| Andrew Parsons | |
| Office: | 3rd President of the International Paralympic Committee |
| Term Start: | 8 September 2017 |
| Predecessor: | Sir Philip Craven |
| Birth Date: | 1977 2, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Occupation: | President of the International Paralympic Committee |
Andrew George William Parsons (pronounced as /pt-BR/; born 10 February 1977) is a Brazilian sports administrator and journalist. He is the current president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).In 2018, Parsons became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).[1]
Parsons was born in Brazil to Scottish parents.[2] He served as chairperson of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee from 2009 to 2017, chairperson of the Americas Paralympic Committee from 2005 to 2009, and as a member of the Nominating Committee for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.[3] [4]
He is the current president of the International Paralympic Committee since 8 September 2017. Parsons took over from Sir Philip Craven, who had been in office since 2001,[5] after being elected in the first round in the election held during the 18th assembly of IPC in Abu Dhabi.
Parsons himself does not have a disability, a fact that, he says, takes some observers by surprise.[6]
While attending the opening ceremony for the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Parsons declared his horror at the Russian invasion of Ukraine and called on world authorities to promote peace.[7] While addressing the spectators and athletes in attendance at Beijing, China's Bird Nest, Parsons stated that “Tonight, I want, I must begin with a message of peace” and that "As the leader of an organization with inclusion at its core, where diversity is celebrated and differences embraced, I am horrified at what is taking place in the world right now.”