Andrew Parsons: International Paralympic Committee President on his experience with New Zealand

The  International Paralympic Committee President recently took a tour of New Zealand to see what the nation had to offer - and he joined Piney to discuss.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks ab Right.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Pleasure to welcome an International Paralympic Committee President, Andrew Parsons,
who's been in New Zealand since the middle of last week.
Thanks for joining us on the show. Andrew, You've had
a busy schedule during your time here. What have been
some of the highlights of your visit to New Zealand.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Well, thank you very much, it's a pleasure to be
talking to you today. Jason. Then, well, I think spending
spending time, of course with the athletes here, the parapters
of New Zealand. I just had a meeting with the
Athletes Council and of course visiting the Minister of Sport
in Wellington and speaking and Sport New Zealand, speaking with

(00:48):
some of the partners here, visiting the Governor General. So
it was a really packed field days here. But I
think we've done a lot in terms and trying to promote,
trying to understand, but also for me to learn how
we can from an International Prolympic Committee perspective, help to
strength and the Paralympic sport movement here in New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
So what are some of the main things that you
have learned during your time here. What have been some
of the most valuable discussions you've had.

Speaker 3 (01:16):
Well, I think it was obviously with the government and
also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the sense that
you know, we have this incredible opportunity with twenty thirty two,
which is considered by some here in New Zealand as
home games, and how to take advantage of that to
prepare New Zealand for not only for not only to

(01:37):
win medals and have an incredible performance in twenty thirty two,
but how to structure the movement to fotogrow after the
games in twenty to thirty two. So it's how I
think Paralympic Sports should be in New Zealand twenty thirty
three on. So, speaking with the different bodies here such
as of course the National Paralympic Committee, Sport New Zealand,

(01:59):
Minister Sport again, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the
sponsors and commercial parks as well, they want to see
this movement and of course projecting that speaking with the athletes,
so I think to understand that long term strategy of
Paralympics New Zealand was key for me as president of
the International Olympic Committee to understand, because of course we

(02:20):
want these games to be games for this region, for Oceania,
and we see Paralympics the New Zealand as most probably
one of the big engines in order to promote Paralympic
sport here in the region.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
And I know you've had the chance to meet and
spend time with a number of our Paralympians during your
time here. I say, you're going to breakfast with Adam Hall,
Cameron Lesley and Enter Grimaldi on Thursday. How much do
you enjoy actually speaking with the athletes themselves on trips
like this.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
It's the most rewarding part of a visit like this
because look, Jason, we as a sport administrator, as sport leader,
I have learned very early in my career we are
here to serve the athletes and help them to get
it from you know, grassroots to elite and and also
when it comes to pur Olympic movement, to leave a

(03:12):
long lasting legacy in society and you know by what
they do in the field of play. So getting the
feedback from the athletes and some of the initiatives of
the International Proalympic Committee and understanding a couple a little
bit more about the challenge they face here in this country,
and it's just amazing. It's just a great you know,
I learned every time I speak with them. I just

(03:33):
had a long conversation now with Cameron Leslie about his
role in in New Zealand swimming and how he's finding
new para swimmers and the integration process into Enable Body Federation.
So it's a very good learning opportunity. And you know,
when the feedback is positive, of course it's really it
makes me really happy. And when it's not that positive,

(03:55):
it's something you know that I take note, I learned
and we try to to to to act upon it.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
We are very proud of our rich Paralympic history and heritage.
We regularly, I think, anyway, punch above our white on
the world stage at Paralympic Games and other competitions. I
think our our you know, middles per capita at Paralympic
Games is right up there. Have you been able to
under uncover an your reasons why we might be so

(04:22):
good for the size of the country that we are.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
I think it's a combination of things, To be honest,
I think it's a it's a good good sport management.
Of course, the natural talent of the assets here in
New Zealand, but you know some of the programs, I
think the promotional piece into that you know for Olympics
New Zealand can did in the lead up to games

(04:48):
like Paris and games like Tokyo. I think it's a
combination of things. And probably you know it's a counter
that's sportsman. So I think then you know, persons with
disability are no different. So I think you have good
let's say, natural talent and good work around that talent,
developing the talent into uses like the one you mentioned
now an Agrimordi, Adam Hall and so on. So I

(05:11):
cannot even if I have founder a recipient, Jason, I
will not share it with anyone else because I really
like to see q Is performing like that at the
world stage. But yeah, it's just been great experience here
learning more about the country also, and yeah, really really
really good experience back three days but really really good

(05:33):
learning and going to a competition later on today, So yeah,
fantastic three days.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
Can I just ask you from a wider scenes, how strong,
how strong do you believe the transformative power of the
Paralympic Games and power sport can be.

Speaker 3 (05:50):
Look, I think it's that's a huge potential and I
think we are just probably scratching the surface. I think
in Paris we reposition the Problempic movement as really a
sport movement or that that is also part of a
wider probably human rights disability movement. So if you think

(06:11):
that the Proempic Games is the only event of global
impact that put persons with disabilities center stage, and I'm
not talking on about sport, if you think an education, coach,
of politics, art, whatever, is the Paralympic Games the event
that helps to move forward the agenda of the international

(06:32):
movement a person of disability. I think what we do
for this movement is huge, but it can only have
an even greater impact. And I think one of the
challenges that we have is, of course the impact in
Paris and in France was huge, but of course how
we can maximize the fact that, for example in la
what the athletes would do on the field of lay

(06:54):
there can have an impact when it comes to for example,
in New Zealand, in South America, in Southeast Asia, in
different parts of the world outside of the host nation.
I think that's the next step for us. Is the
next level for us maximizing the again the Paralympic Games
outside the host nation.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
Wonderful to chat to you, Andrew. It's so great to
have you here in New Zealand. I'm so pleased you've
enjoyed your trip and had the chance to meet some
of our Paralympics and others involved in Paralympic sport here.
Save travels. I believe you're off to Vanuatu next.

Speaker 3 (07:30):
I'm off to Vanuatu, yeah, today, and then I'm two
three days there and then going to Brisbane of course
to work with the Organizing Committee and some of the
local and regional and national authorities there in preparations for
the Games in twenty thirty two.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
Save travels and thank you again for your time this afternoon.
Thank you very much as Andrew Parson's International Paralympic Committee President,
on his time in New Zealand over the last week
or so.

Speaker 1 (07:59):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
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