The next three editions of the Paralympic Games after Rio 2016 are all being held in Asia as Pyeongchang will host the winter event in 2018 before the summer version heads to Tokyo in 2020.

The Winter Paralympics then return to the continent as Chinese capital Beijing will host the Games in 2022.

Rashed, who was elected as the APC President in 2014, feels the three consecutive events, along with the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia, provide the organisation with a “fantastic opportunity to drive the Movement forward.”

“Whilst Para-athletes around the globe are gaining increasing levels of recognition, we know that our region is underrepresented,” Rashed said.

“Asia accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s population and yet we fielded only 20 per cent of the athletes at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

“IPC President Sir Philip Craven recently said ‘The world needs to realise the value of individuals practicing sport and in particular Paralympic Sport’ which is why we have the ambition to grow the Paralympic movement in Asia.

“After Rio, the next three Paralympic Games will be in our region and this, coupled with the Asian Para Games in Indonesia in 2018, provides us with a fantastic opportunity to drive the movement forward.

“I know that all our membership is committed to the new Vision of the APC ‘To make Asia one of the leading regions of the Paralympic movement in enabling athletes with a disability to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world’ and will work hard to make this vision a reality.”

Rashed was speaking after the APC launched a brand-new website, available here, to coincide with the 150 days to go until the Rio 2016 Paralympics milestone.

It will provide information on the members, details of the new APC staff as well as news relating to upcoming Games.

The APC are also attempting to broaden their reach on social media by setting up a Twitter handle and an improved Facebook page as part of their attempt to become one of the leading regions within the Paralympic Movement.

They recently presented a strategic plan for a three-year period between 2015 and 2018.

“The new website is an important step forward both in terms of the design and the quality of information on offer,” Mashed said.

“As we move into the intense period of Paralympic competition in Asia, we’re confident that this website will help us communicate more effectively and ultimately help us to achieve our new vision.”