Category: Industry News

Bigger, Better Equipment Program Is Opening Doors To Para-Sport

The Para Sport Equipment Enhancement Program (PEEP) has awarded over $1.6 million in equipment grants this year, helping Para-athletes and sport programs overcome barriers identified in recent research. PEEP now offers monthly funding rounds, encouraging athletes, clubs, and community programs to apply for support.

Recipients from Round 1 include athletes and initiatives like PlayOn, which received competition-quality wheelchairs to boost women’s participation in basketball. Funding also supported equipment for Para-archery, canoes, prostheses, and more, with additional bulk wheelchair orders on the way for sport institutes.

Matheson said, “Critical to a person’s experience of Para-sport is getting the right equipment… Because of this grant we can expand our program and have more women and girls getting involved in wheelchair basketball.”

PEEP streamlines applications and targets those facing equipment barriers, aiming to remove obstacles and support athlete progression. Liam Wood said, “the aim is to remove equipment as a barrier to participation,” and to ensure equipment doesn’t hinder advancement.

Disability Inclusion Resource Guide – Making Cricket a Sport for All

Image shows a pile of flyers in the centre with an image on people playing cricket. There is wording that states 'Help us grow cricket as a sport for all'. At the bottom there is Cricket Australia, Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability and Sport Inclusion Australia Logos.

Cricket Australia, in collaboration with the Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability, Sport Inclusion Australia, and the cricket community, has launched a Disability Inclusion Resource Guide to help clubs and associations create safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments for all cricketers.

Access the guide here.

The guide offers practical strategies grounded in best practice and shaped by insights from partners across the sport. It supports Cricket Australia’s vision of making cricket a game for all, whether as a player, volunteer, coach, official, or supporter.

Topics covered include:

Flexible participation models
Training and match modifications
Inclusive communication strategies
Non-playing roles and community pathways
Building environments where people with disability feel a sense of belonging

Cricket Australia’s National Inclusion Ambassador, Nathan Lyon, introduced the resource, encouraging community clubs to use the guide to become welcoming and safe environments for everyone.

Help spread the word by accessing the Stakeholder Kit.

Paralympics Australia Unveils Next Phase of Strategic Plan: UPLIFT

Image shows 6 athletes all standing with their hands in the air. They are all wearing green and gold paralympic uniforms.

Paralympics Australia has unveiled Uplift, the second phase of its Strategic Plan, focused on building momentum towards Brisbane 2032. Following Imagine in 2023, the new horizon sharpens priorities to eight, with 17 key initiatives targeting stronger government investment, system growth, and athlete pathways.

President Grant Mizens said Uplift ensures Australia is ready to lead “not just on the medal tally, but as a nation that champions inclusion and equality through Para-sport.”

Centred on four pillars – Our Team, Our Ecosystem, Our Story, Our Future – the plan outlines goals like increasing Australia’s elite Para-athlete pool to 800 by 2028, delivering success at upcoming Games, and leaving a legacy of accessibility and inclusion at Brisbane 2032.

Alice Springs Mini Paralympics encourages athletes ahead of 2032 Games

Image shows Quade Stone sitting in a wheelchair in an empty gymnasium. He is holding a basketball in one hand is making an expressive, happy face.

A special Mini Paralympics event in Alice Springs brought together young athletes to try out sports like athletics, wheelchair basketball, boccia, and badminton as part of a national push to find and develop para sport talent ahead of Brisbane 2032. Fourteen-year-old Quade Stone, who has cerebral palsy, said playing wheelchair basketball with others showed him “you’re not alone,” and dreamed of representing Australia at the Games.

The day connected regional athletes to coaching, equipment, and development pathways, as part of the federally funded Para System Uplift program to boost awareness and participation in para sports. Organisers and participants spoke of the joy and community sport can bring.

‘This is our thing’: The blind athletes finding pride in a sport all their own

Image shows two goal ball players in action. They are both wearing Australian jerseys with black pants. They have eye masks on, and they are stopping a blue ball from going in the goal.

Jess Clark grew up in mainstream sports like gymnastics and swimming, but with low vision she often felt out of place. Discovering goalball, a Paralympic sport played exclusively by people with vision impairment, gave her a sense of belonging. Unlike most adapted disability sports, goalball was designed specifically for blind and low vision athletes and has no non-disabled equivalent, something players like Clark and teammate Zara Perry see as empowering.

