London 2012: Daughter of Paralympic Games’ founder is new mayor of Paralympic Village

Sarah Shaffi, Olympics editor (news) Monday, August 20, 2012
3:49 PM

The daughter of Ludwig Guttman, the founder of the Paralympic Games, has been appointed as mayor of the Paralympic Village.

Eva Loeffler’s duties commence today as the first team officials start arriving in the Village, ahead of the arrival of the first athletes from August 22.

The new mayor was a volunteer at the first wheelchair Games in 1948, and has been involved in the Paralympic movement since its outset.

She was one of the original directors of the British Paralympic Association, chairman of British Wheelchair Sports Foundation, a member of the 1989 Colin Moyniham Review into sport for the disabled and vice president of Wheelpower.

The mayor will be supported by a wider Mayoral team including co-chair of the Liberal Democrat culture, Olympics, media and sport parliamentary committee and Olympic Board member Don Foster, and politician and Olympian Sir Ming Campbell.

Seb Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), said: “Eva has a longstanding association with the Paralympic Games having been involved since its inception. I’m delighted to appoint her as Paralympic Village Mayor.”

Mayor Loeffler said: “The development of Paralympic sport and the Paralympic Games has played a significant role in my life and I’m thrilled to be appointed Paralympic Village mayor as the Games return to the UK.

“I’m really looking forward to working with the whole team to deliver an outstanding and memorable experience for Village residents and visitors this summer.”