Paralympic Games: Information, News & Events - Disabled World Paralympic Games: Information, News & Events Synopsis: The Paralympic Games are multi-sport disability events for athletes with physical mental and sensorial disabilities. About Paralympic Games The Paralympic Games is a major international multi-sport event, involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power (e.g. paraplegia and quadriplegia, muscular dystrophy, Post-polio syndrome, spina bifida), impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency (e.g. amputation or dysmelia), leg length difference, short stature, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment and intellectual impairment. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea, are held almost immediately following the respective Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Main Document The Paralympic Games are a multi-sport event for athletes with physical, mental and sensorial disabilities. This includes mobility disabilities, amputees, visual disabilities and those with cerebral palsy.

The Paralympic Games are held every four years, following the Olympic Games, and are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) - (The Paralympic Games are sometimes confused with the Special Olympics , which are only for people with intellectual disabilities.) When did the Paralympic Games First start The Paralympics first started in 1948 when Ludwig Guttmann organized a sports competition which involved world war 2 veterans that had spinal injuries. Afterwards a similar event was organized in Toronto, Canada where different disability groups were added and the idea of merging together and taking part in athletic sports was a success. The name derives from the Greek "para" ("beside" or "alongside") and thus refers to a competition held in parallel with the Olympic Games. No relation with paralysis or paraplegia is intended, however, the word Paralympic was originally a portmanteau combining 'paraplegic' and 'Olympic'.

The number of athletes participating in Summer Paralympic Games have increased from 400 athletes from 23 countries in Rome in 1960 to 3806 athletes from 136 countries in Athens in 2004. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The Summer and Winter Paralympic Games are the ultimate international competitions for world class athletes with a disability. They are linked to the Olympic celebrations every two years and athletes must meet strict qualifying standards in order to compete. Disability Category Definitions for Paralympic Games: (These categories apply to both summer and winter Paralympics.) Amputee: Athletes with a partial or total loss of at least one limb. Cerebral Palsy: Athletes with non-progressive brain damage, for example cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke or similar disabilities affecting muscle control, balance or coordination.

Intellectual Disability: Athletes with a significant impairment in intellectual functioning and associated limitations in adaptive behavior (currently suspended.) Wheelchair: Athletes with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities which require them to compete in a wheelchair. Visually Impaired: Athletes with vision impairment ranging from partial vision, sufficient to be judged legally blind, to total blindness. Athletes with a physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other five categories, such as dwarfism, multiple sclerosis or congenital deformities of the limbs such as that caused by thalidomide. Quick Facts: Paralympic Venues Paralympic Games - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on Paralympic Games Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics International Paralympic Committee Did you know ... Tom Killin , a Paralympic silver medalist in wheelchair fencing in 1980, also won a silver medal in wheelchair curling for Great Britain at the 2006 Winter Paralympics ?

despite being paralysed from the chest down British Paralympic skier Talan Skeels-Piggins serves as a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserves ? in January 2006, British Paralympic sprinter John McFall 's racing prosthesis was stolen, but anonymously returned a week later? visually impaired runner Said Gomez , three time Paralympic champion, is the only Panamanian to have won medals at the Paralympic Games ? British swimmer Matt Walker has won eight silver and bronze Paralympic medals in individual events, but all three of his gold medals have come in the 4×100 m freestyle relay ? From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Not to be confused with Special Olympics . For the current games in Vancouver, see 2010 Winter Paralympics . Paralympic Games Medal tables The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event for athletes with physical and visual disabilities. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations , blindness , and cerebral palsy . The Paralympic Games are held every four years, following the Olympic Games , and are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

The Paralympic Games are sometimes confused with the Special Olympics World Games , which are only for people with intellectual disabilities . Although the name was originally coined as a portmanteau combining ' paraplegic ' (due to its origins as games for people with spinal injuries) and 'Olympic' [1] the inclusion of other disability groups meant that this was no longer considered appropriate. The present formal explanation for the name is therefore that it derives from the Greek preposition παρά, pará ("beside" or "alongside") and thus refers to a competition held in parallel with the Olympic Games . [1] Contents U.S. Paralympic headquarters in Colorado Springs . The Paralympic Games are sport events for elite athletes with a physical disability or vision impairment. They are designed to emphasize the participants' athletic achievements, not their disability. [1] On the day of the opening of the 1948 Summer Olympics in London , Dr. Ludwig Guttmann of Stoke Mandeville Hospital organised a sports competition for British World War II veteran patients with spinal cord injuries.

