History

The Egyptian Paralympic Federation is a non-profit organization. Initially, sports for persons with disabilities in Egypt included motor disabilities such as athletics, swimming, weightlifting, and basketball for wheelchairs, then bell ball for the blind joined. However, after the General Federation of Sports Clubs’ declaration for Disabled in Resolution No. (1) of 1982, sports for persons with disabilities expanded and became organized according to the following classification:

· Physical disabilities – includes all disabilities of the locomotor system, joints, all types of paraplegics, quadriplegics, amputees, cerebral palsy, and others.

· Sensory disabilities – includes the blind and visually impaired, and recently joined by the deaf and hearing impaired

· Intellectual disabilities – includes all intellectual disabilities

Initially, the Egyptian Paralympic Federation focused on three main sports: athletics, weightlifting, and swimming. At the beginning of its declaration, the federation also paid attention to long-distance swimming where Egyptian Paralympic swimmers were able to make unprecedented achievements by crossing the English Manch. Later, the Prime Minister issued Decree No. (659) on December 19, 1998, changing the name of the General Federation of Sports Clubs for the Disabled to The Egyptian Federation of Sports for the Disabled. Finally, the Minister of Youth Decision No. (1244) of 2004 changed the name of the   Egyptian Federation for Disabled Sports to the Egyptian Paralympic Committee, currently in charge of all sports for persons with disabilities in Egypt.

The Egyptian Paralympic Committee has four committees in charge of different disabilities as follows:

· Physical disabilities

· Visual impairments

· Hearing impairments

· Intellectual disabilities