The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is currently calling for nominations for the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame (PHF), inviting all member organizations of the IPC to nominate their best-ever male and female athletes and coach in winter sports. The IPC has requested that persons who know of anyone fitting the profile should contact their National Paralympic Committee. The PHF currently exists as a virtual Hall of Fame on the IPC website.
The induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. “I am looking forward to the induction ceremony in Vancouver and celebrating the commitment and achievements of the inductees as well as the spirit of sportsmanship, excellence, and community embodied in the Paralympic Movement,” said Antonio Lucio, global chief marketing officer of Visa, San Francisco, California.
For this ceremony, three inductees (one male athlete, one female athlete, and one coach) chosen by the IPC Governing Board will be inducted as members of the Paralympic Hall of Fame. These individuals will be elected based on their athletic performance, history of fair play, and participation in community service.
According to the IPC, to be eligible for induction in the Paralympic Hall of Fame, athlete and coach candidates must have participated in at least two Paralympic Games and must have won a number of medals, either directly or, in the case of a coach, through the athlete(s) or team(s) they coached. An athlete or coach must have ceased to be an active participant in the Paralympic Games for at least four years, or one Paralympic cycle, prior to the year of election.
“The Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame is a high-profile way of celebrating the great historical sporting achievements in the Paralympic Movement, commemorates Paralympians who have achieved true sporting excellence, and will ensure that a permanent record and institutional memory is kept of those top athletes and their achievements.” said Sir Philip Craven, IPC president.
For more information, visit the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame.
