Parsons, elected to replace Sir Philip Craven as IPC President in September 2017, accepted the award at a specially-arranged gathering in São Paulo.

The 41-year-old was recognised for his service to Para table tennis when he was head of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB).

Parsons, who served as CPB President from 2009 until his election at the worldwide governing body, is only the 12th person to be given the CBTM merit award.

The CBTM claim Parsons had a key role in Brazil's Para table tennis success at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janiero, where the country claimed four medals in the sport.

Bruna Alexandre and Danielle Rauen then became the first players from Brazil to win gold at an International Table Tennis Federation Para Team World Championships in Slovakia the following year.

"I had not yet won a medal and was not so famous," said Guilherme da Costa, a bronze medallist in the class one to two doubles event at Rio 2016.

"Andrew was the President of the CPB; he met me one day, called me by name, he encouraged me and spoke of the results I had achieved two months earlier."

Parsons, who become a member of the International Olympic Committee in October, said he was honoured to receive the award from the CBTM.

"In order to build a solid project, you must know what athletes need, what they crave," he said. 

"I am very proud to see the results achieved by each one of you."