Para Climbing proposed for 2028 Paralympic Games

LOS ANGELES — The LA 2028 Paralympic Games have submitted a proposal to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for the 2028 Paralympic Games program. The organizers announced the proposal on Wednesday.

By making the announcement LA has become the first organizing committee to propose additional sports for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the same games.

“LA28 is proud to propose adding Para Climbing to the Paralympic Sport Program, and to be the first organizing committee in history to propose a new sport for the Paralympic Games,” said LA28 Chief Athlete Officer Janet Evans.

“We would like to thank the International Paralympic Committee for giving us the opportunity to add this exciting sport in 2028. We see this as a unique chance to give more athletes the ability to compete on the world’s biggest stage, while creating an expansive and elite adaptive sport program that exemplifies LA28’s commitment to elevating the Paralympic Movement.”

Last January the initial sports program was approved with 22 sports. Beyond those 22 sports the IPC gave the organizers the rights to add a new sport from a shortlist of options and submit it for approval.

That approval vote will come in just two weeks when the IPC Governing Board has an already scheduled meeting on June 26^th. If it receives approval the sport will be added to the Paralympic Games for the first time.

The decision comes as a blow for CP Football, which was seeking readmission to the Paralympic Games following its recent removal, working on meeting more criteria for readmission, with the organization believing it was close to doing enough.

Sailing will also be disappointed to miss out, the sport had been a surprise exclusion, and World Sailing still believes it would meet the criteria to return but again those hopes were dashed.

Para Climbing already has a following and an elite level tour run by the same organization that runs sport climbing at the Olympic Games. It will make it an easier venue choice than other options as nothing much needs to be used, it’s just a matter of erecting a rock wall.

Preliminary LA 28 sport program has no changes

LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – The 2028 Paralympic Games preliminary sport program has seen no changes despite a record number of applications.

With 33 submissions to be part of the Paralympic Games the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) opted to admit no additional sports. The same 22 sports that formed part of the 2020 Paralympic Games will also be part of the 2028 event.

For all the IPC’s bragging about receiving 33 bids the governing body of the event continues to refuse to expand it. One mercy is that there was no contraction, which is what happened before Tokyo and the threat to wheelchair basketball was not followed through.

It’s especially bad news for CP football and sailing, two sports which used to be part of the Paralympic Games but were dropped in 2020. The other sports that missed out were arm wrestling, beach para volley, golf, karate, para dance sport, powerchair football and wheelchair handball. Of those it’s surprising that para dance sport missed out given it’s administered by the IPC. Beach para volley may have also been a good fit given Los Angeles has a perfect facility for the sport.

“Determining these sports for inclusion to the LA28 Paralympic Games through the International Federation application process was a tremendously difficult job for the IPC Governing Board as we received 33 excellent applications,” said IPC President Andrew Parsons. “All International Federations who submitted applications should be congratulated on the quality of their submissions as they underline that all Para sports are getting stronger.”

Two more sports were given more time, for local organizers to make a decision, climbing and surfing. Both sports had great success at Tokyo in the Olympic Games and both a good fit for Los Angeles. These two sports will be allowed to be put forward by local organizers for IPC consideration.

“Under our rules for determining the sport programme, there is an option for a Games Organising Committee to propose one or more sports for inclusion in the Games for the IPC Governing Board to consider,” said Parsons. “We fully support LA28’s interest in the OCOG proposed sport process as this could be a significant contribution to drive greater impact of the LA28 Paralympic Games”

The 22 sports approved for inclusion are governed by the following International Federations:

• 1.    Badminton World Federation (BWF) – Para badminton
• 2.    Boccia International Sports Federation (BISFed) – Boccia
• 3.    International Blind Sport Federation (IBSA) – Blind football
• 4.    International Blind Sport Federation (IBSA) – Goalball
• 5.    International Blind Sport Federation (IBSA) – Para judo
• 6.    International Canoe Federation (ICF) – Para canoe
• 7.    International Equestrian Federation (FEI) – Para equestrian
• 8.    International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) – Para table tennis
• 9.    International Tennis Federation (ITF) – Wheelchair tennis
• 10.    International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) – Wheelchair fencing
• 11.    International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) – Wheelchair basketball
• 12.    World Archery – Para archery
• 13.    World Para Athletics – Para athletics
• 14.    World Para Powerlifting – Para powerlifting
• 15.    World ParaVolley – Sitting volleyball
• 16.    World Para Swimming – Para swimming
• 17.    World Rowing Federation (FISA) – Para rowing
• 18.    World Shooting Para Sport – Shooting Para sport
• 19.    World Taekwondo – Para taekwondo
• 20.    World Triathlon – Para triathlon
• 21.    World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR) – Wheelchair rugby
• 22.    Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) – Para cycling

Featured Image: Mike Quatch, This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

Beach Volleyball applies for admission to LA 2028 Paralympic Games

LOS ANGELES – With applications for additional sports to be added to the 2028 Paralympic Games program opened, Beach Volleyball has formally applied to be added.

Sitting Volleyball, also governed by World ParaVolley, has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1976. The organization itself meets the criteria for a sport to be included and will argue that Beach Volleyball meets the participation and equity requirements to be included individually.

The organization reports that 33 sports are applying for a place in Los Angeles and expect stiff competition. World ParaVolley argues that the location of the 2028 Paralympic Games gives it a unique advantage. There are several iconic beaches in the Los Angeles area. With Venice Beach set to host the event at the Olympic Games, it could easily be used again for the Paralympic Games.

Brisbane hosting the 2032 Paralympic Games could also help inclusion. Broadbeach on the Gold Coast will host Beach Volleyball in the Olympic Games and could host the Paralympic event too. Chances of inclusion in Brisbane are boosted because World ParaVolley has been assisted in this bid by Volleyball Australia.

Australia is also hosting another event World ParaVolley has bid for inclusion, the 2026 Commonwealth Games. That event doesn’t have a separate Para event but has staged Para events as part of the program. World ParaVolley has applied for Para Beach Volleyball to be included along with Beach Volleyball in the program.

The final event that World ParaVolley applied for inclusion at was the 2023 Mediterranean Beach Games. This would be another event with para and non-para events together. Beach Volleyball has been in every event since its inception. The application for the event will include Sitting Beach Volleyball. The Commonwealth Games event lineup will be known by the end of this year, while LA 2028 will be announced in early 2023.