Massimo Dighe, Para Sailing Manager since 2016, reflects on his career at World Sailing

A Paralympian who represented Italy in sailing, competing in the Sonar Class at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, during his time with World Sailing, Dighe was in charge of the integration of Para Sailing into the World Sailing structure and events, as well as the development and promotion of the sport.

Going out on a high at the first ever Para Kite Developing Programme in Lake Garda, Italy, we sat down with Dighe to reflect on his career so far, his incredible contribution to Para Sailing and the bid to see the sport reinstated in the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

What are you most proud of during your time at World Sailing?

“During my time at World Sailing, I would say I’m especially proud of creating the Paralympic Development Programme. The PDP has had a big impact in different parts of the world, especially in emerging countries, helping people get into sailing. We had great results and since 2017 we have reached 44 nations including some very remote countries.

“I think we probably changed some people’s lives. Some would never be involved in any sport – but they got to go on a boat.

“I also feel the PDPs helped people feel part of a group, as a large part of the events is about social inclusion, and to me that this is a very important part of our sport.”

How have you seen Para Sailing develop over the last few years?

“We’ve made lots of changes over the last few years. We made the equipment more accessible, providing boats like the RS Venture Connect and Hansa at events so athletes don’t have to bring their own.

“We changed the format to make the racing more exciting, bringing it close to shore so we can involve more spectators.

“We’ve seen an increase in the number of countries active in Para Sailing. In 2016 we were around 26 countries – that’s now 42. And we’ve also been focused on gender parity and youth. We created dedicated events for women, for example. Now, around 30% of participants are women and around 20% are under 25. When we started in 2016 there were very few women and almost no one under 25.”

What is it that sailing enables a disabled person to do that they can’t do elsewhere?

“You know, when you are on a boat, you are at the same level as anyone else. Yes, there can be some physical limitations depending on the boat, but in a lot of boats, when you are there, you can do everything. You can trim the sail, you can steer the boat, you can do everything.”

How important do you think Para Sailing’s inclusion in the Paralympics is to the sport’s development?

“The sport is helped because if you are in the Paralympic Games, you have support from your National Olympic Committee and your Member National Authorities. Being in the Paralympics would change the structure – the sport would get more funding, it would mean more opportunities for everyone, and we would be able to create development programmes and grow the basics of the sport.”

What are the next focuses for the development of Para Sailing?

“The first is we need to continue with the PDP and our expansion project because there are still a lot of countries around the world that want to be involved in sailing but don’t have the opportunity, the equipment, or the knowledge. So we need to continue to reach everyone around the world.

“I think what we are doing now in providing equipment is very important and that we need to continue to do this because it can help a lot of sailors, and with the equipment comes a good events calendar allowing people to enter different events and creating a pathway to success.

“And the last point is to continue to ensure the sport is in line with the times, like we are doing with the Para Kite PDP in Italy [in June 2022]. We know kiteboarding is very important now in the Olympic cycle, and we had questions from many sailors about exploring Para kiting. So, we wanted to introduce this new discipline because it is exciting to watch and sail, and we can reach more young people. If we want to continue our process of growth, we need to involve young people and continue to think forward.”

How can people get involved in Para Sailing?

“I would say the first thing is to go to your club and ask about participating. If your club is not active, you can ask your national federation. You can also check what events there are on the World Sailing website. There are a lot of resources available about who to contact in your territory. And there are a lot of people that can provide help and are very happy to help so get in touch through our Para Sailing social channels!”

A few words to encourage people to #BacktheBid?

“The #BacktheBid campaign to me has been amazing. We’ve done a big communication push in the last months, and to me it has been amazing seeing how the sailing community around the world has got involved. We have had reactions from all around the world, from top sailors, clubs, big events, to small groups who have all supported the bid. It’s such an important feeling – the love of everyone and that we are part of a big family. I am sure with this support, we can do big things.”

So, any, any final thoughts before starting in your role?

“I spent six amazing years at World Sailing, and we are in a way better position than we were in 2016. There are still a lot of things to do, but there are great opportunities to grow the sport and put Para Sailing back as the top level of competition as the pinnacle of the pathway, as it continues to be even more inclusive.

“It’s amazing. I’m very happy where we are now. It’s been fun and very rewarding.”