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statements and recommendations which resulted from this convergence of minds,
opened our eyes further to recognise a membership that wants change. We accept
this as a challenge and as an opportunity and will deploy a strategic review and
plan so that changes can be implemented as quickly as possible.
We are proud of our growth, our development and our progress, and I hope
you will enjoy this opportunity to observe our organisation and our movement
through this transparent vision of how I believe we can look at ourselves if we
were given a mirror.
Permit me to make some observations as I approach the end of my third
and final term as President of the IPC. First of all, I see, clearly, that we are at
a crossroads. We are asking such questions as:
1. "Whether or not we should be responsible only for the Paralympic
Summer and Winter Games, or if we could continue to be responsible for
Regional Games and Championships."
2. "Whether or not we should change or alter the roles and responsibilities
of our elected political officials, now that we have a full roster of
professional staff at our international Headquarters in Bonn, Germany,
who are capable of assuming some of those responsibilities."
3. "How can we best meet the challenges and opportunities of marketing,
disability classification and the consideration of accepting new sports into
our programmes?"
We must exercise the courage to take risks and implement change if and when
necessary. At any crossroads, the underlying question is which route to follow;
whether to maintain the status quo or to make decisions for change, which cannot
be easily met, for Change always creates uncertainty. There can be no doubt that
the very world in which we live, work and play, is a world of rapid, extensive and
continuous change. There will always be those who contend that the world is far
more difficult as a result. Yet, returning to a simpler time is not only improbable,
it is impossible, for if we are to survive in this evolving world, we must accept
that change is inevitable. I know that unless we have the courage to accept
the challenge and take the risks involved, we may be left behind. We are an
athlete-centred movement and rapid change is to be expected with our
involvement in all aspects of international sport.
With that in mind, we have indeed arrived at a crossroads, and it is time that
we critically evaluate both the successes and the continued challenges facing the
organisation and the movement.
In order to fully evaluate the progress of this organisation, it is important
that we step back and review the progress made and the challenges facing the
IPC and the Paralympic movement in general. By eliminating personal biases and
reflecting carefully on where we are and where we want to be, we will really
know where we are and how we are viewed in order that we can truly move
forward. Such a reflection is timely and indeed necessary, in view of recent events.
It is timely for we are "sport" and therefore, our efforts are interpreted in relation
to the known model of sport.
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