Iran have held their eighth National Paralympic Day ©INPC

Iran’s National Paralympic Committee (INPC) have held their eighth Paralympic Day at the Azadi Sport Complex in Tehran in order to promote sport for people with impairments.

The event at the complex was attended by over 8,000 participants, with the amount of women who took part coming in for particular praise from organisers, while other similar celebrations took place across the country, bringing the total number of attendees to around 35,000.

United Nations Secretary General Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Wilfried Lemke was present in Tehran for the festivities as was Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) chief executive Tarek Souei.

International Paralympic Committee President Sir Philip Craven recorded a video message for the participants and the event was broadcast live thanks to an agreement reached with the Iran Broadcasting Organisation.

Schoolchildren and parents were able to participate in exercises and various Para-sports during the nationwide Paralympic Day.

Following the ceremony in capital city Tehran, Souei met with Executive Board Members of the INPC to gain a further understanding of the organisation.

IPC President Sir Philip Craven delivered a video message to participants at the main event in Tehran
IPC President Sir Philip Craven delivered a video message to participants at the main event in Tehran ©Getty Images

Iran National Olympic Committee secretary general Shahrokh Shahnazi then offered the help of both the Olympic Council of Asia and the APC to potentially set up a commission dedicated to Paralympic sport.

Souei is also understood to have claimed the INPC are the perfect model for other Asian Paralympic Committees to follow, prompting him to call for increased co-operation between the regional bodies to help the development of Para-sport across the continent.

Behrouz Barjasteh, INPC technical director, went on to explain how the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games qualification process while noting the growth of Para-sport in the country.

As well as the amount of women who had turned out for the event, the number of children participants was also heralded, with the hope that some of those with impairments will go on to represent the country at future Paralympic Games.



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