The ÖPC was founded to enable qualified athletes to participate in the Paralympics and to give them the best possible support. President Maria Rauch-Kallat also focuses on promoting young talent, especially among children and young people with disabilities, and encouraging women to participate in top-class sports for the disabled.

Many goals have already been achieved: since 2012, for example, athletes with disabilities have also received individual support from Sporthilfe, in October 2016 the first five para-athletes in the southern part of the city signed their service contracts as military athletes, a total of 20 places are available. Customs, the Federal Ministry for Public Service and Sport and Bundessport GmbH are also important factors in the further development of sport.

MISSION STATEMENT
“Spirit in Motion”, the Paralympic motto stands for the top performances of Paralympic athletes, which can only be achieved through willpower, motivation and complete concentration on this most important event in top-class disabled sport, the Paralympics.

OVERCOMING
Overcoming one’s own personal limits is the engine for every top athlete with or without disabilities in training, competition and everyday life. The Austrian Paralympic Committee overcomes borders by working on equating disabled sports with non-disabled sports. Access to elite sport must be the same for elite athletes with or without disabilities.

CHALLENGE
Participation in the Paralympics is a challenge for every top athlete. The challenge for the ÖPC is to create the financial prerequisites for sending visually and physically handicapped athletes to the respective Paralympics and to organize these missions.