The BT Paralympic World Cup, which is staged in Manchester each May, is the biggest annual disability sporting competition on the planet and features the sports of athletics, swimming, track cycling and wheelchair basketball.

Held in conjunction with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and ParalympicsGB, the Paralympic World Cup has featured some of the biggest names in disability sport including Oscar Pistorius, Tanni Grey Thompson, Ellie Simmonds and Natalie Du Toit and since the inception of the competition in 2005.

The BBC has shown the event since it launched, helping make it the biggest broadcaster of disability in sport anywhere in the world.

The Paralympic World Cup is now the most prestigious disability sports event in their portfolio following the surprise decision to overlook them for London 2012 despite them having shown every Games since Arnhem in 1980.

But they are now set to face a battle to continue to screen the event after broadcasting this year's competition - which is due to be held between May 25 and 31 - with Channel 4 looking for opportunities to begin their preparations for London 2012.

The BT Paralympic World Cup is their top target, insideworldparasport understands.

They have already approached Fast Track, the marketing company who own and distribute the broadcast rights, to open negotiations to screen next year's event, which is expected to feature many of the leading competitors who will be expected to be the main stars at the Paralympics in 2012.

The event would also be an ideal opportunity to begin to train their team of presenters and commentators and technicians ahead of London 2012.

A spokesperson from Channel 4 told insideworldparasport: "Channel 4 intends to cover between eight and ten major disability sports events from autumn 2010 and in the run up to the Games in its weekend programme schedule.

"It is too early to determine which events we will be covering."

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