John Petersson - IPC Presidential Candidate - A Champion for the Movement

More athlete-focused classification system

Dear Friends,

While speaking to many of you over the last few months, I found that one of the main issues on your minds is our athlete classification system. For me, this is also a highly important matter. From my own experience as a Paralympian, I understand the importance of fair competition. At the same time, it is equally important for an athlete that the value of their performance is understood by the fans and supporters.

Therefore, if elected President I will ensure that both time and resources are made available to develop a more athlete-focused classification system. Such system should take into account the unique abilities of all of our athletes and support them to both showcase their best performances and guarantee fair but also relevant competition.

I believe that the system should be sport-specific and based on evidence, and it should be constantly monitored and improved. Of course, this process cannot take place without the involvement of our athletes and members. Having an athlete member on the IPC Classification Committee and collaboration with the IPC Athletes’ Council will be important. For our NPCs, we need to ensure they can rely on adequate support from the IPC to have all their athletes classified before Paralympic Games.

Finally, I believe that it is important to look into the possibility of establishing a stand-alone classification organisation which would able to provide the above support to our athletes and members independently.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the future of our Movement and truly hope I can count on your support.

For more on my vision for the future of the IPC take a look at my website: http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=76992863&msgid=605491&act=U8XH&c=690726&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fjohnpetersson.eu%2F

Best wishes,

John

Q&A with John Petersson

Since John Petersson announced his candidacy for IPC President, many questions have come his way. These Q&As give an insight into his ideas for the future:

What is your vision for the future of the IPC and the Paralympic Movement?

"As we look to the future of our Movement, I believe that we need a leader who not only understands the challenges our members face but has also experienced and advocated for the Paralympic Movement on a whole. In September, we have the unique opportunity for a fresh start to highlight our cause.

It’s my aim to build on the positive developments that have been achieved, but I believe that we need to do more for our members and our stakeholders. We need to do more to support our athletes, we need to do more for our Members, and we need to do more for the Movement’s aspiration of creating a more inclusive society for people with an impairment through para-sport.

I want to initiate new ideas, in order to develop a new drive inside and outside the IPC that supports all partners of the Paralympic Movement to benefit more from it. This entails a focus on more grassroots development, generating more revenues, more transparency and more collaboration with all stakeholders.

I will build on my experience as a sports person, businessman and Paralympic leader to ensure that we succeed. Following my vision, I also want to ensure that the entire Paralympic Family, meaning the nations, sports and athletes will come closer together."

What does success look like for the IPC during the next four years?

For me, success for the IPC means growth. Growth in our sports and events and growth of our Movement to ensure have successful and satisfied members, meaning:

1) Growth of topline Parasports and the Paralympic Games: Further development and growth of top level parasports and our Movement’s showcase product - the Paralympic Games. Meaning that more athletes from more nations can compete in more sports, under more professional circumstances to allow for even better performance.

2)Growth from the grassroots: Building better structures of parasports below the top level, with a much stronger grassroots and youth sport movement, and with clear athlete pathways toward the Paralympic Games. Meaning that a larger number of strong parasport events are established for para-athletes, but that also more people are participating in parasports at the grassroots levels to support their health and social inclusion.

3) Growth of the Paralympic Brand: Further strengthening the Paralympic Brand to attract more long-term revenues and create IPC services from which all Paralympic Family members benefit adequately. Meaning that the Paralympic Family is better positioned inside the international sports movement and society.

What more can be done to grow and develop the Paralympic Movement in the coming years?

"To support our Movement and the cause it supports, more can and needs to be done in multiple areas, including more grassroots development, generating more revenues, more transparency, and more collaboration with the IOC and IFs.

I want the IPC to support NPCs in championing youth development. Such support should not only be financial but also emphasise a support for structural development that includes leadership initiatives and education programmes.

With regard to more revenues, building on my experience as an entrepreneur and business man, I plan to create new commercial opportunities and sources of revenues for the IPC in order to better serve all IPC members and the Movement’s cause. I did this during my time as EPC President and I plan to do the same for the IPC.

With regards to transparency, in my positions in the Paralympic Movement, I have always taken an athlete-centred and solution-oriented approach. I believe in team work and in the democratic process. As president, I want to ensure more transparency in all aspects of decision-making. I want to listen to the members’ needs and act in an inclusive way.

Finally, it is important to establish a stronger working relationship between the IPC and IOC and the International Summer and Winter Federations in order to progress with the independent governance of parasports. This will create a platform for strong growth of all of our sports and a more focused and powerful IPC."

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