?Representatives from the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) recently participated in a sport management course, part of the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) Observers Programme held in Sochi, Russia.
BOC’s Sports Training and Development Section Executive Coordinator Mahmood Yateem and International Affairs Executive Coordinator Ahmed Al Qarainees were among 170 delegates who enrolled to live, learn and experience first-hand the planning and operations behind staging the Paralympic Winter Games, held from March 7 to 16.
During the Programme, which was for the Sochi Winter Paralympics 2014 and organised by the IPC Academy in association of the World Academy of Sport (WAoS), observers participated in 30 venue and operational visits.
They also took part in a number of workshops and were involved in a series of roundtable discussions, all with the aim of giving them in-depth knowledge about how each functional area operates during the Paralympic Winter Games and how the various Paralympic stakeholders’ needs are being met.
Its goal was to provide a better understanding of the complex delivery requirements of a major event. Specifically, it aimed to deliver a multi-stakeholder perspective of Games management by providing insights and privileged access to observe and understand core operating functions.
For all delegates, it gave a superb and unique behind-the-scenes view of a major international sporting event, as it provided an understanding of the physical Games environment and benefits from the commentary and analysis of Paralympic Games specialists.”
Both Al Qarainees and Yateem highlighted the Programme as an extremely important component of the knowledge transfer process for future Paralympic Games Organising Committees and forms a fundamental part of the IPC Academy Campus 2014 activities
The programme also offered attendees the opportunity to meet experienced Organising Committee Functional Managers, “client owners” and Venue General Managers in order to learn from their valuable expertise and experiences.
Sessions were conducted by a number of high-ranking sports officials, including Sochi 2014 Organising Committee President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko, Chairperson IPC Athletes’ Council and Member of the IPC Governing Board Todd Nicholson and World Academy of Sport Director Chris Solly.
As part of the IPC Academy Campus 2014 activities, delegates from the Games Experience Programme were afforded the opportunity to select one workshop on the Observers’ Programme, whilst designated delegates on the Observers’ Programme were invited to attend the GEP.