IPC President Praises PyeongChang, Tokyo

(ATR) Andrew Parsons is pleased with all aspects of accessibility at the PyeongChang Paralympics and believes that Tokyo 2020 "has the potential to be the best Paralympic Games ever".

The International Paralympic Committee president spoke with a select group of journalists includingAround the Ringsat the Tokyo 2020 Japan House in the Gangneung coastal cluster on Tuesday.

Parsons says the level of accessibility for both athletes and spectators has been very good despite the inherent issues created by the Winter Games.

"You have the mountains which make a challenge for accessibility but the services and operations have been designed to facilitate the lives of the athletes and the spectators," Parsons said. "I think it is a lesson to be learned by future host cities mainly for winter sports perspectives."

He also praised PyeongChang organizers for their efforts in what he calls the "softer aspects of accessibility".

"When we think of accessibility we should not only focus on wheelchair users and ramps and so on. It is also access to communications, access to information, for example, for the visually impaired," the IPC president said. "The athletes are happy, the spectators are happy with the provisions, so I have a very good opinion. I would rate it in a very high level in the different aspects of accessibility."

Praise for Tokyo 2020

Parsons received a tour of the Tokyo 2020 Japan House from Tsuyoshi Yanagidate, the Deputy Executive Director of Communications & Engagement for Tokyo 2020.

The IPC boss met with Japanese Paralympians and tried out the rugby ball at the 2019 Rugby World Cup exhibit. But his mind is firmly on an event that will take place a year after that event.

"Tokyo 2020 has the potential to be the best Paralympic Games ever," Parsons said. "You see the excitement from different parts of (Japanese) society. The private sector is really engaged -- the media, the broadcasters, sponsors. Tokyo organizing committee is doing a very good job in working together with the IPC. We know the different level of cooperation from the National government and Tokyo metropolitan government who are really engaged so I think everything is coming together in a very smooth and positive way.

"These may be the games that will be considered as a model for future organizing committees when it comes to the delivery of the Games combined with different elements: broadcast, marketing, sport elements and also spectators."

Parsons believes Tokyo 2020 will also benefit from the recently signed long-term partnership between the IPC and IOC, which he says will create "a more integreated approach" between the Olympics and Paralympics so that "people perceive us as two important elements of the same sport festival".

As for becoming an IOC member, as his predecessor Philip Craven was, Parsons says "there’s always that possibility" but that he believes the long-term relationship between the two organizations is "more important than having an IPC president become an IOC member".

Written by Gerard Farekwith reporting by Hironori Hashimoto in Gangneung

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