Cuban president received international paralympic officials

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, received this Monday at the Palace of the Revolution the president of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, and the director of Development for the Americas of that organization, Michele Melissa Formonte.

According to sources from the Presidency, Díaz-Canel valued the visit as a gesture of support for Cuban sport and highlighted that it occurs at a complex moment for the country, which also affects the Paralympic movement.

The leader expressed Cuba’s political and governmental will to support Paralympic sport, for reasons of social justice and the inclusive principles of the Revolution, and affirmed that national Paralympic athletes are a source of pride for their international results.

He ratified the willingness to share experiences with the International Paralympic Committee and the Paralympic Committee of the Americas, through joint projects, training bases, and the scientific contribution of research centers linked to sport.

Andrew Parsons described his presence in Cuba as an honor and highlighted the friendship between both countries. He recognized the career of multi-time Paralympic and world champion Omara Durand Elías, president of the Cuban Paralympic Committee, whom he considered an example for athletes, especially women.

The president of the International Paralympic Committee noted that the visit included the Solidaridad con Panamá school and Durand’s training track, where they discussed programs and events to support the Cuban Paralympic movement.

Present at the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman Waugh and the president of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (Inder), Osvaldo Vento Montiller.

Díaz-Canel reiterated that Cuba will continue defending inclusion and recognition of Paralympic sport, and stressed that the country is willing to contribute with development and international cooperation projects in this area.