Youth and Sports Minister Nora Bayrakdarian on Friday banned acro-paragliding in Lebanon, citing the absence of legal regulation and official licensing.
In a circular, Bayrakdarian emphasized that since the sport is unregulated, “it cannot be practiced without proper oversight.”
The circular makes clear that all acro-paragliding activities are strictly prohibited, including participation, facilitation and the operation of launch platforms. According to the circular, “violations will be treated as administrative offenses and may result in criminal prosecution.”
The announcement follows the fatal accident of Omar Singer, a young athlete from Tripoli and international paragliding champion, who fell into the waters off Jounieh on Wednesday.
Paragliding in Lebanon – particularly in Jounieh where steep mountains drop into the Mediterranean – had previously been suspended for about two months, but political pressure led to its reinstatement before the accident.
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