"VAN" (Sports Desk - 11.09.2026) :: As the organisation prepares to embark on a new strategic cycle and following the transition to a new Governing Board, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Mike Peters PLY will leave his post on 30 September 2026 after seven years in the role.
From 1 October 2026, Peters will take up the position of IPC senior advisor working on special initiatives.
A two-time Paralympian, Peters joined the IPC in March 2015 originally as Chief of Staff. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer in July 2018 and became CEO in October 2019 after a successful spell as Interim CEO.
Kristina Molloy, IPC Deputy CEO, will serve as Interim CEO from 1 October 2026 while the IPC embarks on a global search for a new CEO.
Andrew Parsons, IPC President, said: “On behalf of the IPC Governing Board, I would like to thank Mike for his exceptional tenure as CEO and 11 years total serving the IPC.
“Under Mike’s leadership, the IPC has become a stronger, more professional and impactful organisation. His vision, commitment and integrity have helped position the IPC and the Paralympic Movement for continued success.”
Dr Mike Peters PLY, IPC CEO, said: “Serving as the CEO of the IPC has been an absolute privilege. In honour of the incredible achievements of our predecessors, we have worked diligently to build a high-performing, professional organisation worthy of the mission, members and athletes we serve. The power of the Paralympic Games is now readily apparent, with government leaders using the opportunity to invest hundreds of millions in accessible infrastructure and programming, improving access for all. Through its Impact Strategy, and its focus on playground to podium, the IPC undoubtedly will continue to amplify the economic and social return on investment in Para sport worldwide.
“With 30 years in the Paralympic Movement, as an athlete, a volunteer and a leader, I am confident that the IPC is well positioned to meet each opportunity and challenge it will face in the coming years. I am delighted to pass the baton to Kristina Molloy. Kristina is extraordinary, and she is exactly the right person to take the IPC forward.”
As CEO, Peters led a significant transformation of the IPC, strengthening its organisational culture and expanding Team IPC in Bonn. He directed greater investment in classification research and member services, while championing the development of women leaders and achieving gender parity across all levels of the organisation. In 2019, he transitioned Agitos Foundation staff into the IPC, creating the IPC’s successful membership programmes department. In 2024, he oversaw the organisation’s move to the IPC Campus, the IPC’s new fully accessible headquarters in Bonn, Germany.
He also guided the IPC through the COVID-19 pandemic, with the organisation maintaining staffing, programmes and operations, including the delivery of two Paralympic Games.
Following the adoption of a new IPC constitution in 2021, Peters led its implementation, including establishing the World Para Sport Unit and overseeing the transition of five sports out of the IPC's direct governance structure.
During his tenure, the IPC delivered four General Assemblies, three Extraordinary General Assemblies, and four successful Paralympic Games: Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022, Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026. The latter two Games editions were among the most successful in Paralympic history, attracting record participation from National Paralympic Committees and athletes while delivering unprecedented global broadcast and digital audiences.
In 2025, the IPC launched Sport for Mobility, its largest-ever Para sport development programme, made possible through a grant agreement with Toyota Mobility Foundation. The organisation also published its first Impact Strategy, launched its first Para athlete career training programme, and celebrated the first Paralympic medals ever won by athletes on the IPC’s Refugee Paralympic Team.
Prior to joining the IPC, Peters competed for eight years as captain of the USA men’s seven-a-side Paralympic football team. He earned his PhD from the University of Arizona and his Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law.
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