page_title: 2000 Summer Paralympics
section_title: Political context
hierarchical_section_title: 2000 Summer Paralympics / Political context
caption_attribution_description: English: Members of Australian aboriginal band Yothu Yindi perform onstage at the Sydney Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony
context_page_description: The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 to 29 October. In September 1993, Sydney won the rights to host the 2000 Paralympic Games. To secure this right it was expected that the New South Wales Government would underwrite the budget for the games.
  The Sydney games were the 11th Summer Paralympic Games, where an estimated 3,800 athletes took part in the programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000. It was followed by the 11 days of fierce international competition and was the second largest sporting event ever held in Australia. They were also the first Paralympic Games outside the Northern Hemisphere.
context_section_description: The Sydney 2000 Paralympics was only the sixth time that the Paralympics had been held in the same city as the Olympic Games. The transition period of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games was politically tense for Sydney. The decision to remove the Olympic rings from the Harbour Bridge made by SOCOOG completely frowned upon, overshadowing the launch of the Paralympic Games and the start of the Paralympic torch relay, which would be starting exactly that day. A few hours later, the chairman of the Organizing Committee, Michael Knight, announced that he would be withdrawing from the Paralympic Games organization. For many, this was seen as another insensitive decision for the Paralympic Games.On the next day, a celebration would be scheduled to celebrate the dedication of the volunteers, who helped the games to turn a great success, however, the local authorities knew that this celebration would coincide with the arrival of the paralympic torch in the city and refused to re-mark this celebration.
  Paralympic organisers received praise for selecting the Australian pop diva Kylie Minogue and indigenous Australian band Yothu Yindi for the Opening Ceremonies, after have knowledge this fact, the Olympic organisers, quickly made the invitation to Kylie and Yothu Yindi to participate at the olympics closing.
caption: Yothu Yindi performs at the Sydney opening ceremony
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