Disappointment for para sailors as sport not reinstated at Paralympics

Sailing bodies from around the world have expressed their profound disappointment at the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision not to reinstate sailing to the Paralympic Games for LA28.

From the very start of World Sailing’s #BacktheBid campaign, the RYA and other sailing authorities have committed unwavering support to the reinstatement of sailing in the Paralympic Games.

There are 41 nations on five continents active in para sailing, and over 630 active para sailors registered with World Sailing.

“We fully respect the verdict of the IPC and recognise the difficulty the IPC board faced throughout this process,” says World Sailing CEO, David Graham. “However, we must also acknowledge that this is an extremely disappointing day for our whole sport and, in particular, for para sailors around the world. Despite this setback, our commitment to our para sailors, to the continued growth of para sailing, and to the wider para sport movement will only grow stronger.

“We know a life on water unlocks so many opportunities for disabled people, we know how inclusive para sailing is, and we are determined that para sailing will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Sara Sutcliffe, chief executive of the RYA, says para sailing is one of the most inclusive sports there is, and she is saddened and disappointed with the decision.

“It is one of the few sports where men and women can compete alongside and against each other on a level playing field,” says Sutcliffe. “World Sailing’s bid for LA28 reflected this with proposed mixed male and female crews, or fleets, across all three of the suggested classes.

“The RYA was proud to select and fund a talented team of under-25 sailors to represent GBR at this year’s RS Venture Connect World Championship in Oman – and we will continue to develop younger sailors, in the same way that we are committed to sending a GBR team to this year’s Allianz Sailing World Championships.”

The IPC’s governing board reached the decision after assessing applications from international federations vying for a place on the LA28 games plan, which currently considers 22 Paralympic sports (the same number as Rio, Tokyo and Paris) but with 33 sports seeking inclusion for LA28 for just two places.

“While the USA Paralympic teams have had great success over the years, their inclusion in the Paralympics, most importantly, has served as inspiration and motivation for so many in our disabled sailing community,” says Paul Cayard, executive director of US Olympic Sailing.

Cayard believes worldwide efforts to support para sailing won’t weaken and says US Sailing will continue to advocate for and support disabled sailors through many different agendas, including inclusion in the Paralympics for 2032 in Brisbane.

Five World Championship para sailing events took place in 2022 and para sailing will make its debut at the Allianz World Sailing Championships – The Hague – later this year when sailors in Hansa 303, 2.4mR and RS Venture Connect classes will compete for world titles.

“Although saddened by the news that sailing will not be on the list of sports at the LA28 Paralympic Games, myself and the entire team at RS Sailing and the wider RS Marine Group are committed to doing what it takes to continue to enable sailors of all abilities to get afloat, be that in a sailboat such as the RS Venture Connect sailboat or on one of our Cheetah Powerboats which feature innovative adaptations to make them wheelchair accessible,” says Dan Jaspers, head of RS Sailing international sales and business development, and international RS Venture Connect class builders’ representative.

“It is my personal belief that the commercial industry has a responsibility to step up and support the development of inclusive sailing activities on a global scale. The good news is that we are engaged in discussions surrounding a number of exciting projects which we hope to announce in the coming months, projects that will hopefully provide a pathway for sailors with disabilities to be able to compete against each other on a high-level platform at not just regional but also international level.”

RS Sailing hosted and supported RS Venture Connect Para-worlds in Oman in November 2022, with 39 teams from 19 nations competing. This programme makes sailing possible for almost anyone. The boats’ design is straightforward with plug-and-play options (including sip/puff electronic controls) so that the boat can be configured for most disabilities.