The games were held again at the same location in 1952, and Dutch veterans took part alongside the British, making it the first international competition of its kind. These Stoke Mandeville Games have been described as the precursors of the Paralympic Games. The Paralympics were subsequently officialised as a quadrennial event tied to the Olympic Games, and the first official Paralympic Games, no longer open solely to war veterans, were held in Rome in 1960 . [2] [3] At the Montreal 1976 Games other groups of athletes with different disabilities were also included. The movement has grown dramatically since its early days – for example the number of athletes participating in the Summer Paralympic Games has increased from 400 athletes in Rome in 1960 to over 4,200 athletes from 148 countries in Beijing in 2008. The Paralympic Games take place in the same year as the Olympic Games. However, it is only since 1988 that the Games have been held in the same city, using the same venues.

In 2001 the IOC and IPC signed an agreement which guaranteed that Host Cities would be contracted to manage both Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with effect from 2012. Today, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement; it organizes the Summer and Paralympic Winter Games; and also serves as the International Federation for 12 sports, for which it supervises and coordinates the World Championships and other competitions. [4] “Spirit in Motion” is the motto for the Paralympic movement [5] , since the Paralympic Games in 1960 held in Rome, Italy it has grown significantly. Over the years the Paralympics have come a long way. From the 1960 Games to the 2008 Games in Beijing there was over a 3,800-athlete increase [6] [7] . As the years pass the Paralympics are more and more recognized on the world stage. They are now the world’s largest sporting event after the Olympics and are the fastest growing movement in international sports.

The Paralympics are no longer held solely for war veterans but for elite athletes all over the world with various disabilities. Advertisements Main article: Cheating at the Paralympic Games The Paralympic Games have seen damaging scandals regarding cheating in the events. After the 2000 Sydney Games , in which non-disabled athletes were entered in the Spanish Basketball ID team [8] , athletes with intellectual difficulties were suspended indefinitely by the IPC. [9] The IPC has stated that it will re-evaluate their participation following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games . [10] Summer Games Cerebral Palsy: Athletes with non-progressive brain damage , for example cerebral palsy , traumatic brain injury , stroke or similar disabilities affecting muscle control, balance or coordination . Intellectual Disability: Athletes with a significant impairment in intellectual functioning and associated limitations in adaptive behavior. (This category is currently suspended.) Wheelchair: Athletes with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities which require them to compete in a wheelchair . Visually Impaired: Athletes with vision impairment ranging from partial vision, sufficient to be judged legally blind , to total blindness .

Les Autres: Athletes with a physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other five categories, such as dwarfism , multiple sclerosis or congenital deformities of the limbs such as that caused by thalidomide (the name for this category is the French for "the others"). These categories apply to both summer and winter Paralympics. Classification Within the six disability categories the athletes still need to be divided according to their differing level of impairment. The classification systems differ from sport to sport, in accordance with the different skills required to perform the sport. Archery : Archery is open to athletes with a physical disability. Classification is broken up into three classes: W1, spinal cord and cerebral palsy athletes with impairment in all four limbs. W2, wheelchair users with full arm function. Standing, Amputee, Les Autres and Cerebral Palsy standing athletes. Some athletes in the standing group will sit on a high stool for support but will still have their feet touching the ground. Athletics : Athletics is open to all disability groups and uses a functional classification system. A brief classification guide is as follows: prefixing F for field athletes or T for track athletes.

F or T 11-13 are visually impaired, F or T 20 are learning difficulty, F or T 31-38 are cerebral palsy, F or T 41- 46 amputee and les autres, T 51- 54 wheelchair track athletes and F51- 58 wheelchair field athletes. Basketball : Basketball is open to wheelchair athletes and athletes with a learning disability. Wheelchair athletes are classified according to their physical ability and are given a points rating between 1 - 4.5. One pointers being the most severely disabled and 4.5 the least disabled. A team on court comprises five players and may not exceed a total of 14 points at any given time. Boccia : Boccia is open to athletes with cerebral palsy who compete from a wheelchair. Classification is split into four groups; BC1: Athletes are either throwers or foot players (with cerebral palsy). Athletes may compete with an assistant BC2: For throwing players (with cerebral palsy).

Players may not have an assistant BC3: Athletes (with severe disability) who use an assistive device and may be assisted by a person, but this assistant must keep their back to the court. BC4: For throwing players. Players may not have an assistant (Non cerebral palsy) Cycling : Cycling is open to amputee, les autre, cerebral palsy and visually impaired athletes who compete in individual road race and track events. Classification is split into divisions 2, 3 and 4 for athletes with cerebral palsy, athletes in division two being the most severely handicapped progressing to division 4 which includes physically more able athletes. Visually impaired athletes compete together with no separate classification system. They ride in tandem with a sighted guide. Amputee, Spinal Cord Injury and Les Autre competitors compete within the classification groupings LC1 - essentially for riders with upper limb disabilities, LC2 - essentially for riders with disabilities in one leg but who are able to pedal normally, LC3 - essentially for riders with a handicap in one lower limb who will usually pedal with one leg only, and LC4 for riders with disabilities affecting both legs.

