APSO successfully hosted the 2026 edition of its Sport Technical Meeting on Wednesday, 6 May 2026, in Bonn, Germany, during the IPC IFs and IOSDs Open Days. The timing of the meeting allowed APSO members to benefit from the presence of a wide range of international organisations already gathered in Bonn, creating a particularly diverse and collaborative discussion environment.
In addition to APSO members, the meeting was attended by representatives from World Para Sports and several IPC Recognised International Federations, whose contributions enriched the exchange of experiences and operational approaches across different sports.
The primary focus of this year’s meeting was ensuring fair access to qualification opportunities for the LA2028 Paralympic Games in the context of global disruption, including conflicts, travel restrictions and visa limitations. Participants explored how qualification systems can remain fair and accessible while preserving the integrity and credibility of Paralympic qualification pathways. Discussions included practical approaches such as creating geographically balanced competition calendars, developing multiple qualification routes and improving flexibility in qualification systems to reduce the impact of travel and access barriers on athletes worldwide.
The meeting also addressed operational approaches to onsite classification, with participants discussing scheduling strategies, athlete experience, safeguarding considerations and methods to minimise disruption to competition programmes.
A further discussion stream focused on models for grouping sport classes within competitions, including integrated and separate event structures. Participants noted that approaches must remain sport-specific and carefully balance factors such as safety, scheduling efficiency, operational complexity, athlete experience and spectator understanding.
Reflecting on the discussions, APSO President Dr Debbie Alexander said:
“The strength of this meeting lies in the willingness of organisations to openly share experiences and practical solutions. By bringing together different perspectives from across the Paralympic Movement, we can better protect fairness for athletes and continue improving the delivery of Para sport worldwide.”
The 2026 APSO Sport Technical Meeting once again highlighted the value of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in addressing shared challenges across the Para sport community.