Leading the team: the role of the Chef de Mission at the Paralympic Games

In this chapter, we argue that the effective leadership of a National Paralympic team is critical for successful participation at the Paralympic Games. Games participation is important since the summer Games only occur every four years and are highly prized by numerous stakeholders, including athletes, coaches, sponsors, the media, and national and international sporting federations (Australian Paralympic Committee 2012). National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), Individual sports, athlete and stakeholder perceptions of the event are influenced by the performance of the national team and the related Games experience. National team success is of course dependent upon the quality of athletic talent and coaching, while the overall Games experience can be affected by many factors, including leadership, planning and access to the appropriate level of information and resources. Involvement in the Paralympic Games can therefore benefit a nation through increasing the level of national pride gained due to medal success by its athletes on the world stage, promoting sport recruitment and succession, generating public and sponsorship support, and by enhancing the reputation of team leadership and organizational capability.