World Sailing vows to continue supporting Para Sailing worldwide following the news that the sport will not be reinstated in the Los Angeles Paralympic Games (LA28).
Para sailing was removed from the Paralympic Games following Rio 2016 after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) claimed it could not fulfil their minimum criteria for worldwide reach.
World Sailing launched its Para Sailing Development Program (PDP) in 2017 and in July 2021 announced its plans to see sailing reinstated in the Paralympic Games.
After an unsuccessful bid for Paris 2024, the next opportunity for the sport to get back in the Games was Los Angeles in 2028 . . . Now that bid has also failed.
Following an extensive International Federation application and review process, the IPC Governing Board approved 22 sports for inclusion in the LA28 Paralympic Games, omitting Para Sailing.
Following the full evaluation, the IPC granted LA28 the opportunity to explore the potential of including Para climbing or Para surfing, sports that have not been featured before at the Paralympic Games.
There were 33 sports bidding to be included in the roster for the LA28 Games, but no sport has ever successfully regained their place in the Paralympics after having been removed.
Should LA28 put forward any sports for consideration, a final decision will be taken by the IPC Governing Board by the end of 2023.
World Sailing CEO, David Graham, said, “We fully respect the verdict of the IPC and recognise the difficulty the IPC Board faced throughout this process. However, we must also acknowledge that this is an extremely disappointing day for our whole sport and, in particular, for Para Sailors around the world.”
“Despite this setback, our commitment to our Para Sailors, to the continued growth of Para Sailing, and to the wider Para Sport movement will only grow stronger.”
The Royal Yachting Association has expressed its profound disappointment at the International Paralympic Committee’s decision not to reinstate sailing to the Paralympic Games for LA28.
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