Four-time Paralympic champion Sareh Javanmardi has been nominated for election to the Asian Paralympic Committee (AsPC) Athletes’ Committee for the 2026–2030 term.
Iran NPC - Tehran - The Asian Paralympic Committee announced on Friday the 10 candidates who will contest the election for five positions on the Athletes’ Committee, which serves on the AsPC Executive Board.
Javanmardi is the only Iranian among the nominees and will represent Shooting Para Sport in the election, which will take place during the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.
The Iranian shooting star is one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Iranian Paralympic sport. She won bronze at London 2012 before claiming two gold medals at Rio 2016. She successfully defended her P2 10m Air Pistol SH1 title at Tokyo 2020 and added another P2 gold at Paris 2024.
The 10 nominees for the Athletes’ Committee are:
1. Alkhateri Salama (United Arab Emirates) – Para Cycling
2. Al-Madhkhoori Zainalubdeen (Iraq) – Wheelchair Fencing
3. Amimoto Mari (Japan) – Wheelchair Basketball
4. Ilyasov Siyovush (Tajikistan) – Para Cycling
5. Javanmardi Sareh (I.R. Iran) – Shooting Para Sport
6. Khattab Abdelkarim (Jordan) – Para Powerlifting
7. Mirzayorova Asila (Uzbekistan) – Para Athletics
8. Won Yoomin (Korea) – Wheelchair Rugby/Nordic Skiing
9. Yu Chui Yee (Hong Kong, China) – Wheelchair Fencing
10. Zhao Shuai (China) – Para Table Tennis
APC President Majid Rashed highlighted the important role of the Athletes’ Committee in ensuring that athletes’ voices, experiences and perspectives are reflected in the organisation’s decision-making.
“Athletes are at the heart of everything we do. The Athletes’ Committee plays a vital role in ensuring their voices, experiences and perspectives are heard and reflected in the decisions we make for the future of Para sport in Asia,” Rashed said.
He congratulated all 10 nominees for stepping forward to represent their fellow athletes, adding that those elected would have an important responsibility to listen to the athlete community and bring their views to the APC and its Executive Board.
The election will be held during the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games from 18 to 23 October. All accredited athletes participating in the Games will be eligible to vote until 23 October, with the results to be announced on 24 October.
Voting will be conducted online, with QR codes providing access to the voting platform displayed at designated venues.
To be eligible for nomination, candidates had to be active athletes who had either competed at an Asian Para Games or intended to compete at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
The Athletes’ Committee consists of five members elected by athletes participating at each summer Asian Para Games. Following the election, the five elected members will choose a Chairperson to replace current Chair Hiroyuki Misaka of Japan.
Two additional members may also be co-opted onto the committee, subject to approval by the AsPC Executive Board, to help ensure that the diversity of the Paralympic Movement in Asia is represented.
The election will provide Javanmardi with an opportunity to bring her extensive experience as an elite Paralympic athlete to the regional decision-making process and contribute to strengthening the voice of athletes within the Paralympic Movement in Asia.
The fifth edition of the Asian Para Games will be held from 18 to 23 October 2026 in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, featuring around 4,000 athletes competing in 18 sports.