TEHRAN – President of Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) Majid Rashed said that Iran’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC) is a model of sustainable development in the region.

The Emirati official traveled to Tehran on Saturday to attend the 15th National Paralympic Day. He was accompanied with Chief Executive Officer of the APC Tarek Souei.

He visited Tochal Telecabin, located north of Tehran, and Olympic and Paralympic Academy in his four-day trip to Tehran. Rashed also met Iran’s sports and youth minister Hamid Sajadi in the ministry.

Rashed participated in a press conference on Tuesday and lauded Iran’s NPC for the efforts it has done for the Para athletes.

“First of all, I would like to thank the Iranian officials for inviting me to Tehran. I am glad to be here. Also, on behalf of the APC, I would like to thank everyone who played a role in the 15th National Paralympic Day. I believe that the National Day ceremony sent the message that Iran's NPC is a model of sustainable development for others,” he said.

“I believe that Iranian athletes have shown that they are the good example of success in the whole world and have shown how strong they are in the international events.

“I attended the ceremony for the first time and it was very important. We’ve got a lot of positive energy, especially since there were different age groups. I wanted to attend the Day before the Covid-19 pandemic, but I couldn't do that,” he stated.

In response to a question about why Iran does not have a seat in the Asian Paralympic Committee, he said, “Iran has achieved good results at the global and international levels and it is possible that it will have a seat. The door is open for all, but the country’s representative must apply and enter in the democratic elections process. In my opinion, there is no obstacle for the presence of the Iranians, either in the executive board or in the different committees.”

“I met the officials of the Paralympic Movement in Iran during my trip to Tehran, and I I believe that many Memorandums of Understandings can be signed between Iran and the APC, although it has not been finalized yet. I think Iran can host the Para Asian Winter Games because there are good facilities in the resort (Tochal),” Rashed added.

“Our message is ‘we are stronger together’ and success stories of countries like Iran, China and Japan should be heard. They are the role model for others due to their experiences.

Rashed underlined the importance of cooperation with Iran as a strong country in the region.

“I had a good meeting with the Minister of Sports and we shared ideas together. Mr. Sajadi said that it is possible to have academies and camps in several cities of Iran. This opened the door for collaborations. This was my first meeting with the Minister and other officials and we reached agreement verbally but we are going to sign the memorandum soon,” Rashed concluded.

Reporting by Masoud Hossein
Photo: Amir Reza Ostovari