BPA backs sports who have not been shortlisted for Paris 2024

The British Paralympic Association has said it will do all it can to help sports to meet the criteria for future Games after the International Paralympic Committee agreed a shortlist of 23 for possible inclusion in Paris 2024.

After a review of applications the IPC Governing board agreed to proceed with the 22 sports included in the Tokyo 2020 Games along with Football 7-a-side.

Golf, karate, Para dance sport, powerchair football and sailing will not be included after the IPC judged they failed to meet the inclusion criteria.

The Board also decided not to approve the inclusion of Para bobsleigh in the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of the BPA, said: “We recognise that for all sports which have not met the criteria for inclusion in the Paris 2024 and Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games this is incredibly disappointing news – not least for us in the UK for Bobsleigh in 2022 and for Sailing for 2024.

“However, the IPC has been very clear that the door is not closed and they will continue to assist them as they seek to further develop their sports. At the BPA we will do all we can to support each National Governing Body on that journey.

“For all the sports which are through to the next stage of the assessment for the 2022 and 2024 Games, we look forward to working with them once the final line up has been agreed.”

The IPC will now provide feedback to the remaining 23 sports and ask some of them for further information to be submitted by 3 December. The Governing Board will then decide on the final Paris 2024 Paralympic sport programme at a meeting in January.

Andrew Parsons, IPC president, said: “After reviewing all the applications it is clear that the level of competition to be included in the Paralympic programme is higher than ever before with all sports making progress since the last time we conducted this exercise four years ago for Tokyo 2020.

“We want the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games to showcase the best possible Para sports with the strongest global appeal.”