The pins, coloured gold, silver and bronze, will be given to winners of medals according to their results from Sochi 2014 onwards, including the guides of visually impaired athletes.

Athletes will get one pin for each medal they win.

"As a former athlete myself, I know that winning a medal at a Paralympic Games is one of the greatest achievements that a Paralympian aspires to in his or her career," said IPC President Sir Philip Craven.

"The effort, hard work and training that goes in to getting to a Games is incredible.

"If you then go on to the win a medal against the very best competitors in your field, with all the pressure and attention that a Games brings, that deserves extra recognition.

"It is important for Paralympians, and where relevant their guides, to be able to show off that accolade to everyone they meet.

"This is the perfect way to do that."

Roman Petushkov will be awarded the most gold pins of any athlete at Sochi 2014 after picking up six gold medals during the Paralympic Games ©Getty Images



The pins will change every two years in order to stay unique to the Games they are awarded at, with the Paralympic logo from each edition of the Games to be engraved on that year's pin.

A total of 182 athletes and guides from Sochi 2014 will receive 363 of the first edition pins, which have been designed in consultation with the IPC Athletes' Council.

Russia's Roman Petushkov, the most decorated single athlete of Sochi 2014, will receive six gold pins after his stunning performances in cross-country skiing and biathlon.

Germany's sit-skier Anna Schaffelhuber won five gold medals during Sochi to be the most successful female athlete.

The next Summer Games in Rio 2016 will see athletes across 526 medal events receive the honour, which was proposed and ratified by the IPC Membership at the General Assembly in Athens, Greece, in November 2013.

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