Equestrian : Equestrian is open to all disability groups, with riders divided into four grades. Grade 1 incorporates severely disabled riders with Cerebral Palsy, Les Autres and Spinal Cord Injury. Grade 2 incorporates Cerebral Palsy, Les Autres, Spinal Cord injury and Amputee riders with reasonable balance and abdominal control. Grade 3 incorporates Cerebral Palsy, Les Autres, Amputee, Spinal Cord Injury and totally blind athletes with good balance, leg movement and co-ordination. Grade 4 incorporates Cerebral Palsy, Les Autres, Amputee, Spinal Cord injury and Visually Impaired. This last group comprises ambulant athletes with either impaired vision or impaired arm/leg function. Fencing : Fencing is open to wheelchair athletes. There are only three classes; class A incorporates those athletes with good balance and recovery and full trunk movement; class B those with poor balance and recovery but full use of one or both upper limbs; class C athletes with severe physical impairment in all four limbs. Football : Football is open to athletes with cerebral palsy and includes classes 5, 6, 7 and 8.

All classes comprise ambulant athletes; class 5 being the least physically able, progressing through to class 8 who are minimally affected. Teams must include at least one athlete from either class 5 or 6. Goalball : Goalball is open to visually impaired athletes who must wear "black out" masks to ensure all participants can compete equally, therefore eliminating the need for classification. Judo : Judo is open to visually impaired athletes. There is no classification as such, participants being divided into weight categories in the same way as able-bodied judo athletes. Powerlifting : Powerlifting is open to athletes with a physical disability. Classification is by weight category as in able bodied powerlifting competition. Sailing : Sailing is open to amputee, cerebral palsy, visually impaired, wheelchair and les autre athletes. Classification for the Sonar is based on a functional points system with low points for severely disabled athletes rising by scale to high points for less disabled athletes. Each crew of three is allowed a maximum of 12 points between them. The singled handed 2.4m can be crewed regardless of points but the sailor must have at least a minimum level of disability which prevents them from competing on equal terms with able bodied sailors.

Shooting : Shooting is open to athletes with a physical disability. There are only two classes of competition, wheelchair and standing. Swimming : Classification is divided into three groups: S1 to S10 are those with physical impairment. S1 will have the most severe impairment and an S10 a lesser impairment, for example a hand amputation. S11 to S13 are those with a visual impairment. S11 will have little or no vision, S12 can recognise the shape of a hand and have some ability to see, S13 greater vision than the other two classes but less than 20 degrees of vision. S14 is for athletes with a learning difficulty. Table Tennis : Table tennis is open to athletes with a physical or learning difficulty spread over 11 classes. Classes 1 to 5 encompass athletes competing from a wheelchair with class 1 being the most severely disabled and class 5 the least disabled. Classes 6 to 10 comprise ambulant athletes with class 6 the most severely disabled and class 10 the least. Class 11 is for athletes with a learning difficulty.

Tennis : Tennis is open to athletes with a mobility related disability which means that they cannot compete on equal terms with able bodied tennis players. The game is played from a wheelchair, with two classes, wheelchair and quadriplegic (disability in all four limbs). Volleyball : Volleyball is open to athletes with a physical disability and has both a sitting and standing event. In sitting volleyball the court is smaller than standard and has a lower net. Standing volleyball uses a full sized court and normal height net. In the sitting games the only classification is the minimal disability ruling; athletes may compete if they have a disability that prevents them from competing on equal terms with able bodied athletes. Wheelchair rugby : Athletes are classified on a points system similar to wheelchair basketball, with the most severely disabled athlete being graded 0.5 points rising to 3.5 points for the physically more able. Each team has four players and is allowed a maximum of 8 points on court at any one time. Winter Paralympics: Events with "B" in the code are for athletes with visual impairment, codes LW1 to LW9 are for athletes who stand to compete and LW10 to LW12 are for athletes who compete sitting down.

[13] In biathlon events, which contain a target shooting component, blind and visually impaired athletes are able to compete through the use of acoustic signals, whose signal intensity varies dependant upon whether or not the athlete is on target. [14] Statistics Japan, the United States of America, Italy, and Canada are the only countries to have hosted both Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. Notes The IPC has set up national Paralympic Games for competitions organized under the national Paralympic Committees. Neroli Fairhall , a paraplegic archer from New Zealand, was the first paraplegic competitor to participate in the Olympic Games, the 1984 Summer Olympic Games at Los Angeles. See also Paralympic Games : definition of Paralympic Games and synonyms of Paralympic Games (English) The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities , amputations , blindness , and cerebral palsy . There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games , which are held immediately following their respective Olympic Games .

