"I think the challenge for the Paralympic Movement now is how we make sure that what will happen in Paris will also have positive effects in other parts of the world," he told insidethegames.

"So that a country like, I don’t know, the Dominican Republic will benefit from what will happen. A country like Peru, Vietnam, Burundi, Australia, whatever. Regardless of the level of development, that they will also benefit from the fact that the Paralympic Games are taking place somewhere else.

"Through broadcasting, through online media, through the news, it’s an event of global impact. So we want to have a global impact as well, not only in the host nation.

"And that sets a very good precedent for future organisers when we talk about what will be the legacy of the Los Angeles 2028 [Paralympic] Games, what will be the legacy of Brisbane 2032, what will be the legacy of Milan Cortina 2026 or the 2030 Winter Games. It will be a vital benchmark."

Last month Parsons met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in the French capital, which is set to host the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8.

They discussed preparations for the event and the potentially transformational impact they could have in France and around the world.

France is home to approximately 12 million people with disabilities whose lives could be changed due to the awareness that is brought by the Paralympics.

Parsons commended the French Government's recent policy which prioritises accessibility, education, and employment for people with disabilities.

The programme also includes a commitment to invest €1.5 billion (£1.2 billion/$1.6 billion) to improve the accessibility of places in daily life.

Reflecting on this commitment by the imminent Olympic and Paralympic hosts, Parsons said: "I think it gives me the assurance that the different levels of Government - President Macron, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the Ile-de-France authorities - they understand the challenges of delivering the Paralympics and they also understand the opportunities and how the Games can be an accelerator, a catalyst, for change.

"So being assured of that is really positive because we know that, not only because of the 1.5 billion euros, which of course is a massive amount of money when it comes to investment, this is being perceived as a catalyst - it’s not a one-off.

"It is creating a different attitude to persons of disability because it’s a packet of initiatives. Of course because of the number 1.5 billion really stands out.

"But it is because of the details such as the provision of technology equipment, of wheelchairs, we are talking about the implementation of sports programmes in clubs that are not as inclusive as they should be.

"Also in terms of training professionals to support that activity, making small interventions when it comes to disability, making changes in school programmes.

"More than one million kids were involved in the Olympic/Paralympic Weeks, and the last one was on the topic of inclusion.

"It’s a range of programmes that includes physical initiatives such as changing transport systems, for example, but it’s also changing legislation to ensure that persons of disability will be fully integrated into French society and also to maintain the right of French persons of disability to have access to sport for leisure, for health.

"I think it gives us great confidence moving forward, and looking at how things will be even after the Games.

"Because this is something very important - how societies react after the Games are over - whether it is something that happened because of the Games and then stopped, or whether it carried on, as I saw it had in Tokyo when I went there one year after the Paralympics.

"So it gives a great assurance that the change will be on and on and on and this will benefit future generations after Paris.

"We have seen over the years the host city, the host nation changing regulations, implementing programmes to increase inclusion, working on accessibility.

"Of course this is very rewarding because it shows, it proves, that the Paralympic Games is bringing change. It is not just a case of having to change things because there is a Paralympics, it is also that there are concrete steps in making sure that those societies are more inclusive than they were before the Games."

With the first Paralympic test events starting to be held in Paris, Parsons believes the preparations are "going well", although he acknowledges that there are lessons to be learned from the recent cancellation of the swimming section of the Para-triathlon test event due to pollution concerns in the stretch of the River Seine around the Pont Alexandre III due to stage competition.

This followed the cancellation by World Aquatics of the Open Water Swimming World Cup, another Paris 2024 test event, for the same reason.

"We are just finishing some test events, which always brings up some learning," he said. "Of course it is the moment to have such events one year prior to the Games.

"We have just had the Paratriathlon and Para-archery test events but it is too soon for me to have the details of those events. I need to receive the reports from the respective International Federations responsible for these sports.”

