PORTLAND’S Megan Pascoe has admitted there was disappointment and surprise among the British sailing fraternity at the decision which has left her sport’s inclusion in the 2020 Paralympic Games in doubt.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) did not include sailing on their initial list of 16 sports which will definitely feature in Tokyo in six years.

There is still time for sailing to stake its claim for a place and the remaining sports are set to discover their fate in Abu Dhabi early next year.

Pascoe has Rio 2016 on her mind right now having missed out on selection for the Paralympics in London, and she is well aware of how important the Games are to sailors in this country.

She told Echosport: “We were disappointed and surprised by the reports showing the IPC has yet to confirm sailing as a sport for the 2020 Paralympic Games programme in Tokyo.

“We’re not sure as to the circumstances or what issues may have been identified in the ISAF/IFDS application which have led to the decision being deferred, but very much hope that they can be satisfactorily addressed as we believe sailing brings huge value and an added dimension to the Paralympic sporting programme.

“Disabled sailing is big all around the world and I think that the Para-lympic dimension adds value to the sport and allows many of us to compete on a world stage.”

Para-badminton will make its Games debut in Japan while other sports definitely featuring are athletics, archery, boccia, equestrian, goalball, powerlifting, rowing, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.

Para-cycling, Para-canoe, football five-a-side, football seven-a-side, judo, Para-taekwondo and wheelchair fencing are the other sports that will be competing with sailing to get one of the remaining spots.

Those eight sports now have to present additional information to the IPC addressing the issues identified in their applications.