All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The Paralympics have grown from a small gathering of British World War II veterans in 1948 to become one of the largest international sport events by the early 21st century. Paralympians strive for equal treatment with non-disabled Olympic athletes, but there is a large funding gap between Olympic and Paralympic athletes. There are also sports, such as track and field athletics , that are resistant to Paralympians who wish to compete equally with non-disabled athletes, though there have been Paralympians who have participated in the Olympic Games . [1] The Paralympic Games include athletes with physical disabilities, and are run in parallel with the Olympic Games , while the IOC –recognized Special Olympics World Games include athletes with intellectual disabilities , and the Deaflympics include deaf athletes. [2] [3] The present formal explanation for the name "Paralympic" is that it derives from the Greek preposition παρά, pará ("beside" or "alongside") and thus refers to a competition held in parallel with the Olympic Games .

[4] The Summer Games of 1988 held in Seoul was the first time the term "Paralympic" came into official use. Given the wide variety of disabilities that Paralympic athletes have, there are several categories in which the athletes compete. The allowable disabilities are broken down into six broad categories. The categories are amputee, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, wheelchair, visually impaired, and Les Autres (literally "The Others", which are athletes with disabilities that do not fall into the other five categories; these include dwarfism , multiple sclerosis , and congenital deformities ). These categories are further broken down into classifications, which vary from sport to sport. The classification system has led to cheating controversies revolving around athletes who over-stated their disabilities, in addition to the use of performance-enhancing drugs seen in other events. Contents Sir Ludwig Guttmann Athletes with disabilities did compete in the Olympic Games prior to the advent of the Paralympics. The first athlete to do so was American gymnast George Eyser in 1904 , he had one artificial leg. Hungarian Karoly Takacs competed in shooting events in both the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics.

He was a right-arm amputee and was able to shoot left-handed. Another disabled athlete to appear in the Olympics prior to the Paralympic Games was Liz Hartel , a Danish equestrian athlete who had contracted polio in 1943 and won a silver medal in the dressage event. [5] The first organized athletic event for disabled athletes that coincided with the Olympic Games took place on the day of the opening of the 1948 Summer Olympics in London , United Kingdom. Dr. Ludwig Guttmann of Stoke Mandeville Hospital [6] hosted a sports competition for British World War II veteran patients with spinal cord injuries. The first games were called the 1948 International Wheelchair Games , and were intended to coincide with the 1948 Olympics . [7] Dr. Guttman's aim was to create an elite sports competition for people with disabilities that would be equivalent to the Olympic Games. [7] The games were held again at the same location in 1952, and Dutch veterans took part alongside the British, making it the first international competition of its kind.

These early competitions, also known as the Stoke Mandeville Games, have been described as the precursors of the Paralympic Games. [8] Milestones There have been several milestones in the Paralympic movement. The first official Paralympic Games, no longer open solely to war veterans, was held in Rome in 1960 . [9] 400 athletes from 23 countries competed at the 1960 Games. The Games were open only to athletes in wheelchairs. [7] At the 1976 Summer Games , athletes with different disabilities were included for the first time at a Summer Paralympics. With the inclusion of more disability classifications the 1976 Summer Games expanded to 1,600 athletes from 40 countries. [10] The 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul , South Korea, was another milestone for the Paralympic movement. It was in Seoul that the Paralympic Summer Games were held directly after the Olympic Summer Games , in the same host city, and using the same facilities. This set a precedent that was followed in 1992 and 1996 .

It was eventually formalized in an agreement between the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2001. [10] [11] The 1992 Winter Paralympics were the first Winter Games to use the same facilities as the Winter Olympics . Since 1960, the Paralympic Games have taken place in the same year as the Olympic Games. [10] [12] Winter Games Main article: Winter Paralympic Games The first Winter Paralympic Games were held in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik , Sweden . This was the first Paralympics in which multiple categories of athletes with disabilities could compete. [10] The Winter Games were celebrated every four years on the same year as their summer counterpart, just as the Olympics were. This tradition was upheld until the 1992 Games in Albertville , France; after that, beginning with the 1994 Games , the Winter Paralympics and the Winter Olympics have been held in those even numbered years separate from the Summer Games.

[10] Recent games The Paralympic Games were designed to emphasize the participants' athletic achievements, not their disability. [4] The movement has grown dramatically since its early days – for example the number of athletes participating in the Summer Paralympic Games has increased from 400 athletes in Rome in 1960 to over 3,900 athletes from 146 countries in Beijing in 2008 . [13] Both the Paralympic Summer and Winter Games are recognized on the world stage. The Paralympics is no longer held solely for British war veterans or just for athletes in wheelchairs, but for elite athletes with a wide variety of disabilities from all over the world. [14] International Paralympic Committee Main article: International Paralympic Committee Forerunners 1964–1989 The first organization dedicated to advancement of athletic opportunities for people with a disability was the International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD), founded in 1964. The founders of this organization intended it to be a governing body to disability sports what the IOC was to the Olympic Games.

