Parsons, also a highly influential International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board member, believes the historic decision to award Rio de Janeiro the event will be fully vindicated when the city hosts a Games that helps create new and greater opportunities for those with disabilities living in South America.

"Every time a city hosts a Paralympics, it is an unbelievable opportunity to help those with disabilities," Parsons told insideworldparasport during the IPC Athletics World Championships here.

"I don't just mean in terms of physical possibilities such as with ramps and improved transport - I mean in terms of how people with a disability are actually perceived and how the Paralympics and the Paralympic athletes are marketed in the same bracket as the Olympics and the Olympic athletes.

"It will give the people in the Brazil and South America the chance to see the world's best Paralympic stars up close and realise what fantastic athletes they are.

"It will change how they perceive disabilities forever.

"Going for the first time for South America, is great to see the Olympics and Paralympics coming to a new location where they can help a developing country.

"These will be a different Paralympics than those ever seen before and I can tell you as an IPC Governing Board member that the Paralympic Movement was very happy to see the Games go to a new country because it is able to spread its message in a new frontier.

"After all, we are an international movement, not just a movement for a few countries.

"It is also a very good opportunity for our Paralympic athletes in Brazil as the success of a Games can depend on how the home athletes perform.

"Rio is obviously a huge target for all of our athletes and as the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, we have clear targets.

"We finished ninth on the medal table at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, we are aiming for seventh on the medal table at the London 2012 Paralympics and we are aiming for fifth on the medal table at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

"It will not be a disaster if we miss these targets but we are hopeful of making them."

Parsons added that Rio is already working extremely closely with London 2012 with regard to organising their own Games in 2016.

"When you are chosen to host an Olympic and Paralympic Games, you have a duty to work with the next host," he said.

"We are very lucky to have London in this respect.

"They are organising a fantastic Games and we are fully aware of the great work they are doing there.

"We have a great relationship with London.

"There is no better Organising Committee to work with than London 2012 and no greater National Governing body work with than the British Paralympic Association (BPA).

"I am also very happy with London 2012 as it will be the Paralympic Games going home.

"While the Olympics started in Greece, it is sometimes forgotten that the Paralympics actually started in Stoke Mandeville in England.

"Therefore London will be a very special Paralympic Games and we are honoured to be following such a great city in hosting the event."

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