TEHRAN – Iran has been chosen to host the first edition of the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Winter Games.

IWAS president Rudi Van Den Abbeele and the organization’s executive members have traveled to Tehran, capital of Iran to meet the Iranian sports officials.

The Organization has awarded the hosting right to Iran but the exact time of the games has not been decided yet.

They met Iran’s Sports and Youth Minister Hamid Sajadi on Saturday and also paid a visit to Iran Sports Federation for the Disabled (IRISFD) on Sunday.

“I’m impressed by the facilities the Iranian federation has in the limited space in its headquarters. It helps the grassroots Para athletes to improve their ability. I’m also impressed to see the cooperation between the government and Iran’s Paralympic Committee,” the five-time Paralympian Abbeele said.

“We are going to hold the first edition of the IWAS Winter Games in Tehran. The other skiers around the world will know about the ski resorts in Tehran,” the French added.

“As a person who has been in the Para sports in my whole life, I have to say the Iranian athletes have progressed over the last years, while so many countries have declined and it shows that you work hard in the field of the people with physical impairment,” Abbeele stated.

IWAS is an international sports organization that governs sports for athletes with physical impairments.