[15] This committee eventually became the International Coordinating Committee of World Sports Organizations for the Disabled (ICC), which was established in 1982. The ICC was tasked with advocating for the rights of athletes with a disability in front of the IOC. [16] After the success of the cooperative effort between the ICC and the IOC, which resulted in the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul, the ICC determined the need to expand and include representatives from all nations that had disability sports programs. They also deemed it necessary to include athletes in the decisions of the Paralympic governing body. Consequently this body was reorganized as the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in 1989. [10] [16] IPC 1989 – current IPC headquarters in Bonn The IPC is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. It comprises 165 National Paralympic Committees (NPC) and four disability-specific international sports federations. The president of the IPC is Philip Craven , a former Paralympian from Great Britain. In his capacity as head of the IPC, Craven is also a member of the International Olympic Committee.

[17] The IPC's international headquarters are in Bonn , Germany. The IPC is responsible for organizing the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. It also serves as the International Federation for nine sports. This requires the IPC to supervise and coordinate the World Championships and other competitions for each of the nine sports it regulates. [4] Subsumed under the authority of the IPC are a large number of national and international sporting organizations and federations. The IPC also recognizes media partners, certifies officials, judges, and is responsible for enforcing the bylaws of the Paralympic Charter . [18] The IPC has a cooperative relationship with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Delegates of the IPC are also members of the IOC and participate on IOC committees and commissions. The two governing bodies remain distinct, with separate Games, despite the close working relationship. [19] Name and symbols Main article: Paralympic symbols The source of the term "Paralympic" is unclear. [20] [ dead link ] The name was originally coined as a portmanteau combining " paraplegic " and "Olympic". [4] [ not in citation given ] The inclusion of other disability groups rendered this explanation inappropriate.

The present formal explanation for the name is that it derives from the Greek preposition παρά, pará ("beside" or "alongside") and thus refers to a competition held in parallel with the Olympic Games . [21] The Summer Games of 1988 held in Seoul was the first time the term "Paralympic" came into official use. “Spirit in Motion” is the motto for the Paralympic movement. The symbol for the Paralympics contains three colors, red, blue, and green, which are the colors most widely represented in the flags of nations. The colors are each in the shape of an Agito (which is Latin for "I move"). The three Agitos circle a central point, which is a symbol for the athletes congregating from all points of the globe. [22] The motto and symbol of the IPC were changed in 2003 to their current versions. The change was intended to convey the idea that Paralympians have a spirit of competition and that the IPC as an organization realizes its potential and is moving forward to achieve it.

The vision of the IPC is, "To enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to inspire and excite the world." [23] The Paralympic anthem is "Hymn de l'Avenir" or "Anthem of the Future". It was composed by Thierry Darnis and adopted as the official anthem in March 1996. [24] Ceremonies A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens Opening As mandated by the Paralympic Charter, various elements frame the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. Most of these rituals were established at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. [25] The ceremony typically starts with the hoisting of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem. The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theater representative of its culture. After the artistic portion of the ceremony, the athletes parade into the stadium grouped by nation. Nations enter the stadium alphabetically according to the host country's chosen language, with the host country's athletes being the last to enter. Speeches are given, formally opening the games.

Finally, the Paralympic torch is brought into the stadium and passed on until it reaches the final torch carrier—often a Paralympic athlete from the host nation—who lights the Paralympic flame in the stadium's cauldron. [26] Closing The closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games takes place after all sporting events have concluded. Flag-bearers from each participating country enter, followed by the athletes who enter together, without any national distinction. The Paralympic flag is taken down. The national flag of the country hosting the next Summer or Winter Paralympic Games is hoisted while the corresponding national anthem is played. The games are officially closed, and the Paralympic flame is extinguished. [27] After these compulsory elements, the next host nation briefly introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theater representative of its culture. Medal presentation A medal ceremony during the 2010 Winter Paralympics.

Biathletes from left to right: Andrey Tokarev (guide) and Nikolay Polukhin of Russia (silver), Volodymyr Ivanov (guide) and Vitaliy Lukyanenko of Ukraine (gold), and Vasili Shaptsiabol and his guide Mikalai Shablouski of Belarus (bronze). A medal ceremony is held after each Paralympic event is concluded. The winner, second and third-place competitors or teams stand on top of a three-tiered rostrum to be awarded their respective medals. After the medals are given out by an IPC member, the national flags of the three medalists are raised while the national anthem of the gold medalist's country plays. [28] Volunteering citizens of the host country also act as hosts during the medal ceremonies, as they aid the officials who present the medals and act as flag-bearers. [29] For every Paralympic event, the respective medal ceremony is held, at most, one day after the event's final.

