After an informative and lively Conference at the Crowne Hotel-Northwood in Dublin on Friday (4 October), the European Paralympic Committee (EPC) ended their time as the guests of Paralympics Ireland with the important General Assembly on Saturday (5 October).

Jannie Hammershoi (President); Neil O’Donovan (Executive Director) and Sally Wood-Lamont (Chair, IBSA Europe) were in attendance on behalf of IBSA.

Throughout the weekend, meetings “on the margins” took place between IBSA and a number of key members of the Paralympic and Olympic families, including Sir Philip Craven (IPC President), Patrick Hickey (President, European Olympic Committees), Donagh Morgan (Assistant Secretary General, Irish Department of Sport) and Liam Harbison (CEO, Paralympics Ireland).
 

As was the case on Friday, there was a robust and lengthy discussion on a range of topics including the report of EPC President John Petersson, EPC financial accounts and a range of motions.

There was a keen debate on the concerns of many European nations regarding the recent publication of the Rio 2016 Athletics Events Programme, which is exercising the minds of many nations and athletes greatly.

Evgeny Bukharov gave a detailed progress report on behalf of the Organising Committee of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games.

Constitutional Motions carried by the members included the replacement of the Secretary General position by the new post of Vice-President and the removal of the Technical Officer position in favour of an extra member-at-large position.

There were a number of key elections with three members of the executive board stepping down: Secretary General Luca Pancalli (Italy), Athletes’ Representative Marketa Sidkova and Lithuanian NPC President Vytautas Kvietkauskas.
 

EPC President, John Petersson (Denmark) was re-elected unopposed, as were Vice-President, Ratko Kovacic (Croatia) and Treasurer, Craig Carscadden (Great Britain).

There were six candidates for the five positions of member at large. Following a ballot, the five individuals elected to the executive board were: Petra Huber (Austria), Samuel Rosko (Slovakia), Mikhail Terentiev (RUS), Denis Jaekan (BEL) and Geoff Smedley (INAS).
 

In his closing remarks, EPC President, John Petersson thanked Paralympics Ireland for the great job they had done in hosting the General Assembly and Conference, giving the event his seal of approval by declaring it the “best ever”.