Contact EPC
epc.sg@once.es (s)
EPC webmaster
María
Isabel Velasco (i)
Comment: For ease of reference, this Operations Plan is reproduced precisely as presented to and agreed by the General Assembly that took place in Dublin two years ago. The EPC Executive Committee’s comments on progress to date have been added in bold italics.
Within the general policies and objectives of the European Paralympic Committee as determined by the General Assembly, the main goals as seen by the Executive Committee are to:
- Continue the establishment of financial stability for the
operations;
- Continue to establish a regular Championships calendar with secured bids
at least four years in advance;
- Review and implement, in co-operation with relevant targeted NPCs, a development
programme for sports for athletes with disabilities in Europe;
- Continue to provide information and education for the strengthening of the
European programmes for athletes with disabilities.
- Maintain relations and discussions with European Federations for Sports
for Disabled with the aim to establish and promote a joint policy.
A long-term goal to be observed when sufficient financial resources are available, is the establishment of a professional administration for EPC.
Comment: EPC has recently negotiated with IPC an additional staff resource in the person of Bart Schell. Bart is based in the Bonn office, alongside other IPC staff members, and is already proving to be an extremely useful asset to both IPC and EPC.
Projects overview
1. Championships/Cup programme
1.1 Together with relevant IPC Sports Assembly Executive Committees and European Sport Co-ordinators establish strategy and procedures for encouraging bids for European Championships by February 2002, to be implemented as soon as possible thereafter.
Comment: Deadlines for submission of bids have already been published in EPC News, The Paralympian and the IPC Newsflash. Although the European programme is more comprehensive than that of other regions, further effort is required if we are to achieve our agreed goals.
1.2 Goals:
- At least 7 championships/official EPC events for 2003;
- Bids for 7-8 championships for 2005 by October 2002;
- Bids for at least 8-9 championships for 2007 by October 2003.
Comment: Two EPC championships (Archery and Equestrian) took place in 2002. Six more (Athletics, Powerlifting, Cycling, Shooting, Table Tennis and Wheelchair Dance) will have taken place by the end of 2003. To date, EPC has received two bids to host championships in 2005 (Athletics and Cycling) and no bids for EPC championships in 2007. Clearly the goals set were over-ambitious and further work is required to co-ordinate and rationalise the regional and world championship aspirations of IPC, its regions and the IOSDs.
1.3 The development of an official EPC regular multi-disability Athletics programme for implementation in 2005. (First) meeting to be held with European athletics representatives first half of 2002.
Comment: The first EPC multi-disability athletics championships took place in Assen during June 2003. The second EPC Athletics Championships have already been awarded to Espoo in Finland and will be held in August 2005, following immediately after the IAAF World Championships.
1.4 Continue relations and further support to the EPC European Alpine Cup Committee and EPC Cup Committee in Nordic Skiing by the 2000-2001 winter sports season. Establish formal bylaws winter season 2001-2002.
Comment: As this problem is not exclusively of a European nature, IPC rather than EPC (through the relevant SAECs) is developing an application and sanctioning process for all such regional cup competitions. EPC and other IPC regions will be consulted.
1.5 Establish formal bylaws for EPC Committee European Sledge Hockey Cup for club teams in connection to tournament 2002.
Comment: The EPC Executive Committee does not consider this to be an EPC responsibility. However, the IPC Sports Department has recently met with the relevant SAEC to help them establish an appropriate strategy for the further development of their sport.
1.6 Support and supervise the European Archery Committee until such a time when it can be returned to Co-ordinator status. Establish formal bylaws spring 2002.
Comment: A European Archery Co-ordinator (Arik Vamosh) has been in place for some time now.
2. Development work
2.1 Completion of currently undertaken Development projects – see report Development Officer and continuation of applications for IPC Development projects in Europe.
Comment: See Development Officer’s report
2.2 Continue to map the needs for developing projects and
assistance in European
developing and war torn nations. Establish a development programme in close
co-operation with the relevant countries, relevant Sports Assembly Executive
Committees and/or IOSDs.
Comment: See Development Officer’s report
2.3 Continue the support for participation of Eastern European qualified volunteers in classification and TD seminars organised by the relevant IPC relevant Sports Assembly Executive Committees.