Equality Relationship with the Olympics In 2001 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) signed an agreement which guaranteed that host cities would be contracted to manage both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This agreement will remain in effect until the 2012 Summer Olympics . [10] The agreement will be extended to the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics . [30] The IOC has written its commitment to equal access to athletics for all people into its charter , which states, [31] “ The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play....Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement. ” While the charter is silent on discrimination specifically related to disability; given the language in the charter regarding discrimination it is reasonable to infer that discrimination on the basis of disability would be against the ideals of the Olympic Charter and the IOC.

[32] This is also consistent with the Paralympic Charter, which forbids discrimination on the basis of political, religious, economic, disability, gender, sexual orientation or racial reasons. [33] Chairman of the London organising committee , Lord Coe , said about the 2012 Summer Paralympics and 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, that “ We want to change public attitudes towards disability, celebrate the excellence of Paralympic sport and to enshrine from the very outset that the two games are an integrated whole. ” See also: List of athletes who have competed in the Paralympics and Olympics Paralympic athletes have sought equal opportunities to compete at the Olympic Games. The precedent was set by Neroli Fairhall , a Paralympic archer from New Zealand , who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles . [1] In 2008 Oscar Pistorius , a South African sprinter, attempted to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Pistorius had both his legs amputated below the knee and races with two carbon fiber blades.

He holds Paralympic records in the 100, 200, and 400 meter events. In 2007 he competed in his first international non-disabled track meet, after which the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Track and Field's governing body, banned the use of any technical device that employs "...springs, wheels or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device." The concern amongst athletes and the IAAF was that Pistorius' blades gave him an unfair advantage. The IAAF then ruled that Pistorius was ineligible for the 2008 Summer Games. [35] This ruling was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport who contended that the IAAF had not provided sufficient scientific evidence that Pistorius' prostheses gave him undue advantages. Consequently, if he could achieve an Olympic-qualifying time, he would be allowed to compete. [36] His best opportunity to qualify was in the 400 meter race. Pistorius missed the Olympic-qualifying time at this distance by .70 seconds.

He did compete in the 2008 Summer Paralympics where he won gold medals in the 100, 200, and 400 meter sprints. [37] Athletes without a disability also compete at the Paralympics: The sighted guides for athletes with a visual impairment, are such a close and essential part of the competition, that the athlete with visual impairment and the guide are considered a team, and both athletes are medal candidates. [38] Funding There has been criticism for not providing equal funding to Paralympic athletes as compared to Olympic athletes. An example of this criticism was a lawsuit filed by Paralympic athletes Tony Iniguez , Scot Hollonbeck and Jacob Heilveil of the United States , in 2003. [39] They alleged that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), which also include the USOC Paralympic Division (the National Paralympic Committee), was underfunding American Paralympic athletes.

Iniguez cited the fact that the USOC made healthcare benefits available to a smaller percentage of Paralympians, the USOC provided smaller quarterly training stipends and paid smaller financial awards for medals won at a Paralympics. US Paralympians saw this as a disadvantage for the US Paralympic athletes, as nations such as Canada and Britain supported Paralympians and Olympians virtually equally. The USOC did not deny the discrepancy in funding and contended that this was due to the fact that it did not receive any government financial support. As a result it had to rely on revenue generated by the media exposure of its athletes. Olympic athletic success resulted in greater exposure for the USOC than Paralympic athletic achievements. The case was heard by lower courts, who ruled that the USOC has the right to allocate its finances to athletes at different rates. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court , [40] where on September 6, 2008 it announced that it would not hear the appeal. However, during the time the lawsuit lasted (from 2003 to 2008), the funding from the USOC had nearly tripled.

In 2008 $11.4 million was earmarked for Paralympic athletes, up from $3 million in 2004. [39] Media coverage While the Olympic Games have experienced tremendous growth in global media coverage since the 1984 Summer Olympics , the Paralympics have been unable to maintain a consistent international media presence. Television broadcasts of Paralympic Games began in 1976, but this early coverage was confined to taped-delay releases to one nation or region. At the 1992 Summer Paralympics there was 45 hours of live coverage but it was available only in Europe. Other countries broadcasted highlight packages during the Games. No meaningful improvements in coverage occurred until the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney . [41] The 2000 Paralympics represented a significant increase in global media exposure for the Paralympic Games. A deal was reached between the Sydney Paralympic Organizing Committee (SPOC) and All Media Sports (AMS) to broadcast the Games internationally.