The sport is fast, strategic, and played blindfolded, creating a level playing field regardless of degree of vision loss. For Perry, who has partial sight, the shift from straining to use her vision to relying on other senses was a “relief” that made the game feel more inclusive than other blind sports.

Australia’s national women’s team, the Aussie Belles, is rebuilding after missing the last Paralympics, aiming for LA 2028 but with an eye toward Brisbane 2032. The men’s team, the Aussie Storm, is also rising in the rankings after decades of struggle. With fresh talent, increased funding, and growing grassroots participation, both teams see cause for optimism about the future of goalball in Australia.

Australian Boccia Back On Top Of The Podium

Image shows Boccia stars Dan Michel and Jamieson Leeson, and their respective ramp assistants Ash Maddern and Jasmin Haydon in front of a grey and white sign. They are all holding up gold meals and all wearing yellow jackets.

Australian boccia stars Dan Michel and Jamieson Leeson, alongside ramp assistants Ash Maddern and Jasmin Haydon, have sent a strong message to rivals ahead of next year’s World Championships with a dominant pairs victory at the Seoul 2025 World Boccia Cup.

The Australians claimed their first major title in over two years, defeating Poland 8-0 in the final after edging Greece 4-3 in the semi-final. Michel, a two-time Paralympic medallist, described the gold as “really rewarding” after a strong campaign in both pairs and individual events. Leeson, last year’s Paralympic silver medallist, said their preparation and composure were key to the win.

The tournament proved a standout for the Australians, with Michel and Maddern also earning silver in the BC3 male event, and Leeson and Haydon securing bronze in the BC3 female competition. Looking ahead, Michel said the result puts the team in an excellent position for the 2026 World Championships in Korea and qualification for the LA 2028 Paralympics.

Australia to host Great Britain in Sunshine Coast Wheelchair Rugby Test Match

The Sunshine Coast will host world-class wheelchair rugby this September, as the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team takes on the Australian Steelers in a one-off international test at 3pm on Thursday 25 September 2025 at Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

Marking a year since their intense Bronze Medal clash at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the two sides will renew their rivalry ahead of the Steelers’ campaign at the Asia-Oceania Zonal Championships in November.

The test match follows the Sunshine Coast Clash, the thrilling finale to Australia’s National League season, where Great Britain stars will also line up against domestic teams. Both squads will then remain on the Sunshine Coast for a joint training camp, culminating in the highly anticipated showdown open to the public.

Entry is free, offering the local community the chance to experience the speed, intensity, and strategy of wheelchair rugby at the international level.

Steelers captain and Sunshine Coast local Chris Bond said:
“We’re excited to welcome Great Britain back to Australia. After the battle we had in Paris, we know this will be another fierce contest. Wheelchair rugby is something you really need to experience live, and having this event here on the Sunshine Coast makes it even more special.”

GB Lead Coaching Consultant Adam Scaturro added:
“Facing Australia is always a challenge we embrace, and to do it on the Sunshine Coast is something we’re really looking forward to. These fixtures are about more than the competition—they push us as athletes while showcasing our sport and inspiring future players.”

Barriers broken for Para-athletes

Image shows a Paralympic athlete with a prosthetic leg jumping in the air. She has a green jumpsuit on and blonde hair.

More than 100 Para-athletes will pursue their Paralympic dreams with vital new funding from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Paralympics Australia. Backed by the Australian Government’s Para Uplift program, the Para Athlete Barrier Fund will help 122 athletes from 18 sports cover essential costs like equipment, travel, and support.

This fund was created in response to the nation’s largest Para-system survey, which highlighted barriers preventing athletes from reaching their potential. The government has doubled Para-sport funding, investing an extra $54.9 million in Para Uplift to aim for Australia’s best-ever performance at Brisbane 2032. The initiative focuses on improved classification, better training facilities, and specialised coaching.

Minister for Sport Anika Wells said these grants of up to $4000 for each athlete will make a decisive difference, helping athletes stay in the sport and reach their goals.

Paris 2024 Changed Attitudes Towards Disability

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has released new independent global research showing that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games significantly changed public perceptions of people with disabilities. The Games are now viewed as one of the world’s most prominent sporting events.

The IPC commissioned Nielsen Sports to study the event’s impact, surveying over 15,000 people across 11 countries before and after the Games. Results revealed that 73% of respondents felt their attitudes towards people with disabilities had improved, 80% gained a stronger appreciation of their abilities, and 79% became more supportive of disability inclusion across all areas of society.