In addition to a football discipline, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has also completely removed sailing from the programme for the 2020 Paralympics. This applies to all three previously Paralympic classes: 2.4mR, Skud and Sonar. Official statements on the surprising decision stated that sailing did not fulfil some of the basic criteria for Paralympic sports. Among other things, it lacked international distribution.
Paralympic champion Heiko Kröger was not the only one to describe the decision as a "serious setback for the idea of inclusion". The 2000 gold medallist and 2012 silver medallist said: "The IPC has knocked over with its arse what we built with our hands." Kröger continued: "There is hardly a more inclusive sport than sailing, where cooperation works so well. This is clearly a political decision that was not made on the basis of reason, but for other reasons."
The IPC has confirmed a total of 22 summer disciplines for the 2020 Paralympics. This leaves one last glimmer of hope for the Paralympic sailors, who will be competing in a Internet petition against the decision and have already gained 2000 supporters in the first 16 hours since the campaign began. Officially, there can be up to 23 disciplines. The International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) and its members are now examining the possibility of a comeback after the cancellation.
Wilfried Klein from the Isaf Committee Disabled Sailing (IFDS), who was the Technical Delegate Assistant for the Paralympic sailors in Weymouth in 2012 and will be again in Rio, said: "We are naturally very saddened and disappointed by this decision. However, we will not be taking any hasty steps, but will be looking closely at the decision, which came as a surprise to us, at international level this week, analysing it thoroughly and then discussing possible measures."
Nikolaus Rickers, Managing Director of the Kiel-based marketing agency Point of Sailing Marketing GmbH, said: "The decision against Paralympic sailing came as a surprise to us and is incomprehensible. We find it sad and appalling. Of all sports, sailing is the one with the least distinction between Olympic and Paralympic. We work in Kiel with outstanding athletes like Heiko Kröger - the co-operation between Olympic and Paralympic sailing has worked well. We have invested a lot for the future. Against this background, the cancellation is more than regrettable. We can only hope that this decision will be reconsidered. Perhaps it is not as final as it now seems."
