The Official
Website of the
International
Sailing Federation

"This implies that an IPC Governing Board will, at the next General Assembly in 2005, replace the present IPC Executive Committee," said Mr. Craven. The Governing Board will be composed of 14 members, 12 of which will be elected by the General Assembly (GA): a President, a Vice-President and ten board members. An Athletes' Representative, elected by the Athletes' Council and the IPC Headquarters CEO will also be part of the Governing Board. An extraordinary General Assembly will be held in 2004 to approve the new electoral system.

Currently, the IPC acts as the International Federation for 13 sports. A motion was voted through at the GA that will facilitate the process of independence for these IPC sports, when democratically agreed by the respective Sports Assembly and when in accordance with IPC regulations.

The GA also ratified the membership of eight National Paralympic Committees (NPCs): Botswana, Congo, Ghana, Malta, Mauritius, Tanzania, Togo and Turkey. A new membership fee calculation form was accepted by the IPC membership, which will relieve NPCs from countries with a GNP of less than US$500 from paying the membership fee.

Four organizing committees, ATHENS 2004, Torino 2006, Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010, reported on the status of preparations for future Paralympic Games. This was the first time that so many organizing committees came together at a GA.

The IPC GA took place from 21 to 22 November 2003, in Torino, Italy, with the participation of around 250 persons from NPCs, disability specific sport federations (IOSDs), regions and sports. The Organizing Committee of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Games hosted this event at the Centro Storico, an old Fiat factory.