APC Athlete Representative to be elected

Americas National Paralympic Committees are invited to nominate one candidate for election as Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) Athlete Representative at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, from 23 August-1 September.

The Athlete Representative is the voice of the Paralympic athletes of the Americas Region and is a member of the APC Executive Committee. Incumbent Athlete Representative Ileana Rodriguez was elected at Toronto 2015.

Rodriguez said: "We athletes are the heart of the Paralympic Movement and therefore need to be prepared and have the necessary knowledge and resources to ensure our voices continue to be heard and our actions keep making a positive and sustainable impact.

"I have witnessed first-hand both as a Paralympic swimmer and APC Athlete Representative the immense growth that the Paralympic Movement has experienced across the Americas.

"More National Paralympic Committees in the continent are understanding the importance of having an athlete representative and Athletes’ Commissions, especially as a result of the first APC Athletes’ Workshop we organised in Ecuador back in 2018.

"As the Movement gets bigger and bigger in size and scale, it is more important than ever that as athletes we come together and work hard to guarantee the APC and more Americas NPCs continue to be athlete-centred."

The candidate nominated by each NPC should have strong leadership qualities, as well as broad knowledge of the Paralympic Movement and be respected both on and off the field of play. The APC particularly welcomes candidates with experience in, and a commitment to, the advocacy of athlete related issues.

Nominations must be made by NPCs by 17 May 2019.

The elected Athlete Representative is expected to devote the necessary time required to fulfil the work on the APC Executive Committee and to attend relevant activities and meetings.

For further information please contact Primrose Mhunduru, IPC Athletes Engagement Manager, (primrose.mhunduru@paralympic.org).

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Notes to the Editor

The Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) is the regional organisation, recognised as the sole regional representative of the Americas Region.

For further information, please contact Hernan Goldzycher, APC Communications Co-ordinator, on e-mail: hernan.goldzycher@paralympic.org or call +49 228 2097-218. Alternatively, please visit www.americasparalympic.org/.

Also, you may follow the Americas Paralympic Movement on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ParalympicsAPC, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ParalympicsAPC or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/ParalympicsAPC.

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