Bonn, Germany – The 2006 International Paralympic Committee (IPC)  Powerlifting World Championships will be held in Busan, South Korea, from 3 to 11 May. Approximately 300 athletes from 53 countries will participate in the competitions open to athletes with cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, amputees and les autres who meet the minimal disability criteria.

IPC Governing Board member Masoud Ashrafi will attend the championships and speak at the Opening Ceremony.

Male powerlifters compete in ten different categories according to body weight (48kg, 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, 67.50kg, 75kg, 82.50kg, 90kg, 100kg and +100kg). The first Paralympic Powerlifting competitions took place at the Tokyo 1964 Paralympic Games with male participants only. Female powerlifters participated for the first time in Sydney in 2000 with ten categories according to bodyweight (40.00kg to +82.50kg). The sport is currently practiced in over 100 countries worldwide.

In line with the championships, a Powerlifting Sports Assembly will take place on 6 May at the Paradise Hotel in Busan. Main topics include the National Classification System development, strategic planning and future direction of the sport, as well as discussions about the strategy for the development and training of Regional Technical Delegates.
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For further information, please contact Miriam Wilkens, IPC Media and Communication Director on +49-228-2097-180, e-mail: mailtmiriam.wilkens@paralympic.org or http://www.paralympic.org/.

About the IPC: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the international governing body of sports for athletes with a disability and acts as the International Federation for 13 sports. It supervises and co-ordinates the Paralympic Summer and Winter Games and other multi-disability competitions, eg, World Championships. The IPC also supports the recruitment and development of athletes at a local, national and international level across all performance levels.