"THE LAUSANNE AGREEMENT"

On February 17th an important meeting took place in the Swiss city of Lausanne between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA). This meeting, which was held with the mediation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in their headquarters, served to pave the way for an agreement which, given its relevance and interest, we reproduce here in its entirety on behalf of our readers.

SPECIAL AGREEMENT OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE (IPC) AND THE INTERNATIONAL BLIND SPORTS ASSOCIATION (IBSA)

IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, 17th February 1997

A G R E E M E N T

By and between:

The party of the first part, Dr Robert STEADWARD, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

The party of the second part, Mr. Enrique SANZ, President of the International Blind Sport Association (IBSA).

In the presence of Mr. Juan Antonio SAMARANCH, President of the International Olympic Committee.

W I T N E S S E T H

a)- That the International Paralympic Committee being the supreme authority governing sport for athletes with disabilities, as it relates to Winter and Summer Paralympic Games and is responsible for the co-ordination of the Multi-Disabled World Championships in co-operation with the International Federations.

b)- That the International Blind Sports Association, being the International Faderation of sport for athletes with visual impairments, is the IF primarily responsible for the promotion, development and organization of sport for athletes with visual impairments.

Both parties mutually recognize the representation and sufficient capacity for the signing and

A G R E E

1.That the IBSA has the authority and autonomy to organize its own sport competitions for athletes with visual impairments at the Regional and World Championship level. The IPC and the IBSA will work together and coordinate the sport calendar so that there will be no conflict between any sport competitions.

2. That the IBSA agrees to cooperate with the IPC in order to guarantee full integration of athletes with visual impairments into the Winter and Summer Paralympic Games in such a way that the qualification systems and classification systems are appropriately implemented.

3. That the IBSA be given the opportunity to have representatives as an integral part of the IPC Sport Assembly Executive Committees so that the rules governing each sport can be developed appropriately.

FOR THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE Dr. Robert STEADWARD	FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BLIND SPORTS ASSOCIATION Mr. Enrique SANZ
IPC FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Mr. Jens BROMANN	IBSA TECHNICAL OFFICER Mr. Brian SCOBIE
IPC TECHNICAL OFFICER Mr. Hans LINDSTRÖM	PRESIDENT INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE Mr. Juan Antonio SAMARANCH
PRESIDENT ONCE GENERAL COUNCIL Mr. José María ARROYO ZARZOSA

Clear support from the IOC

for blind sports

The grave crisis through which the IPC-IBSA relations have been passing has happily come to an end, thanks to the mediation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Spanish National Organization for the Blind (ONCE). From now on, there will be two prevailing concepts governing relations between the international organization responsible for Paralympic sport (IPC) and the International Federation in charge of sport for visually impaired athletes (IBSA): AUTHORITY and AUTONOMY.

The Swiss city of LAUSANNE has witnessed the triumph of logic. The International Olympic Committee, together with one of the most important organizations for the blind in the world, ONCE, acted as mediators so that the IPC and IBSA might iron out their differences.

If we take a quick look back, we must surely remember that this long-running dispute reached its height at the Extraordinary Assembly of the International Paralympic Committee, held in Atlanta on the occasion of the last Paralympic Games. On that occasion, its leaders reaffirmed their policy of refusing IBSA the right to regulate the technical and classification rulings for those events practiced by our blind athletes. Moreover, our International Federation was demanding its legitimate right to organize sports championships for its members, both at a regional and world level. As for the IPC, it would have to limit itself to the tasks for which it was created - i.e. the organization, every four years, of the Paralympic Games, the event which brings together athletes with diverse disabilities from many parts of the world.

The dust settles

As the old saying goes, 'noblesse oblige' - and we have to mention in these lines the grand figure of the President of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch. Together with the President of the ONCE General Council, José María Arroyo Zarzosa, he proved to be the key factor when it came to transforming the stormy waters of Atlanta into the calm lake of Lausanne (Switzerland).

The signing of this 'Special Agreement of Cooperation' has allowed the door to be opened onto respect, above all, and dialogue. On a secondary level, although no less important, each organization now has a clear definition and distribution of their respective roles in this, undoubtedly, fantastic world of Paralympic sport.

IPC is the "supreme authority" in that it is responsible for the Paralympic Games and for coordinating the Multi-Disabled World Championships, in cooperation with the International Federations, amongst them IBSA.

As for IBSA, its role is to be responsible for the promotion, development and organization of sporting activities for blind and visually impaired persons.

From this we can deduce that the International Blind Sports Association has achieved a remarkable degree of autonomy as regards holding regional championships, albeit with the coordination of the IPC; thus, it is hoped to avoid any clashes on the sporting calendars between events run by either of the two organizations.

Another important point of this 'special agreement' is that referring to the representation that IBSA must have, from now on, on the committees of the different IPC sports assemblies. This aims to ensure that the regulations for each sport 'can be developed appropriately' - to quote the agreement - for each disabled group.

There can be no doubt that blind sports have taken a giant stride towards gaining recognition of their rights - and also their obligations - on the eve of the new millennium, to be celebrated with the Paralympic Games in SYDNEY (Australia).

All of us who, in one way or another, work in benefit of the disabled must congratulate ourselves on the results of Lausanne, especially because there were neither winners nor losers, simply the triumph of logic and good sense in benefit of all.