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Para-climbing to be at Paralympics 2028

man on climbing wall. Image source, Getty Images
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Para-climbing is coming to the Paralympics

The Paralympic Games 2028 will include a new sport.

Para-climbing will make its first appearance at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles in the US, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced.

It means the LA28 Paralympic Games will feature a total of 23 different sports.

The move also follows the introduction of climbing at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020 for the first time.

"Para-climbing is a fast-paced, exhilarating sport that I am sure will attract new audiences to the Paralympic Games," said IPC president Andrew Parsons.

"You only have to see the sport's impact on the Olympic Games programme to understand this," he said.

How is a new Paralympic sport introduced?

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Climbing was introduced at the 2020 Olympics

If they choose to do so, the organising committee of each Paralympic Games has the opportunity to put forward one or more additional events.

This is then either approved or rejected by the International Paralympic Committee after careful evaluation (IPC).

The committee for LA28 had to choose between putting forward either Para-climbing or Para-surfing to the IPC. These are both sports that haven't been included at a Paralympic Games before.

Para-climbing is the fifth new sport to be added in the last 12 years, but the LA 2028 team is the first organising committee to request for an additional sport at the Games.

Image source, Getty Images

"Thank you to the IPC for welcoming us as part of the Paralympic family, but thanks must also go to the LA28 organising committee for believing in our sport and making history for the both of us," said Marco Scolaris who is the president of the International Federation of Sport Climbing.

"By proposing climbing as an additional sport they have given us another opportunity to fulfil our purpose – to make the world a better place through climbing. All of our Para athletes do this every day, and now they can do it on the world stage for all to see at the Paralympic Games."

If you could choose a sport to be added at the Paralympic Games, what would it be and why? Why not let us know in the comments below.