Sports minister confirms ban on acrobatic paragliding in Lebanon

Youth and Sports Minister Nora Bairakdarian confirmed in a circular published Friday the ban on acrobatic paragliding in Lebanon due to the lack of a legal framework governing the discipline.

This decision comes after the death on Wednesday of Omar Sinjer, a paraglider who was flying over Jounieh Bay (Kesrouan) and performing acrobatic maneuvers when he crashed into the sea after a 300-meter fall, because his parachute did not open.

Recalling that decision No. 90 of July 26, 2007, only authorizes two types of outdoor aeronautical activities: paragliding and hang gliding, the circular published Friday confirmed the ban on acrobatic paragliding and emphasized that it applies to the “practitioner” of the activity, to “anyone who facilitates its practice, as well as to the manager of the takeoff platform.” It also states that any violation of the circular will lead to an “administrative decision” and “criminal prosecution against offenders.”

The Youth and Sports Ministry usually issues licenses for practicing paragliding. Following the death of Sinjer, Minister Bairakdarian met on Thursday with paragliding club owners to discuss safety measures and regulations for the sport.

A project was also presented to the 13 clubs at the meeting, proposing the creation of a specialized aerial sports committee, updating laws and regulations, and establishing a Lebanese federation for aerial sports.

However, the statement notes that these regulatory changes do not cover the practice of acrobatic paragliding, which led to Sinjer's death.

Last May, a young man was killed during a tandem paragliding flight with a professional, also over Jounieh Bay. Apparently, the harness was not properly secured, and it gave way.