Asian Paralympic leaders gather in Astana to map out future of parasport

More than 190 delegates from 45 countries gathered in Astana to discuss the future of parasport.

“We made a lot of important decisions. We discussed chapters of the strategic plan, what we achieved, the goals, the KPIs, and we set new strategic goals,” said Majid Rashed, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC).

“For us, this is a platform to hear new ideas, learn about new sports that will be adapted for para-athletes and find out about medical requirements,” added Kairat Boranbayev, President of Kazakhstan’s National Paralympic Committee and APC board member.

Building a stronger Paralympic movement

The APC meets every two years to exchange ideas, review reports, approve motions and set strategic direction. This year was the first time the event took place in Central Asia.

“Kazakhstan’s National Paralympic Committee is showing commitment and responsibility for the Paralympic movement. They are working very hard, they have a strategic plan, they know where to go and what they want,” said Rashed.

Boranbayev stressed that Kazakhstan is working to expand accessibility in sports and to create more opportunities for athletes. Each year, the country holds around 800 para competitions of various levels, involving more than 10,000 participants.

Dr Deepa Malik, a former Indian Paralympian and APC board member, highlighted the importance of legal and policy frameworks to support people with disabilities. India’s 2016 disability act identified inclusion as a human right, leading to a sharp rise in para-athletes.

“In 48 years, from 1968 to 2016, we had won only 12 medals, but since then we have won 48 medals from just two Paralympics,” she said. Malik also underlined the growing role of women, noting that since 2016, 14 female athletes from India have won Paralympic medals, with her as the pioneer.

“Sport is one place where people with friendship, peace and a common vision come together. It creates a sustainable planet. It changes mindsets when we see persons with disabilities emerging, proving their abilities,” she added.

Asian Awards 2025 honour athletes

The three-day conference concluded with the Asian Awards 2025, celebrating athletes and contributors to parasport across the continent.

Japanese Wheelchair Rugby Team took the Best Team Performance award. Best Youth Athlete went to He Shenggao, swimmer from China. Best Male Athlete went to Abdelkareem Khattab, Jordanian powerlifter, while Best Female Athlete went to Ho Yuen Kei, boccia (precision ball sport) player from Hong Kong.

“It’s my honour to receive this Best Female Athlete award. It means so much to me. This is not only about my personal journey, but also about the people who helped me along the way,” said Ho Yuen Kei.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, she won two gold medals before founding a charity association in Hong Kong to help people with disabilities take part in sport.

Looking ahead to upcoming Asian Para Games

The APC is now preparing for the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan, as well as the 5th Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai.

The United Arab Emirates National Paralympic Committee has invited athletes and spectators to attend the Youth Para Games in December 2025, where 1,783 athletes from 31 countries will compete across 11 sports.