The 60-year-old from Bolton in England, who first came to office in 2001, is currently serving his third term in the role and at the IPC General Assembly in 2013 and will be eligible to stand for his fourth and final four-year term up to 2017 is he so wishes.

Key figures in the Paralympic Movement, including IPC vice-president Greg Hartung, have expressed their wish for Sir Philip to continue in the role but the current IPC President, who represented Britain in wheelchair basketball at five editions of the Paralympic Games between 1972 and 1988, claimed he will not make a final decision on whether to stand for another four years until he reaches the IPC General Assembly in 2013.

"Whether or not to serve another four-year term is certainly something that has started to enter my thoughts but I am far from making a decision on the issue at this stage," Sir Philip told insidethegames.

"By the constitution we have at the IPC, I can stand for one more term from 2014 until 2017.

"I'm already being put under pressure to do so by my good friends on the IPC Governing Board but my main person for me to consult about the issue is my wife so we'll have to see how that goes.

"Things are looking positive at this stage but you've got to have the energy to do this job and I will not go in for four more years if I don't think I can finish them on a high.

"So it is really a case of getting to 2013 and seeing how I am feeling both physically and mentally as I approach the end of my current term."

Sir Philip, who also serves as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), admitted that he is delighted to see how the Paralympic Movement has grown during his ten years as IPC President.

"If you look how far the Paralympic Movement has grown in the last ten years and the scale of major Paralympic sporting events during that period such as the Beijing 2008 Games, it is incredible to see," he said.

"That will continue to grow at the next Paralympic Games in London in 2012 and beyond so I am incredibly proud.

"I am incredibly proud of the IPC Governing Board, I'm incredibly proud of all the IPC staff who work at our headquarters in Bonn and of everyone who works so hard for the growth of Paralympic sport around the world.

"It strengthens everything when we work together and it really does relieve the pressure on the President when you know everyone is reading off of the same page.

"So it is great to be a part of the Paralympic Movement and to have had the privilege to serve as IPC President for such an amazing period of time."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]