KUALA LUMPUR A new vision and mission will define the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) future activities and structure which will be based on a strategic review of the committee.

The three-day IPC strategic planning congress which ended here Sunday discussed the future of the umbrella organization of sport for athletes with a disability.

IPC President Dr. Robert Steadward told a news conference that the congress agreed that the IPC's focus is on sport rather than on disability, IRNA reported.

In addition, it was agreed that the ipc is an athlete-centered organization needs to strengthen the role of paralympic athletes within its governing structures, he said.

"Our goal is to provide more sporting opportunities for athletes with a disability in the less developed regions of the world and to strengthen the development of all national members," said Steadward.

The IPC is one of the most successful sports organizations in the world. Its mission is to create, develop and promote sport opportunities for athletes with a disability. However, the focus is on managing the Paralympic Games, the pinnacle of sports, he added.

About 250 delegates from 75 nations attended the congress to determine the governance, roles and responsibilities and structure of the IPC.

They contributed to a more in-depth understanding of the major concerns and challenges, which the organization is facing.

These challenges arise as Paralympic sport is growing rapidly, which brings new duties and new approaches regarding the setup of the organization.

Nowadays, the IPC has more than 150 national paralympic committees compared to only 50 at the time of its foundation 12 years ago.

The number of elite athletes has also increased dramatically with the level of performance constantly rising.

"When we all go home tomorrow, the paralympic family will be a more united and stronger movement, which has adopted a culture of learning," said Steadward.