The IPC Governing Board concluded four days of online meetings on Tuesday (15 December) making key decisions relating to the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games sport programme and Paris 2024 venue masterplan, as well as receiving updates on preparations for Tokyo 2020.
Five sports so far included for Milano Cortina 2026. The IPC Governing Board approved the inclusion of Para alpine skiing, Para ice hockey, Para Nordic skiing (biathlon and cross-country skiing), Para snowboard and wheelchair curling at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games sport programme. A decision on whether to include Para bobsleigh was deferred until early 2021.
For the first time, the Board also provisionally approved the first 18 medal events in order to give National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) and International Federations additional time to plan for the Games. This includes a new mixed doubles wheelchair curling event and two new medal events in women’s snowboard for athletes with upper limb impairments.
Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “We are pleased that with more than five years to go until the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games we can confirm six disciplines from five sports for the sport programme and announce the first 18 medal events that will be provisionally included.
“We strongly believe the provisional inclusion of medal events will facilitate participation growth, advancing the possibilities of them meeting the criteria for inclusion when the medal events programme is fully confirmed in two years’ time. Moreover, provisional inclusion offers the International Federations opportunities for athlete development and recruitment while giving national governing bodies clarity in their long-term planning, funding and development programmes.
“With regards to Para bobsleigh, the Board decided to defer a final decision pending clarification in several areas. We hope a final decision can be taken in early 2021.”
Chelsey Gotell, IPC Athletes’ Council Chairperson, said: “The provisional medal event programme for Milano Cortina 2026 includes 18 events that are either new or have had limited participation at previous Games. With more than five years to go until the Games, athletes, national and international federations, as well as NPCs have a target to aim for in terms of developing the talent pool.”
The 18 medal events provisionally included for Milano Cortina 2026 are: Para alpine skiing
• Women’s downhill vision impaired • Women’s downhill sitting
• Women’s super combined vision impaired • Women’s super combined sitting Para biathlon
• Women’s individual vision impaired • Women’s individual sitting
• Women’s middle distance vision impaired • Women’s middle distance sitting
• Women’s sprint vision impaired • Women’s sprint sitting Para cross-country skiing
• Women’s long distance – classic vision impaired
• Women’s middle distance – freestyle – vision impaired
• Women’s sprint – freestyle – vision impaired Para snowboard
• Women’s banked slalom UL (NEW) • Women’s banked slalom LL1
• Women’s snowboard cross UL (NEW) • Women’s snowboard cross LL1 Wheelchair curling
• Mixed doubles (NEW)