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Paralympics and Olympics merger 'possible after 2020'
The Paralympics and Olympic Games could merge, says the president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Sir Philip Craven said things are developing all the time and nothing is "set in stone".
It would be a controversial move with some Paralympic athletes fearful that disability sporting events would be overshadowed.
But a joint Games has some popular appeal, a BBC survey has suggested.
Speaking on the BBC's Ouch! disability podcast to be broadcast next week, Sir Philip said: "Whatever's right for athletes within the Paralympic movement then let's look to do it.
"I hope no one thinks that we're fine where we are and things can't change. Of course they can change”
"It's really a logistical problem at the moment but I'm not dead against the idea, in principle, of them coming together at some time."
With nine years in preparation, he said: "It could not be before, I don't know, 2024, something like that, for the summer Games."
Should it go ahead, Sir Philip said he would not want to shrink the Paralympic element of a combined Games - a worry for many of the athletes.
He said: "Within the IPC we're very keen that if there was some form of merger we would maintain the number of athletes in the Olympic/Paralympic Games."
Fears over merger
In December former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said the Paralympic Games would "disappear off the face of the earth" if a merger took place.
She feared only a few of the events would be put in the Olympics.
Baroness Grey-Thompson said: "I'd rather invest time and effort in making sure that the Paralympics can be as parallel to the Olympics as possible."
In March this year, the BBC World Service published the results of a survey of just over 10,000 people taken in 19 nations.
Some 47% of those questioned favoured merging the Games, while 43% said the Paralympics should stay separate.
In the UK, 50% of those surveyed were in favour, and 43% against.
However, many of the countries with the most impressive medal hauls to date wanted to keep the Games split; they included China (67% separate, 27% integrated), the US (64%, 29%), and Australia (54%, 42%).
Now in his third term as IPC president, Sir Philip - a former Paralympic wheelchair basketball player - also wants to see the word disability banished from the dictionary.
He said a combined Games would probably need to be extended, speculating it might be around three to three and a half weeks.
Under a "partnership agreement" signed by the IPC and the International Olympic Committee the Paralympics will follow on from the Olympics as a separate event until 2020.
But Sir Philip said a merger could be looked at after that time.
"I hope no one thinks that we're fine where we are and things can't change. Of course they can change."
BBC
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Rio Olympic Sports an Events
05 May 2012 - 08:55 AM
Quote
Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition final event and equipment selections has been confirmed by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).
The ISAF Council voted that Kiteboarding will replace Windsurfing for the men’s and women’s board events and confirmed the equipment that will be used for the Women’s Skiff and Mixed Multihull Events.
The Mackay FX, referred to as the 49er FX, was selected yesterday as the two person women’s skiff and today the Nacra 17 joins the Olympic equipment family after being selected for the two person mixed multihull event.
The 49er FX received the majority of votes from the ISAF Council in the first round after the six evaluation trial entries were narrowed down to just three; the 29erXX, the RS900 and the 49er FX.
There was an equally animated debate on the final morning of the Council meeting at this year’s ISAF Mid-Year Meeting to decide the equipment to be selected for the mixed multihull event. After discussing the recommendations from the Evaluation Panel, the Equipment Committee and the Events Committee, Council voted between the Nacra 17 and the Viper with the Nacra 17 securing the majority.
The final discussion on the events and equipment for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition was about the men’s and women’s board events with Council voting in favour or kiteboarding.
In November 2011 an evaluation group was appointed to examine kiteboarding formats with the board events for Rio 2016 defined as ‘windsurfing and/or kiteboarding’. The Evaluation Group recommended that kiteboarding be included in the ISAF Event family including the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships but Council went one step further and selected kiteboarding for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition as well.
The ISAF Windsurfing and Kiteboarding Committee will consider and make further recommendations to Council on the implementation of the inclusion of kiteboarding at their meeting in November 2012 at the ISAF Annual Conference.
ISAF President Göran Petersson said, 'These announcements mark a new era for sailing and we welcome the new classes into the ISAF family. The equipment selections have fulfilled the criteria set out by the Evaluation Panel and we look forward to seeing the boats not only at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but the ISAF Sailing World Cup and ISAF Sailing World Championships.
'Kiteboarding has proven to us that it is ready to be included into the list of prestigious ISAF Events and it is a fantastic addition to the sailing programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.'
The events to be contested at the 2016 Olympic Games are confirmed as:
Men’s Kiteboarding
Women’s Kiteboarding
Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser
Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial
Men’s One Person Dinghy (heavy) – Finn
Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Women’s Two Person Dinghy - 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s skiff – 49er FX
Mixed Two Person Multihull – Nacra 17
ISAF
The ISAF Council voted that Kiteboarding will replace Windsurfing for the men’s and women’s board events and confirmed the equipment that will be used for the Women’s Skiff and Mixed Multihull Events.
The Mackay FX, referred to as the 49er FX, was selected yesterday as the two person women’s skiff and today the Nacra 17 joins the Olympic equipment family after being selected for the two person mixed multihull event.
The 49er FX received the majority of votes from the ISAF Council in the first round after the six evaluation trial entries were narrowed down to just three; the 29erXX, the RS900 and the 49er FX.
There was an equally animated debate on the final morning of the Council meeting at this year’s ISAF Mid-Year Meeting to decide the equipment to be selected for the mixed multihull event. After discussing the recommendations from the Evaluation Panel, the Equipment Committee and the Events Committee, Council voted between the Nacra 17 and the Viper with the Nacra 17 securing the majority.
The final discussion on the events and equipment for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition was about the men’s and women’s board events with Council voting in favour or kiteboarding.
In November 2011 an evaluation group was appointed to examine kiteboarding formats with the board events for Rio 2016 defined as ‘windsurfing and/or kiteboarding’. The Evaluation Group recommended that kiteboarding be included in the ISAF Event family including the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships but Council went one step further and selected kiteboarding for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition as well.
The ISAF Windsurfing and Kiteboarding Committee will consider and make further recommendations to Council on the implementation of the inclusion of kiteboarding at their meeting in November 2012 at the ISAF Annual Conference.
ISAF President Göran Petersson said, 'These announcements mark a new era for sailing and we welcome the new classes into the ISAF family. The equipment selections have fulfilled the criteria set out by the Evaluation Panel and we look forward to seeing the boats not only at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but the ISAF Sailing World Cup and ISAF Sailing World Championships.
'Kiteboarding has proven to us that it is ready to be included into the list of prestigious ISAF Events and it is a fantastic addition to the sailing programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.'
The events to be contested at the 2016 Olympic Games are confirmed as:
Men’s Kiteboarding
Women’s Kiteboarding
Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser
Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial
Men’s One Person Dinghy (heavy) – Finn
Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Women’s Two Person Dinghy - 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s skiff – 49er FX
Mixed Two Person Multihull – Nacra 17
ISAF
