20 September 2004
New Major Global Paralympic Event Announced
The world's greatest Paralympians will compete in Manchester
next year at the first ever Paralympic World Cup.
This brand-new event will be one of the biggest multi-sport
competitions for elite athletes with a disability, outside of the
Paralympic Games.
The two-day competition will take place on May 14 & 15 at
venues throughout the city, the majority of which were used for the
2002 Commonwealth Games.
UK Sport (through National Lottery funding), Manchester City
Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) will
fund the event for an initial three years, with a view to making it
an integral part of the Paralympic sporting year.
BBC Television has already committed itself as the host broadcaster
of the event in 2005 as part of its backing of elite level
disability sport.
Four disciplines will make up the inaugural Paralympic World Cup:
track and field athletics, wheelchair basketball, track cycling and
swimming. The vision is to increase the number of sports in
subsequent years.
Organisers hope that the event will help to raise awareness of
Paralympic sport and provide a real competitive goal for elite
athletes to complement the Paralympic Games, held every four
years.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the British
Paralympic Association (BPA) have both endorsed the event.
Phil Craven, President of the IPC, said: "The IPC is very pleased
that athletics, cycling, swimming and wheelchair basketball - four
Paralympic sports - will be showcased in Manchester in 2005. I am
sure that the Paralympic World Cup will be yet another opportunity
for Paralympians to inspire and excite the world!"
Phil Lane, Chief Executive of the British Paralympic
Association, believes the time is right to launch this
competition.
He said: "The Paralympic World Cup will offer top-level competition
on a more regular basis, expanding awareness of elite disability
sport both in the UK and around the world through BBC TV's
coverage."
Meanwhile the three major stakeholders in the Paralympic World Cup
believe the event will help to establish Britain at the forefront
of Paralympic competition and build on the sporting reputation of
Manchester following the hugely successful hosting of the 2002
Commonwealth Games.
Sue Campbell, Chair of UK Sport, said: "UK Sport is delighted to be
backing this innovative, multi-discipline event, which builds upon
our existing support of disability sport and creates a new
competition opportunity for top athletes outside of the Paralympic
Games. Using legacy facilities in the Northwest from the
Commonwealth Games, the World Cup will further reinforce the UK"s
reputation for staging major events as well as promoting Paralympic
sport to a wider audience."
Leader of Manchester City Council, Richard Leese, added: "This is
another feather in Manchester"s cap and we are delighted to build
on the sporting legacy of the XVII Commonwealth Games.
"The residents of Manchester have a passion for sport and the
Paralympic World Cup is another first for the city. It will give
Paralympians the chance to compete in state-of-the-art facilities
and visitors will be able to enjoy a world-class event in a great
city."
Peter Mearns, Director of Marketing at the NWDA, said: "We are very
pleased to be a major funding partner for this high-profile event.
This is the first time a Paralympic sports event of this nature and
size has been held in the UK, and it is significant that this
region is to play host.
"England's Northwest has an enviable record of hosting major
sporting and cultural events. This is the first region in England
to have a Major Events Strategy - and the Paralympic World Cup is a
great example of delivering the strategy.
"This event also supports the Agency's commitment to raising public
awareness of sport for disabled people. I look forward to a truly
world-class event in 2005."
Dave Gordon, Head of Major Events for host broadcaster the BBC, is
delighted to add this new event to their portfolio of televised
sports.
He said: "New heroes and heroines were created in Sydney and the
same is happening here in Athens. There is a clear audience
appetite for world class disability sport and we in BBC Sport
believe this new, exciting event can play a crucial role in raising
the profile of these athletes in the years in between Paralympics.
It"s a further opportunity for BBC Sport to increase its commitment
to elite disability sport and we look forward to playing our part,
as the host broadcaster, in ensuring the global success of the
event."
Leading sports marketing and events company Fast Track has
developed the Paralympic World Cup concept with the BPA. Fast
Track, led by former Olympian Alan Pascoe, is also managing the
event and working to deliver commercial partners. The company
currently runs the highly-successful UK:Athletics live televised
event programme.
ends
For further information contact Andrew Wallace at Fast Track: +44
(0)7776 306 305