The exercise was orchestrated as part of the Academy's Excellence Programme, an integrated learning programme that started three years ago and aimed to transfer knowledge from previous Paralympic Games to the Sochi 2014 staff.

The programme was spearheaded by Apostolos Rigas, the IPC's head of knowledge management.

"It is a great step forward in our knowledge transfer that we are able to complete the pre-Games activities with such an exercise," Rigas said.

"Many of our staff and the IPC Academy have been working with Sochi 2014 to help them prepare for the Paralympic Winter Games next March.

"This final exercise provided a great opportunity for us to share with them some of the unique operational circumstances that are likely to arise next March, which are distinct from what they may practice for the Olympics'"

Delegates were tasked with finding the right to solutions to incidents that could occur on the first day of the Winter Games ©Getty Images



As part of the simulation exercise, staff and stakeholders had to deal with a number of real life scenarios that could occur on the first day of the Paralympics, with the aim to test a selection of the operating systems prior to the start of the Games, due to start on March 7, 2014.

Various Sochi 2014 departments, including the functional command centres, venues, main operations centre and external command centres had to react and respond to the situations.

The participants had to analyse and choose the correct course of action, have coherent internal and external communication as well as interaction, decide on issue escalation and ultimately make the final decision.

Chris Solly, director of the IPC Academy, believes that the exercise was a success and wished the team luck ahead of the Games next year.

"We have worked for over three years with Sochi 2014 as they have planned for the Games," he said.

"It is critical that we see what they have learnt about the unique elements of the Paralympic Games is built into their systems and operating processes.

"From what we have seen during the simulation exercise, they have clearly utilised the knowledge transferred in the workshops to maximum effect.

"We now wish them every success in the final stages as they prepare to stage Russia's first Paralympic Games."

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