The International Paralympic Committee (IPC; ) is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement.
The IPC's mission is to lead the Paralympic Movement, oversee the delivery of the Paralympic Games and support its 200 plus member organisations to enable Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence. Founded on 22 September 1989 in Düsseldorf, then part of West Germany, its vision is to "make for an inclusive world through Para sport". Furthermore, the IPC aims to use Para sport as a catalyst to change attitudes, legislation, and create greater opportunities for the world's 1.3 billion persons with disabilities.
The IPC has a democratic constitution and structure and is composed of representatives from 187 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), 18 International Federations, three International Organizations of Sport for the Disabled (IOSDs) and five regional organizations. The IPC's headquarters is located in Bonn, Germany.
Overview On the basis of being able to organize the Paralympic Games more efficiently and to give the Paralympic Movement one voice, the four international organizations of sports for disabled people founded the International Co-ordination Committee of World Sports Organizations for the Disabled (ICC) in 1982. In the upcoming years, other organizations joined and the need for a democratically guided organization emerged, as demanded by the nations participating in the Paralympic Movement. They desired a democratic structure, to improve national and regional representation, which led to the foundation of the IPC as it is known today. The 1994 Paralympic Winter Games, in Norway, were the first to be organized by the IPC.
With its 211 member organizations, the IPC functions as an umbrella organization, in contrast to other international sports organizations for athletes with a disability, which are predominantly limited to a single sport or disability.
A 12-strong Governing Board is responsible for the governance of the IPC between meetings of the General Assembly. Robert Steadward became the first President in 1989. Since 2017, Andrew Parsons is the IPC president, while Dr Mike Peters PLY was appointed the Chief Executive Officer in 2019.
Presidents
The International Paralympic Committee has had three presidents to date. Its founding president, who presided over it from 1989 to 2001, was the Canadian Robert Steadward, who had previously founded the Canadian Sports Fund for the Physically Disabled."Robert Steadward, builder" , Canadian Paralympic Committee He was succeeded in 2001 by Philip Craven, a British Paralympian and former President of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation, who served as president until 2017. Craven was succeeded by Brazil's Andrew Parsons, who was IPC Vice President from 2013 to 2017 and a former President of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee.
Portrait Name Term of office Country of origin Took office Left office Time in office 1 Robert Steadward 22 September 1989 8 December 2001 2 Philip Craven 8 December 2001 8 September 2017 3 Andrew Parsons 8 September 2017 Incumbent
Governing Board
The IPC Governing Board consists of 12 members, of which 10 are elected at the General Assembly, including the President and two Vice Presidents. The most recent election for the Governing Board was held on 27 September 2025 when Andrew Parsons was elected for a third and final term as IPC president. Andrew Parsons, President Leila Marques Mota PLY, Vice President John Petersson PLY, Vice President Debra Alexander, Member at Large Sh. Mohamed Duaij Alkhalifa, Member at Large Chelsey Gotell PLY, Member at Large Miki Matheson PLY, Member at Large Fernando Riaño, Member at Large Robyn Smith,Member at Large Bradley Snyder PLY, Member at Large
The IPC Athletes' Council Chairperson, Vladyslava Kravchenko, and IPC Athletes' Council First Vice Chairperson also serve as Board members and have voting rights.
History
Chronology of milestones in the development of the International Paralympic Committee and the Summer and Winter Paralympics.