “The 85th IPC Governing Board meeting was the first time in the IPC’s history that the members could not meet in person. Much of the meeting was dominated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic not just on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, but across the IPC and wider Paralympic Movement.
“The Tokyo 2020 presentation was reassuring and gave the Board confidence about the measures the Organising Committee is taking to re-plan the Paralympic Games next summer. Classification ahead of the Games is clearly going to be a challenge for everyone due to the uncertainty of the sporting calendar, but the IPC management team is planning for multiple scenarios and proposing a range of solutions.”
Pandemic and its impact on the IPC
The IPC Governing Board was updated by the Mike Peters, the IPC’s Chief Executive Officer, on the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had so far on the IPC, including its finances.
Members of the IPC Management Team will continue to work remotely until at least 1 August 2020 and, since 1 July 2020, 19 staff members have taken furlough due to a decrease in their day-to-day workload.
Following the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the IPC Governing Board approved an updated and balanced budget for 2020. This included savings of EUR 1.7 million that had been made by operational departments. Framework budgets for 2021 and 2022 which highlighted the impact the pandemic could have on the IPC’s finance over the coming years, were also presented.
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