Para Football creates first Executive Committee

Ambitious Para Football creates first Executive Committee to provide strategic leadership and shape the future of the sport on a global scale

New Executive Committee had secured six Para sport and football experts in commercial sponsorship, communications, digital, fundraising, public affairs, and social impact.
The Executive Committee includes former professional footballer Alex Sanchez, the first footballer to play in Spain’s La Liga with a disability.
Worldwide organisation aims to assist governing bodies to promote, support, and grow all 12 types of football for persons with disabilities.

Following an extensive global recruitment process, Para Football, a worldwide governing body for football for persons with disabilities, has established its first Executive Committee. Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and strategic delivery of Para Football’s activities, the team comprises eight individuals with international experience in Para football, the Paralympic Movement, sport development, governance, and inclusion.

The purpose of the Executive Committee is to ensure that Para Football’s programmes are effectively implemented and aligned with their mission to grow and support disability-inclusive football worldwide.

Founded in 2020, Para Football is an ambitious foundation based in the Netherlands. Entirely volunteer-based, it works with the governing bodies to promote, support, and grow all 12 types of football for persons with disabilities: amputee, blind, cerebral palsy, deaf, Down syndrome, dwarf, frame, intellectual impairment, mental health, partially sighted, powerchair, and skate soccer. In addition to expanding the game for players, Para Football promotes coaching, classification, refereeing, and teaching opportunities across all disabilities.

Para Football is composed of a Foundation Trustees Board, Executive Committee, Steering Board, and team of volunteers. The Para Football Steering Board is made up of the international federations responsible for their sport’s worldwide governance and development, ensuring a united approach to provide football for all. Para Football also works closely with FIFA, Regional Confederations, Sub-Regional Football Federations and National Football Associations/Federations.

Earlier this year, Foundation trustees Henk van Aller and Sam Turner, two of the founders of Para Football, decided that an Executive Committee was needed to deliver their vision of ‘Football, for all’ and mission to promote, regulate, and develop Para Football for persons with disabilities.

They were keen to secure people with a breadth of experience: proven expertise in strategy, sponsorship, partnerships, and governance in the sports, nonprofit, and corporate sectors; leadership experience in sports administration, business development, and nonprofit management; strong strategic thinking, negotiation, and decision-making skills; and a passion for disability inclusion and football.

Joining van Aller and Turner on the Para Football Executive Committee are six new committee members:

Daniyar Ali – Kazakhstan-native Daniyar is based in Germany, working for IRIS Sport, supporting international federations and sports organisations with data-driven insights around sponsorship, media exposure, and audience impact. Daniyar spent several years working at the International Paralympic Committee, delivering commercial rights on Para sport championships and the Paralympics.
Philip Dorward – UK-based Philip has three decades in football and communications. In addition to being a football journalist for 15 years, he served as Head of PR for the Premier League for eight years and was Head of Communications at the International Paralympic Committee from 2020 to 2024. Last summer, he was the Paralympic Communications Lead for the Paris 2024 Organising Committee.
Priya Kohli – Priya has for the last decade been working for adidas in the Netherlands and Germany. She is leading digital growth for the football category in adidas’s global digital team. Prior to this, she worked for four years for Chelsea FC in CRM loyalty. Non-Executive Director at Lancashire FA and Surrey County Cricket Club.
Alejandro Sánchez López – A former professional footballer in Spain, Alex was the first person with a disability to play in La Liga. He was a striker for Zaragoza, Osasuna, and Tudelano, and played for clubs in Australia and India. Alex holds a Doctorate in Law and works for La Liga in their Public Affairs and Institutional Relations department.
Kerry McGlade – Kerry is a non-profit and business development professional based in New York City. With a background in fundraising and strategy for mission-driven organisations, Kerry has spent the last decade working with teams that champion equity, education, and global health.
Jimmy Schneidewind – Social-impact expert Jimmy has a wealth of experience in global health, having worked in Mozambique, Liberia, and Tanzania. A sports consultant based in Washington, D.C., he utilises running, rugby, and football projects to deliver positive social impact in Europe, Ethiopia, and Papua New Guinea.

“We’re delighted to welcome such an accomplished group of individuals to the Para Football Executive Committee. Expanding our leadership team is a crucial step in widening our global reach and empowering us to deliver purposeful and impactful initiatives. Each member brings a unique perspective and set of skills that will strengthen our efforts to grow disability-inclusive football and drive real change through the game we all love.”

— Sam Turner, Trustee and Executive Committee Member, Para Football

For further information on Para Football please contact philip.dorward@parafootball.com or +447795562739

Para Football creates first Executive Committee