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With one year to go until the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today published the full sports competition schedule and ticket prices for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Publication of the schedule precedes the sale of Paralympic Games tickets, which go on sale between 9 September and 26 September 2011. The full Paralympic Games competition schedule can be downloaded here.
The Paralympic Games are the world's second largest sporting event in scale and size and the schedule contains the full details of the 11 days of competition, including the times and venues for over 300 sessions across 20 sports in 20 venues.
The sports competition schedule has taken around two years to develop and has been approved by the International Paralympic Committee, the 14 international sporting federations and the Host City stakeholders for every Paralympic Games venue.
Tickets will go on sale on 9 September, the day after London 2012 hosts International Paralympic Day in Trafalgar Square. International Paralympic Day on 8 September will be a great opportunity for the public to experience first-hand the inspiration and excitement that the Paralympic Games will bring to the UK and London next year.
To help mark the launch of the competition schedule, London 2012 Paralympic hopefuls are taking part in a training simulation camp in Bath this week which will help them prepare for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. ParalympicsGB has come second in the medals table in the last four summer Paralympic Games and will aim to emulate this achievement in London next year.
The torch relay takes places in August 2012 in the run-up to the Paralympic Games opening ceremony. Plans are under way for an exciting and unique relay including a series of celebrations and events
LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe commented: "For 12 days in the summer of 2012, the eyes of the world will be focused on the Paralympic Games in London. By applying for tickets, people can enjoy the unique passion, drama and emotion of the Paralympic Games and see sport like never before.
"With the competition schedule, we want to give the public a chance to have a think about which tickets they would like to apply for and start planning their Games. The superstars of Paralympic sport are coming to the UK next year and no one should miss out on the action."
Key Dates
August 29 2011 - the one year to go date
September 8 2011 - International Paralympic Day
September 9 2011 - Paralympic tickets go on sale
September 10 2011 - Sainsbury's Super Saturday
August 2012 - The Paralympic Torch Relay takes place in the run-up to the Paralympic Games.
Sir Philip Craven, the International Paralympic Committee President, said: "The London 2012 Paralympic Games will quite simply be ‘Sport Like Never Before'. Our elite athletes will captivate billions around the world, will inspire millions and ultimately lead to societal change and help alter perceptions of what can be achieved by a person with an impairment.
"The Games are heading back to their spiritual home and with 4,200 athletes from 150 countries, will be the biggest and potentially the best Paralympic Games yet. These are a Games not to be missed and the announcement of the competition schedule, together with International Paralympic Day on 8 September, act as two steps closer to the Opening Ceremony of the Games next year."
Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of the British Paralympic Association said: "Knowing that the schedule is out makes it all the more real. We are working hard with the sports and athletes to make everyone of the last 369 days count as everyone is determined to produce their lifetime best performances on home soil. We hope that people will use the schedule to plan their trip so that they can get behind the ParalympicsGB team and cheer us on."
Tickets will go on sale from 9am on 9 September 2011 at www.tickets.london2012.com. As with Olympic Games tickets, applications are made for tickets and if sessions are oversubscribed, they will be allocated via a random selection process (‘ballot'). Ticket prices were announced earlier this year and will see a third of tickets priced at £5, half of tickets priced at £10 or less and three quarters of tickets priced at £20 or less.
A Group Organiser scheme has also been created which will see groups buying 20 tickets receive two additional tickets at no extra charge, groups of thirty receiving three and so on up to 50 tickets. Day pass tickets will also be available, enabling people to see more than one sport in a day at the Olympic Park, ExCeL and The Royal Artillery Barracks.
Full details about Paralympic Games tickets are available at www.tickets.london2012.com.
For the London 2012 Paralympic Games, wheelchair spaces are available in all price categories for every Paralympic sport. A companion seat is included in the cost of a ticket for a wheelchair space. Where applicable, the special prices for young people and seniors are also available when purchasing a wheelchair space. Applicants can also request a seat based on their Additional Accessibility Requirement. If their application for tickets is successful, we will do all we can to ensure the whole party are allocated seats which suit their needs, subject to availability. These requests can be made whilst completing an application either online or via the official paper application form.
There is also a Ticketcare scheme which is designed for disabled people who do not need a wheelchair space but cannot come to the Games without a carer or Personal Assistant (PA). This can be requested on our accessible website: www.tickets.london2012.com/infofordisabled, once tickets have been allocated.
LOCOG is also committed to making sure that the London 2012 Games will be the most accessible possible and that everyone has the opportunity to be involved with the Games. Specific innovations include accessibility improvements to London along the River Walk which are giving disabled visitors the opportunity to enjoy an enhanced City experience while they are here for the Games, and a dedicated web page, www.london2012.com/accessibility, which provides disabled people with the information for a wide range of topics including transport, Blue Badge parking at London 2012 venues and accommodation.
Channel 4, the official broadcaster of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, will be bringing the public the very best of the action all day every day. BBC Radio 5 live will also provide extensive coverage next summer, having been awarded radio rights to the Games.