Deals were reached with Asian, South American, and European broadcast companies to distribute coverage to as many markets as possible. The Games were also webcast for the first time. Because of these efforts the Sydney Paralympics reached a global audience estimated at 300 million people. [42] Also significant was the fact that the organizers did not have to pay networks to televise the Games as had been done at the 1992 and 1996 Games. [43] Despite these advances consistent media attention has been a challenge, which was evidenced in the coverage in Great Britain of the 2010 Winter Paralympics . The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was criticized for its minimal coverage of the 2010 Winter Paralympics as compared to its coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics . The BBC announced it would stream some content on its website and show a one-hour highlight program after the Games ended. For the Winter Olympics the BBC aired 160 hours of coverage. The response from the BBC was that budget constraints and the "time zone factor" necessitated a limited broadcast schedule.

[44] The reduction in coverage was done in spite of increased ratings for the 2008 Summer Paralympics , which was watched by 23% of the population of Great Britain. [44] In Norway, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) broadcast 30 hours of the 2010 Winter Games live. NRK-sport were critical to parts of the TV production from Vancouver, an issue they notified to the EBU . Issues such as showing biathlon without showing the shooting, and in cross-country skiing with skiers in the distance, making it hard to follow the progress of the competition. NRK were far more pleased with the production of the ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling events, which they felt reached the same level as the Olympic Games. [45] Outside the games A 2010 study by the University of British Columbia (UBC) on the Olympic Games Impact (OGI), showed that of roughly 1,600 Canadian respondents, 41–50 percent believed the 2010 Paralympic and Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada triggered additional accessibility of buildings, sidewalks and public spaces.

23 percent of employers, said the Games had increased their willingness to hire people with disabilities. [46] Chief Executive Officer for the International Paralympic Committee, Xavier Gonzalez, said about the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing , China, that [47] “ In China, the (Paralympic) Games were really a transformation tool for changing attitudes across the board in China towards people with disability, to building accessibility facilities in the city, to changing laws to allow people with a disability to be part of society. ” Main article: Paralympic classification Olena Iurkovska of Ukraine competing on cross-country sit-skis at the 2010 Winter Paralympics. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has established six disability categories. Within the six disability categories, athletes are divided according to their level of impairment, in a functional classification system which differ from sport to sport. Categories The IPC has established six disability categories. Athletes with one of these physical disabilities are able to compete in the Paralympics though not every sport can allow for every disability category. These categories apply to both Summer and Winter Paralympics.

[48] Amputee: Athletes with a partial or total loss of at least one limb. Cerebral Palsy: Athletes with non-progressive brain damage , for example cerebral palsy , traumatic brain injury , stroke or similar disabilities affecting muscle control, balance or coordination. Intellectual Disability: Athletes with a significant impairment in intellectual functioning and associated limitations in adaptive behavior. The IPC primarily serves athletes with physical disabilities, but the disability group Intellectual Disability has been added to some Paralympic Games. This includes only elite athletes with intellectual disabilities, where few qualify. However, the IOC recognized Special Olympics World Games are open to all people with intellectual disabilities. [3] Wheelchair: Athletes with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities that require them to compete in a wheelchair. Visually Impaired: Athletes with visual impairment ranging from partial vision, sufficient to be judged legally blind , to total blindness . The sighted guides for athletes with a visual impairment are such a close and essential part of the competition that the athlete with visual impairment and the guide are considered a team, and both athletes are medal candidates.

[38] Les Autres: Athletes with a physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other five categories, such as dwarfism , multiple sclerosis or congenital deformities of the limbs such as that caused by thalidomide (the name for this category is the French for "the others"). [48] Classification system Within the six disability categories the athletes still need to be divided according to their level of impairment. The classification systems differ from sport to sport, and are intended to open up sports to as many athletes as possible, who can participate in fair competitions against athletes with similar levels of ability. The biggest challenge in the classification system is how to account for the wide variety and severity of disabilities. Consequently within most classifications there is a range of impairment. [49] Medical classification: beginning–1980s From its inception until the 1980s the Paralympic system for classifying athletes consisted of a medical evaluation and diagnosis of impairment. An athlete's medical condition was the only factor used to determine what class they competed in.

For example an athlete who had a spinal cord injury that resulted in lower limb paresis, would not compete in the same wheelchair race as an athlete with a double above-knee amputation. The fact that their disability caused the same impairment did not factor into classification determination, the only consideration was their medical diagnosis. It was not until views on disabled athletics shifted from just a form of rehabilitation to an end in itself, that the classification system changed from medical diagnosis to a focus on the functional abilities of the athlete. [50] Functional classification: 1980s–present The Swedish goalball team at the 2004 Summer Paralympics . While there is no clear date when the shift occurred, a functional classification system became the norm for disabled athletic classification in the 1980s. In a functional system the focus is on what impact the athlete's impairment has on their athletic performance. Under this system athletes with total loss of function in their legs will compete together in most sports, because their function loss is the same and the reason for the loss is immaterial. The only exception to the functional system is the classification format used by International Blind Sport Federation (IBSF0), which still uses a medically based system.