World Triathlon ruled that a "significant discrepancy" in the analysis of the quality of the water led to the decision, before an investigation was undertaken by Paris 2024 and public authorities.

A reading went beyond the threshold of 1,000 E. coli per 100 millilitres despite the absence of rain which was blamed for previous cancellations.

The City of Paris has now claimed that pollution was due to the "malfunction of a valve" in the sanitation network.

"I think overall the impression is that the operation went well - the venue operations, everything went well," Parsons said. "I think the feeling is very positive now. But I can’t give you the details yet of what needs to be improved.

"What we now need to do with the Organising Committee and the French authorities is to understand what led to the discrepancy in the data. Because that led to the cancellation of the water part of the Paratriathlon and the event. In order for the safety of the athletes there was the decision not to have the water part, so the event went on as a duathlon.

"So now it’s up to these bodies to investigate and understand why there was this discrepancy and to learn from that so that we know we will not have that same thing when the Games take place next year. Now is the moment to learn.

"But I think in terms of preparation we are moving forward well with the Organising Committee.

"Now is the time to focus on the fine tuning, on the learnings of the test events, the fine tuning of the operations and liaising more and more with the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) and focusing a lot on the promotion of the Games and the ticket sales.

"We are launching the ticket sales on October 9, so in the lead-up and after the launch we need to focus a lot on selling tickets. Because this is one of the big positive features of these Games - having spectators back."

Meanwhile Parsons says he believes the decision over whether to bring Russian and Belarusian athletes back into the fold for the Paris 2024 Paralympics will be respected by member federations whichever way it goes.

Shortly before the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics the IPC was obliged to alter its position on allowing Russians and Belarusians to compete as "neutrals" due to the threat of a boycott by multiple NPCs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Athletes from the two countries have remained banned following the decision made by the IPC Governing Board in March last year.

The position was formalised in Berlin at an Extraordinary General Assembly of the IPC in November where the Russian and Belarusian NPCs were suspended.

In April an IPC Independent Appeals Tribunal in Dubai allowed an appeal by Russia and Belarus against the suspension on a technicality, but the two NPCs remain suspended pending a decision by the IPC General Assembly, which is due to take place in Bahrain on September 28 and 29.

Member federations will be invited to choose from three options and Parsons maintains the democratic nature of the process will ensure the result will be respected.

With a year to go today until the Paris 2024 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Parsons told insidethegames: "Whatever decision is taken I think people will accept because of the democratic process that we took.

"If it is full suspension, partial suspension with neutrals or no suspension, which are the three options we are putting forward to the membership, I think the Paralympic Movement as a whole will understand it and work with their athletes and with their Governments to make sure that the decision is respected.

"So whatever decision is taken, one of the three, we believe because of the process that it is something that will be accepted.

"Even if some individuals don’t like it they will respect it because it comes from the membership as a whole, it comes from the democratic decision of the Paralympic Movement."

In the wake of April's successful appeal, Parsons said: "Following the events that we saw unfold just before the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, our members made it clear that the membership status of NPCs Russia and Belarus needed to be considered by the General Assembly.

"We believe that our actions taken to call the 2022 Extraordinary General Assembly in Berlin and allow every member the chance to present their views on these important matters, fulfilled our obligations under our rules.

"Our Independent Appeals Tribunal decided differently, which is a decision we certainly respect, but disagree with."

Speaking to insidethegames this week, Parsons added: "As we already had committed to do, we will bring these matters back to our General Assembly later this year, follow the Appeal Tribunal's directions by presenting the additional evidence we have since acquired, and give our members the opportunity to decide these important matters."

Parsons explained last year that the shift in policy over Russian and Belarusian participation at Beijing 2022 had come about after multiple NPCs threatened a boycott.

He said nations were "likely to withdraw" if the two teams were not banned, stating there would not be a "viable Games".

Asked if he felt those who had objected last year would repeat their threat of a boycott if Russian and Belarusian Para athletes were allowed to compete at Paris 2024, Parsons added: "We don’t have any information about possible boycotts.

