The final pitch for Paralympics was two weeks before the Olympic decision

On 12 September 1993, the bidding cities for the 2000 summer Paralympics made their final presentations to the International Paralympic Committee in Berlin. Australia’s bid had been undertaken by the Australian Paralympic Federation and it was represented in Berlin by this team: (L to R) Paul Griffiths, George Dunstan, Adrienne Smith, Bob Elphinston, Marie Little, Brendan Burkett (back), Ron Finneran, Unknown, Paul Bird, Anne Green. Elphinston represented the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games bid and his statement on the day of the presentation that the Games would be underwritten by the New South Wales and Australian governments was crucial to the selection of Sydney as the host of the 2000 summer Paralympics.

Date: September 1993

Author: Image donated to Paralympics Australia from the personal collection of Paul Bird.