World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) receives recognition by the International Paralympic Committee

In Official Communication, Press Release * Official Communication by WFDF

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The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) is pleased to announce that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has conveyed on WFDF the status of an “IPC recognised International Federation (IF).” IPC Chief Executive Officer Xavier Gonzalez signed the letter confirming the approval of WFDF’s application sent last month outlining Wheelchair Ultimate activities in several countries including the USA, Canada, Germany and Japan.

“This is a great milestone for WFDF to receive International Paralympic Committee recognition and be welcomed into the IPC family,” stated WFDF President Robert “Nob” Rauch. “The recognition granted by the IPC will greatly help with our efforts to grow Wheelchair Ultimate and Disc Golf, adding a Paralympic dimension to our list of Flying Disc disciplines.”

During WFDF’s annual Congress in August 2014, it was confirmed that several member countries already had Wheelchair Ultimate initiatives, and that WFDF’s member associations fully supported WFDF taking the lead in unifying the endeavors for this discipline.  “WFDF will be creating a WFDF Wheelchair Ultimate workgroup and also working with the Professional Disc Golf Association to establish a global set of competition rules and classification regulations to support the further development of Wheelchair Ultimate and Wheelchair Disc Golf, respectively,” added Rauch explaining WFDF`s efforts.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is an international non-profit organization and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports. Founded in 1989, its mission is to enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world. Furthermore, the IPC wants to promote the Paralympic values and to create sport opportunities for all persons with a disability, from the beginner to the elite level. The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities, including athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy.

As of 2016, the Summer Paralympics will include 22 sports and 526 medal events, and the Winter Paralympics will include 5 sports and disciplines and about 72 events.  In addition to the 28 sports that are full members of the IPC, the IPC acknowledges the importance of creating a Paralympic family network of recognized international sport federations that may not yet be eligible to be formal IPC members, such as WFDF, but who can contribute to the development of sport opportunities for athletes associated with the Paralympic Movement and have organizational goals that are compatible with the vision and mission of the IPC.