Paralympic game history
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The Paralympic Games are a major international sports event for athletes with disabilities, comparable to the Olympic Games. Like the Olympics, the Paralympics are divided into Winter and Summer Games, occurring alternately every two years. Many Olympic events are included, such as Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and biathlon for winter sports, and cycling, archery, and swimming for summer sports. However, Paralympic sports equipment may be adapted for specific impairments. Since the late 20th century, the Paralympics have been hosted in the same city as the Olympics, occurring shortly after the Olympic Games conclude. The International Paralympic Committee, founded in 1989 and based in Germany, oversees the Paralympic Games.
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Winter Paralympic athletes compete in five impairment categories: amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, spinal cord injuries, and "les autres" (athletes with impairments that do not fit the other categories, including dwarfism). The Summer Games add a sixth category for intellectual disabilities. Within each category, athletes are further classified based on the nature and severity of their impairments. Reclassification may occur if an athlete’s condition changes.
The Paralympics originated when Ludwig Guttmann organized a sports competition for British World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries in 1948. A subsequent competition in 1952 included Dutch athletes. The first official Paralympic Games took place in Rome in 1960, and the Winter Games began in Sweden in 1976. Since the Seoul 1988 Olympics and the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics, the Paralympics have been held in the same venues and used the same facilities as the Olympics. In 2001, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee adopted the “one bid, one city” practice, where cities bidding for the Olympics also bid to host the Paralympics.
Beyond fostering athletic competition, the Paralympics have spurred improvements in accessibility for residents and visitors with disabilities. For example, in the seven years leading up to the 2008 Beijing Summer Paralympics, China invested over $150 million in accessible infrastructure, modifying 14,000 facilities and 60 tourist destinations. London also improved its public transportation system, and Paris has invested more than €1.5 billion in enhancing accessibility and support for people with disabilities. The Games have played a role in advancing conversations on disability equity and celebrate the remarkable achievements of athletes who have historically faced stigma.
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Over the years, the Paralympic Games have grown significantly in size and diversity. The 1960 Paralympics featured 400 athletes from 23 countries competing in 8 sports. By the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, over 4,200 athletes from 164 countries participated in 20 sports. The 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris are anticipated to be the largest and most diverse Games to date, showcasing some of the greatest para athletes of the current generation.