Representatives of the next Pan and Parapan American Games' Organising Committee were joined by Rio 2016 delegates on the four-day long programme, held under the stewardship of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Academy, which included thematic presentations from Toronto 2015 senior management staff.

Topics covered included accessibility, integrated planning, sport and classification, Games services, marketing, communications and Parapan American Games client experience.

The observers visited the dedicated Athletes’ Village as well as a number of Parapan American Games competition areas in order to gain an insight into the start-of-the-art inclusive facilities and refurbished venues where many interventions were required in order to meet IPC standards.

"The implementation of the programme reflects the APC and IPC’s commitment to support the organisers of the Parapan Am Games and other Para-sport events by undertaking targeted initiatives," said Apostolos Rigas, IPC Academy deputy director.

Among the other bodies represented at the event were the Asian Paralympic Committee, UK Sport, the National Paralympic Committee of Georgia and Défi sportif AlterGo, an annual international event that brings together both elite and upcoming athletes with all types of disabilities. 

The third edition of the IPC Academy Campus, which is set to be organised during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, will provide another opportunity for educating the major sport events industry and Para-sport event organisers about the characteristics, challenges, solutions and opportunities from staging great sport events for athletes with impairment.

Having recognised the need to provide educational opportunities for all individuals working within the Paralympic Movement, the IPC partnered with the World Academy of Sport to create the IPC Academy.

It seeks to ensure that executives, administrators and officials have an educational centre that is sensitive to their needs and in touch with trends and developments.


Related stories
August 2015: Americas Paralympic Committee chief hails Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games as the "best ever"
August 2015: United States swimmer elected athletes representative to Americas Paralympic Committee
August 2015: Nicaraguan elected to Americas Paralympic Committee Executive Committee following General Assembly
June 2015: Six candidates for APC Executive Board athlete representative position revealed
May 2015: Four days left for Americas Paralympic Committee athlete representative nominations