Paris 2024: More than 90 IPC-supported delegations competing

Over 150 athletes from 91 countries, along with coaches and officials, have received support from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The IPC also focuses on training coaches and officials to improve Para sports and create long-term opportunities for athletes.

Of the 155 athletes helped by the IPC, more than half are women. Paris 2024 has a record number of female athletes, with 1,983 women competing, and 35 countries have more female athletes than ever before.

Highlighted Beneficiaries:

• Husnah Kukundakwe from Uganda received IPC support to attend international competitions in 2019. This help led to her competing at Tokyo 2020, and she’s now running for the IPC’s Athletes Council to advocate for athletes’ rights globally.
• Amal Haza’a Ali Munassar, Acting General Secretary of NPC Yemen, attended IPC workshops and has established Yemen’s first women’s wheelchair basketball team. She inspires girls and women with and without disabilities in her country.

The IPC supports athletes and NPCs (National Paralympic Committees) through various programs to help them develop, improve access to sports, and create more opportunities for people with disabilities.

Impact of IPC’s Support

Kristina Molloy, IPC’s Chief Membership and Impact Officer, said that since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the IPC has invested heavily to boost talent and increase female participation.

“At Paris 2024, we have a record number of delegations and female competitors,” Molloy said. “We aim to give every person with a disability the chance to experience the benefits of sport. Our goal is to empower people with disabilities, improve their health, and inspire change.”

Since 2017, IPC’s development programs in over 160 countries have helped more than 3,700 Para athletes and trained over 10,000 leaders. Over 1.6 million people have participated in these programs, including more than 400,000 children. The IPC’s efforts help increase participation in sports and challenge the stigma around disability.