"It’s different from the situation with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics - we don’t have any National Paralympic Committees or Governments saying to us 'if this happens we may boycott the Games.'

"So far we don’t have that.

"The decision that is going to be made in Bahrain in our General Assembly is a decision that is going to be taken by the membership of the International Paralympic Committee, so it’s the ultimate decision-making body of our organisation.

"In Beijing, after the invasion, we were in the middle of the Games period, decisions were taken while we were there.

"What I’m saying now is that one year and a half later we have the time to think of the consequences for the Paralympic Movement, the consequences for the Games, and for making one of the different decisions, the possibilities that we have in front of us.

"So I’m not saying that anyone has changed their position.

"To be honest I don’t know.

"It’s not something that we are discussing in terms of, ‘if the decision is this way how would you react?’

"This is not the type of dialogue that we are having.

"We are focusing on providing to the membership the most democratic and informed process so they can make a decision that they think is best for the Movement."

Parsons added that the decision made shortly before the start of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics was made on different criteria to the one which will be invited at the imminent General Assembly.

"The reason why we took the decision in March, and we have been re-assessing that decision every time we meet as a Board, is due to the safety and integrity of the competitions," he said.

"So it’s not a decision based on the breach of a membership obligation, it’s a different reason.

"What we are putting forward to our membership in Bahrain is - these are the facts. If you believe there is a breach in the membership obligation, you have these options here.

"If you don’t believe there is a breach of the membership obligations, these are the options."

Russia was initially suspended by 64 votes to 39, with 16 abstentions, while Belarus was suspended by 54 votes to 45 with 18 abstaining.

The IPC said the suspensions stemmed from the two nations' "inability to comply with their membership obligations under the IPC Constitution".

"This includes the obligations to 'ensure that, in Para sport within the Paralympic Movement, the spirit of fair play prevails, the safety and health of the athletes are protected, and fundamental ethical principles are upheld' and 'not to do anything (by act or omission) that is contrary to the purpose or objects of the IPC and/or that risks bringing the IPC, the Paralympic Movement, or Para sport into disrepute,'" the worldwide body added.

The rationale for not allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in World Para Sports events included the need to ensure the safety and security of athletes, the risk of boycotts, the need to ensure a conflict-free environment for competition, and operational matters such as the various global sanctions in place.

In terms of the decision that will be taken by the IPC General Assembly, the discussion around the membership status of both NPCs falls under different rules and is governed by the IPC Constitution.

The issue will be whether the rules of the IPC Constitution have been broken.

Parsons also insisted that the IPC decision would not affect the International Olympic Committee’s decision on the same question, which could be announced at its Session in Mumbai from October 15 to 17.

"I don’t think there will be any impact on their decision," he said.

"Both organisations work together really well and in many of the operations when it comes to the Games we work in a very integrated way.

"But we are independent and autonomous organisations, and we have different governance structures.

"So sometimes we will make different decisions on similar topics."

Asked if he felt any circumstances had changed since the decision made in March last year to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, he responded: "A very personal opinion - I cannot speak for others - I think the main difference now is that we are not in Beijing. 

"The main difference is that we are not in the heat of the moment. We are taking the decision at the General Assembly, months prior to the Paralympic Games.

"So the situation is different. But if this period of time has made anyone change their position or maintain their position is a very personal thing. I cannot give an opinion on that.

“It is very personal, and of course the decision-making process of each and every member of the IPC can be different from one another.

"We are talking here - we are an organisation of organisations. So the members of the IPC, they are organisations themselves and they have decision-making processes which they will go through before coming to Bahrain.

"So for me it is very difficult to assess, let’s say, the opinion of each individual. I am just saying that we are not in the heat of the moment, we don’t have to rush to make the decisions that we needed to do in Beijing because we were three days from the Opening Ceremony.

"That’s why we are making a decision following all the necessary steps in our General Assembly."