This will, however, be his last term in the position he has held since 2009, as according to the CPB statutes an elected Board member is eligible to run for re-election just once.

Nevertheless, he remained positive as he looked to the future of the CPB and Paralympic sport in the country, as it aims to finish in fifth place on home soil at the Rio 2016 Games – an achievement not completely out of reach after the nation jumped from ninth place at Beijing 2008 to seventh at London 2012.

"The new mandate is an opportunity to continue the work that is going so well," Parsons (pictured top) said following his re-election, which will see him heading up the single slate of officers, which also includes vice-presidents Mizael Conrado and Ivaldo Brandão.

"We will try to correct any mistakes from the last four years and improve.

"We have been able to bring the athletes into our centre and will continue to invest in our team, support the professionals and improve the structure.

"We have an ambitious and bold goal for the Rio 2016 Games- to finish in fifth place.

"The medals will not only represent a victory for Brazil, but also a victory for people with disabilities in our country."


Parsons, the son of expatriate British parents, also presented an overview of the organisation's achievements in sports, administration and finance over the last four years at the meeting, as well as presenting the CPB's budget for 2013, which is estimated at approximately R$ 100 million (£34 million/$51 million/€39 million).

"The budget for the next four years is more than we had originally estimated," he said.

"This will help us in our attempt to finish in fifth place in the medal standing at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games."

In Parsons' first term, from 2009 to 2013, the budget for Paralympic sports in Brazil was R$ 175 million (£59 million/$89 million/€67 million), almost R$ 44 million (£15 million/$22 million/€17 million) a year, compared to R$ 77 million (£26 million/$39 million/€30 million) for the previous cycle – 2005-2008.

The increased budget comes after a number of partnerships with the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Sports, the São Paulo State Government, the city of Rio de Janeiro and sponsors Caixa Econômica Federal and Infraero.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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