Sima Limouchi, a prominent figure in the Paralympic Movement in Iran and a long-standing advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, has been awarded the Para Sport Volunteer Award 2025 following an international public vote organised by the International Paralympic Committee -IPC-. Born in 1960, she becomes the second Iranian to receive a Para Sport Award, following Elaheh Gholi Fallah, who was honoured in 2019.
The IPC highlighted the significance of the award, which is the only Para Sport Award decided through a public vote. Thousands of ballots cast between 30 October and 13 November 2025 reflected strong support for a career defined by volunteer service, education and Para sport development at both national and regional levels.
Career within the Paralympic Movement
Limouchi’s involvement in the Paralympic Movement began at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, an experience that strengthened her commitment to volunteerism and inclusion. A graduate in Physical Education from the University of Tehran, with further master’s and doctoral studies, she has built an academic career as a researcher and has delivered international lectures on the role of women in the Paralympic Movement and in Iranian sport. In 2010, she served as a torchbearer at the Vancouver Paralympic Games.
Throughout her career, she has created and supported networks of student volunteers engaged in promoting the Paralympic Movement across Iranian social media. She has led educational workshops, worked as a Technical Classifier in Para table tennis and contributed to initiatives aimed at raising public awareness around disability and Para sport.
Strategic contribution to Para sport development in Asia and the Middle East
Her institutional roles include several years as a member of the Executive Board of the National Paralympic Committee of Iran, as well as her participation in the FISU Women’s Committee, where she addressed gender equality in university sport. She has also collaborated with UNESCO on activities linked to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, reinforcing the educational dimension of the Paralympic Movement.
As a coach, Limouchi played a decisive role in qualifying Iran’s women’s table tennis team for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and later for the London 2012 Olympic Games, both landmark achievements for the country. She also served as national head coach in 2010 and led the team at the Dortmund 2012 World Championships, where the Iranian delegation advanced eight divisions. These milestones complement her work in advocating for the inclusion of Para table tennis in the Asian Youth Para Games and in designing inclusive sports programmes for children with disabilities.
An international award recognising a long-standing contribution
Between 2006 and 2010, Limouchi was a member of the IPC Women in Sport Committee, contributing expertise in equality, training and the advancement of women in sport structures. Until 2023, she volunteered with the Asian Paralympic Committee, strengthening regional development initiatives and governance processes. She is also the author of several books on sport and education, and her fluency in English has enabled her participation in international seminars and forums.
In a statement shared by the IPC, Limouchi said: “With every step we take alongside the Paralympic Movement, we help build a more hopeful, unified and inclusive world.” The IPC confirmed that the other finalists for the Para Sport Volunteer Award were Betty Miangindula Mabenza (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Anvar Mursakulov (Uzbekistan), selected from nominations submitted worldwide. The extensive public participation underscored the significance of the recognition awarded this year.
