2026 ASAPD Sport and Disability Forum

INCLUSION THROUGH COLLABORATION.

The inaugural ASAPD Sport and Disability Forum took place on 20 March 2026 at Dentons in Sydney, bringing together leaders, researchers, and changemakers from across the disability sport sector. Hosted by the Australian Sporting Alliance for People with Disability (ASAPD), the forum fostered collaboration, innovation, and collective action toward a more inclusive sporting landscape.

Featuring 12 dynamic sessions, the event showcased lived‑experience‑led discussions, research presentations, and keynotes from Paralympic champions and sector leaders. Highlights included the 3‑Minute Research Showcase with Griffith University, keynote insights from Grant Mizens OAM PLY, and contributions from ASAPD member organisations championing accessibility and inclusion. Cindy‑Lu Bailey OAM and Robyn Smith OAM served as MCs, guiding a day filled with connection, ideas, and inspiration.

The forum set a new benchmark for collaboration and progress in disability sport across Australia.

ASAPD is the peak body for Disability Sport in Australia, dedicated to championing inclusion and breaking down barriers so that people with disability have equitable opportunities in all aspects of sport. Through national collaboration, advocacy, and leadership, ASAPD drives systemic change.

Be part of the movement! This forum provides an exclusive opportunity to connect with professionals from all sectors of sport and disability. Learn the latest insights and best practices to help everyone from grassroots clubs to elite programs become more inclusive.

What to expect

12 Engaging segments
Dynamic speakers and presenters
Authentic voices and lived experience-led discussions
Thought-provoking panels, keynotes and interactive sessions
Inclusive networking and sector showcases
An environment designed to inspire, educate, and connect

Why attend?

Practical tools for inclusive program delivery
Evidence-based policy and research insights
Networking with national and grassroots leaders
Inspiration to lead inclusively in your space
An exclusive opportunity – attendance is capped at 110 delegates to ensure meaningful connections and engagement

Forum Highlights

Forum MCs
Cindy-Lu Bailey Fitzparick OAM and Robyn Smith OAM will serve as Masters of Ceremonies for the ASAPD Sport and Disability Forum. A trailblazer in Paralympic sport, Cindy-Lu brings powerful lived experience as an athlete, while Robyn draws on decades of leadership in inclusive sport.
Sport and Disability Panel, Session Gold Partner - Uber
Learn from Paralympic champions Carol Cooke OAM PLY and Jamieson Leeson PLY, alongside Ben Felten a lifelong elite para-athlete, and more recently the world’s fastest blind motorcyclist, as they share powerful stories of resilience, dismantling ableist attitudes, and everyday challenging the narrative of what people with disability can do.
Opening Keynote with Grant Mizens OAM PLY - Gold Coast Airport
Grant Mizens OAM PLY, President of Paralympics Australia, will headline the inaugural ASAPD Sport and Disability Forum with an Opening Keynote on Friday 20 March 2026 at Dentons Sydney.
Proudly supported by Gold Coast Airport, Grant’s keynote will launch a powerful day of connection, insight and action for disability sport leaders from across Australia.
3 Minute Research Session Partner - Griffith University
Discover groundbreaking academic research through this unique 3 Minute Research session showcase Griffith University. The 3 Minute Research is a unique and engaging format where researchers who pitched their research to the Griffith University Forum panel, and have now been selected from across Australia to present their work to all of you, in what will be an engaging, dynamic format designed to spark new ideas across the sector and showcase the latest research of inclusion across sport, community and disability.
Leadership for Inclusion, Session Bronze Partner - Achieve Australia
Emma Bennison MBA GAICD is an award-winning advocate and TEDx speaker who’s driven change across Australia’s disability and arts sectors. She will speak on leadership, inclusion, and equity.
Surf Life Saving Australia Case Study
Disability and Inclusive Leaders and Advocates, Narelle Duggan and Sharon Deans will present the keynote, “Breaking down the Barriers for Adaptive Surf Sports,” sharing how Surf Life Saving Australia is opening surf sports to people of all abilities. Narelle Duggan is a sport leader shaping pathways for inclusion and high performance in Australian surf sport. Sharon Deans drives inclusive participation and programs, making surf life saving more accessible for all backgrounds and abilities.
ASAPD Member Showcase
Learn from four of our eight (8) Australian Sporting Alliance of People with Disability (ASAPD) Members – Sport Inclusion Australia (SIA), Deaf Sports Australia (DSA), Blind Sports Australia (BSA), and Special Olympics (SO) Australia, as they showcase the groundbreaking initiatives and programs they are leading to advance participation, accessibility, and inclusion for people with disability in sport across Australia.
Disability Discrimination Commissioner Keynote
Commissioner Kayess, Disability Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission, will deliver a special pre-recorded keynote at the ASAPD Sport and Disability Forum. A leading voice in disability rights, Commissioner Kayess helped draft the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, received the 2019 Human Rights Medal, and brings deep experience across disability councils and academia.
Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa
This session shares Sport NZ’s approach to disability inclusion, guided by Mana Taurite. It outlines key challenges for disabled people in Aotearoa, where disability investment is focused, and the outcomes being pursued through targeted and mainstream funding. The presentation also highlights the vital role of national and regional disability organisations, and how partnering with them and building capability is strengthening governance, leadership, and long‑term sustainability in the disability sport system.