World Intellectual Impairment Sport (International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments) has suspended Ukraine’s Iuliia Shuliar for two months following a violation of article 2.1 of the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Anti-Doping Rules.

Shuliar, who competed in athletics, tested positive for Thiazides at the 2018 World Intellectual Impairment Sport European Summer Games in Paris, France, in July during an in-competition test. Thiazides appears on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of banned substances.

Shuliar suspended herself from competition voluntarily in September 2018 and provided evidence to World Intellectual Impairment Sport that the substance had been taken for medical reasons and without any intent to improve her performances. In accordance with World Intellectual Impairment Sport anti-doping rules, the period of ineligibility can be as high as four years but was reduced to two months based on the evidence provided. The suspension concluded in November 2018.

All results obtained by Ms. Shuliar at the 2018 World Intellectual Impairment Sport European Summer Games will be disqualified including loss of any medals, team points and records.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code and works hard to promote clean sport. In 2018 World Intellectual Impairment Sport conducted 20 tests with one adverse analytical finding.

The International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) has announced the dates and locations for the 2019 alpine and Nordic skiing and cross-country athletics World Championships.

First up will be the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Skiing World Championships in Autrans and nearby Lans en Vercors in France from 5-11 March.

Both alpine and cross-country skiing will feature as 60 athletes from 10 countries take on the slopes and trails.

Alpine skiing will feature slalom, giant slalom and super-G. Nordic skiers will compete in the cross-country sprint, short and long distance races as well as a 3×2.5km relay.

Autrans is known as the Nordic skiing capital of France and it hosted cross-country skiing events for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble.

Lans en Vercors, also in southeastern France, will host the alpine skiing. The Championships are being organised by the French Federation for Adaptive Sports.

A month later Ostrzeszów, Poland, will stage the 2019 World Intellectual Impairment Sport Athletics Cross-Country World Championships from 4-8 April. Men’s and women’s short, long and team events will be contested.

Around 30 athletes from five countries are expected to line-up for the event which is organised by the Polish World Intellectual Impairment Sport member, ZSS Sprawni Razem.

Marc Truffaut, World Intellectual Impairment Sport President, said: “It is great to get 2019 underway with two new additions to the competition calendar. Following on from 2018 where we had a record number of new athletes across all sports, we expect both events to be highly competitive.

“This year is a Global Games year but World Intellectual Impairment Sport also continues to provide opportunities for sports not on the programme, and therefore for a wide variety of athletes with intellectual impairments.

“My thanks go to the organisers of both Championships for their commitment to hosting what I am sure will be memorable events.”

Both Championships will feature athletes competing in II1 (athletes with an intellectual impairment) as well as II2 (athletes with a more significant intellectual impairment) and II3 (athletes with high-functioning autism.)

The last World Intellectual Impairment Sport Skiing World Championships were held in Zakopane, Poland in 2018. The previous edition of the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Athletics Cross-Country World Championships were held in Eperney/Reims, France in 2017.

Athletes with intellectual impairments and their coaches are being asked to take part in a research project which aims to get more young people in Europe into sport.

The Intellectual Disability and Equal Opportunities for Active and Long-term participation in sport – or IDEAL – is an Erasmus funded project which brings together organisations across the region.

Its aim is to address known inequalities in access to sport for youngsters with intellectual impairments so that more people can get active and reach their potential.

The IDEAL team are searching for athletes and coaches with experience of giving or receiving coaching. They will carry out 20-30 minute interviews which will cover backgrounds and personal experiences.

The research will then be used to improve the standard of coaching for people with intellectual impairments.

Those taking part must have a good understanding of English and be aged 18 years or over.

Athletes must also have an intellectual impairment or autism and have been competing in a sport for at least six months with the help of a coach. Coaches need a minimum of one years experience working with these athletes.

Anyone interested should contact Matthew Johnston from Canterbury Christ Church University.

About IDEAL

One of the innovative aspects of the IDEAL project is the involvement and cooperation between multiple European parties. The IDEAL project brings together the main intellectual impairment sport organisations with research institutions to collaborate on sports policy. Such a large scale project has never been done in the past.

To advance the development of this area, an extensive partnership between several institutions is necessary. The coordination of these involved parties is carried out by the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, the overall coordinator of the project.

Included in this network of European parties are distinguished academic institutions across the EU. Each of these academic institutions is responsible for one specific sport or task related to their field of expertise.

As well as these sport institutions and universities, sport federations such as the International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) and the International Paralympic Committee are involved. National sports federations are also a crucial part of the project.

For more information visit the IDEAL project website.

Representatives from across Africa met in Cairo, Egypt, from 13-14 December to establish a new regional International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairment (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) organisation in Africa.

Hosted by the World Intellectual Impairment Sport member in Egypt – ESFID – administrators from Cameroon, Morocco, Sudan, Mauritius, Libya and Kenya attended the two day event. 

The group formalised its structure, agreed a new constitutional document and discussed future plans – including an ambition to host the first World Intellectual Impairment Sport regional competition for the Africa Region in 2020.

Elections were also held for key positions including:

• Amal Mobadda (Egypt) who was elected as President
• Masher Mohamed (Sudan) – Vice President for North African nations
• Jean-Marie Malepa (Mauritius) – Vice President for South African nations
• Hamid Al-Aouny (Morocco) – Secretary General
• Ashraf Hussein (Egypt) – Treasurer
• Khaled Mohammed (Libya) – Member at Large
• Mohammed El Mazougy (Tunisia) – Member at Large

Masher Mohamed’s appointment is subject to the approval of Sudan’s World Intellectual Impairment Sport membership application.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport President, Marc Truffaut, said: “This gathering represents the most encouraging move in recent years towards establishing a much-needed World Intellectual Impairment Sport organisation in Africa.

“We are keen for more countries from the region to grow sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment and holding and attending competitions, and for those that already exist to be empowered to do the same.

“World Intellectual Impairment Sport sends it best wishes to those involved and we are grateful to ESFID for hosting this event and are excited to see the results.”

As well as creating World Intellectual Impairment Sport Africa, the group were also given introductions to eligibility and the work of World Intellectual Impairment Sport more generally.

The International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Impairments (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) is calling on athletes, members, volunteers and anyone with an interest in their work to take part in a survey about the World Intellectual Impairment Sport brand.

World Intellectual Impairment Sport is considering launching a new look in 2019 but needs feedback from its community to help inform the process.

The anonymous survey, which takes around four minutes to complete, is available in French, Spanish, Arabic, standard Chinese and English until 27 January 2019.

Take the survey in English.

Take the survey in Chinese.

Take the survey in Spanish.

Take the survey in French.

Take the survey in Arabic (Word document format only)

Marc Truffaut, World Intellectual Impairment Sport President, said: “The brand that we currently have has been in use for a good few years now. As we grow and develop, managing an increasing number of athletes and events, we think it is time we review our look and feel to see if it meets our needs.

“A brand is not just the look, colours and logo of an organisation. It represents how people perceive us, our reputation and values and the level of respect we command from all our stakeholders.

“A strong brand presence will help World Intellectual Impairment Sport to fundraise and build credibility both within and outside the world or sport.

“It is important to have a physical brand that reflects the values of World Intellectual Impairment Sport, but the organisation must also live those values in its every day work. The World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board is therefore inviting anyone with an interest in World Intellectual Impairment Sport or sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment to have their say.”

Once the two month survey is closed, World Intellectual Impairment Sport will carefully review all responses. A report and recommendations will then be submitted to the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Governing Board in February, who will decide if a re-brand is needed.