Parsons spent two days in Zagreb to mark 60 years of organised parasports in Croatia, during which he visited the Croatian Paralympic Committee (HPO), training sessions for para table tennis players, sitting volleyball players, and para swimmers. He was also received by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković alongside an HPO delegation.
The HPO is one of the oldest federations in the world, in the best sense of the word. It's beautiful to celebrate such a milestone, but even more important is the agreement signed with the minister of sports, which will provide children and youth with disabilities more opportunities to engage in sports. It’s not all about medals - they are important, but we must offer as many opportunities as possible for young people to participate in sports, Parsons told Hina.
I already knew a lot about the work of the HPO, but during this visit to Zagreb, I had the chance to visit its headquarters, see where athletes train, and speak with the prime minister and the minister of sports. I also attended a charity concert. For us at the IPC, it's important to see and understand how we can better support the HPO, he said.
This is his second visit to Croatia. His first visit was 20 years ago, during the European Para Table Tennis Championship as part of the Brazilian delegation.
A lot has changed since then. The results achieved by the Croatian paralympic movement are continuously improving. You have athletes winning medals at major competitions, referees… all of this is the result of hard work. It’s great to see how the Croatian paralympic movement has grown. This is significant for Croatian society as well, promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the community. At the celebration of 60 years, there will be much to celebrate, Parsons said.