Comment: See Development Officer’s report
2.4 Continue offer to IPC and ATHOC to establish a joint education programme for technical officials in Greece, which is open to interested candidates from other countries.
Comment: The IPC Sports Science and Education Subcommittee
has been working with ATHOC on the development of such a programme. EPC has
been kept informed and this project is currently being considered as an EPC
project for funding within the context of the European Year of Education through
Sport 2004.
2.5 Evaluate possibilities for establishing European Sports Programmes for Disabled Youth.
Comment: This matter has been considered further by the EPC Executive Committee and, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of IPC’s Strategic Review, no further action is being taken at this stage. However, EPC is aware that a seminar on this subject is to be held in Austria.
2.6 Establish contacts with the relevant new IPC commissions with the aim to increase participation of severely disabled athletes and women in Europe.
Comment: No further action to date as both IPC commissions have only recently been reactivated.
3. Relations
Where relevant establish or maintain relations with European and other International Federations/Organisations/Institutions with the aim to:
3.1 Further the co-operation between EPC and European and International IOSDs.
Comment: All five IOSDs have responded positively to the invitation to apply for EPC membership. IOSD representatives joined EPC officers in Budapest in January 2003 to consider joint actions.
3.2 Further the integration into mainstream sport.
Comment: No action has been taken and any further action will need to be in the context of the outcome of IPC’s Strategic Review.
3.3 Strengthen the relations on national level between able-bodied and disabled sports organisations.
Comment: EPC remains willing to support any national member which expresses a wish to strengthen its relations with the corresponding national able-bodied organisation. To date, no such request has been received.
3.4 Increase public awareness. In particular, further explore possibilities for joint activities in relation to the EU’s “European Year for Disabled” in 2003 and the “Year of Sport” 2004. Seek co-operation with European Disability Forum.
Comment: An EU-funded “Doping Disables” project was successfully completed in December 2001 and a follow-up congress on the harmonisation of anti-doping policies took place in Bratislava in August 2002. An agreement linking IPC, EPC and the European Disability Forum was signed in January 2003 in Athens. An EPC conference on relations with the European Union was held in April 2003 and an EPC bid for the funding of a Paralympic School Day project was submitted in June 2003. EPC is currently considering projects in the framework of the European Year of Education through Sport (2004).
4. EPC Newsletter and information folder
4.1 Publish the EPC News , with 3 issues annually.
Comment: The Executive Committee subsequently took the decision to publish EPC News once or twice a year and to focus resources on the EPC website. A new webmaster (a severely disabled woman) was appointed at the beginning of this year and she has been working on redesigning the website and making it fully accessible for all disability groups.
4.2 Establish an editorial committee to assist in the production of the newsletter.
Comment: Members of the Executive Committee have assisted the Secretary General in the production of the newsletter. NPCs, organising committees and some EC members have submitted articles for publication.
4.3 Update the information folder based on 2001 General Assembly/elections.
Comment: Financial and staff resources have been focused on the website during this period. A newly-designed leaflet and other printed promotional material are planned for 2004.
5. Marketing and Fundraising
5.1 Monitor the work of the Marketing Agency with the aim to obtain Sponsor partnerships and funding of the EPC official competition programme and EPC News.
Comment: EPC is planning to organise a meeting with its marketing agency (Rugo Kommunication) to discuss the usefulness of the current relationship, especially bearing in mind that IPC has recently broken off all commercial relations with Rugo and taking into account possible developments in IPC’s own marketing strategy and policy.
5.2 Continue to explore funding possibilities with various European institutions and through fundraising projects.
Comment: See 3.4 above and note the recent appointment of an IPC Fundraising Director.
5.3 Explore possibilities to establish a donation’s programme.
Comment: See 5.1 and 5.2 above.
5.4 Seek professional assistance in developing an education package and a training session with the aim to provide media and PR training to the NPCs on how to promote sports for disabled within their respective countries.
Comment: No action to date and, until such time as sufficient resources are available to carry this through, the Executive Committee does not consider this to be a priority.
On behalf of the Executive Committee,
Dr Bob Price
EPC President.