[50] Some sports are only held for certain disability types. For example, goalball is only for visually impaired athletes. The Paralympics recognizes three different grades of visual impairment, consequently all competitors in goalball must wear a visor or "black out mask" so that athletes with less visual impairment will not have an advantage. [51] Other sports, like athletics , are open to athletes with a wide variety of impairments. In athletics participants are broken down into a range of classes based on the disability they have and then they are placed in a classification within that range based on their level of impairment. For example: classes 11–13 are for visually impaired athletes, which class they are in depends on their level of visual impairment. [52] Finally there are team competitions such as wheelchair rugby . In team competitions the members of the team are each given a point value based on their level of impairment. The higher the value the higher the athlete's level of function. The team has a point cap that all the competitors in play at a given time must fit under. For example: in wheelchair rugby the five players' combined disability number must total no more than eight points.

[53] Sports Main article: Paralympic sports There are twenty paralympic sports on the Summer Paralympic program and there are five paralympic sports on the Winter Paralympics program. Within some of the sports are several events. For example, alpine skiing has a slalom and giant slalom. The IPC has governance over several of the sports but not all of them. Other international organizations, known as International Sports Federations (IF), notably the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS), the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), and the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA), govern some sports that are specific to certain disability groups. [54] There are national chapters for these International Sport Federations including National Paralympic Committees, which are responsible for recruitment of athletes and governance of sports at the national level. [55] Controversy Main article: Cheating at the Paralympic Games The Paralympic Games have been damaged by cheating scandals.

After the 2000 Sydney Games , a Spanish basketball player alleged that several members of the gold-medal winning Spanish basketball intellectually disabled (ID) team were not disabled. He claimed that only two athletes out of the twelve-member team met the qualifications of an intellectually disabled athlete. [56] A controversy ensued and the IPC called on the Spanish National Paralympic Committee to launch an investigation. [57] The investigation uncovered several Spanish athletes who had flouted the ID rules. In an interview with the president of the federation that oversees ID competition, Fernando Martin Vicente admitted that athletes around the world were breaking the ID eligibility rules. The IPC responded by starting an investigation of its own. [56] The results of the IPC's investigation confirmed the Spanish athlete's allegations and also determined that the incident was not isolated to the basketball ID event or to Spanish athletes. [56] As a result all ID competitions were suspended indefinitely. [58] The ban was lifted after the 2008 Games after work had been done to tighten the criteria and controls governing admission of athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Four sports, swimming, athletics, table tennis and rowing, are anticipated to hold competitions for ID athletes at the 2012 Summer Paralympics . [59] [60] The Paralympics have also been tainted by steroid use. At the 2008 Games in Beijing, three powerlifters and a German basketball player were banned after having tested positive for banned substances. [59] This was a decrease in comparison to the ten powerlifters and one track athlete who were banned from the 2000 Games. [61] German skier Thomas Oelsner became the first Winter Paralympian to test positive for steroids. He had won two gold medals at the 2002 Winter Paralympics , but his medals were stripped after his positive drug test. [62] At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Swedish curler Glenn Ikonen tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended for six months [63] by the IPC. He was removed from the rest of the curling competition but his team was allowed to continue. The 54-year-old curler said his doctor had prescribed a medication on the banned substances list.

[64] [65] Another concern now facing Paralympic officials is the technique of boosting blood pressure, known as autonomic dysreflexia . The increase in blood pressure has been shown to improve performance by 15%. This is most effective in the endurance sports such as cross-country skiing . To increase blood pressure athletes will deliberately cause trauma to limbs below a spinal injury. This trauma can include breaking bones, strapping extremities in too tightly, and using high-pressured compression stockings. The injury is painless but it does have an impact on the athlete's blood pressure. [66] Another potential concern is the use of gene therapy among Paralympic athletes. All Paralympic athletes are banned from enhancing their abilities through gene doping , but it is extremely difficult to differentiate these concepts. [67] The World Anti-Doping Agency is currently researching both gene doping and gene therapy, in part to discern the boundary between the two closely related concepts. [68] The IPC have been working with the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2003, to ensure compliance with WADA's anti-doping code among its Paralympic athletes.

[69] The IPC has also promised to continue increasing the number of athletes tested at each of its Games, in order to further minimize the possible impact of doping in Paralympic sports. [69] Mandatory in- and out-of competition testing has also been implemented by the IPC to further ensure all of its athletes are performing in compliance with WADA regulations. [69] Notable champions and achievements Further information: Lists of Paralympic medalists and List of multiple Paralympic gold medalists Trischa Zorn of the United States is the most decorated Paralympian in history. She competed in the blind swimming events and won a total of 55 medals, 41 of which are gold. Her Paralympic career spanned 24 years from 1980 to 2004 . She was also an alternate on the 1980 American Olympic swim team, but did not go to the Olympics due to a boycott by the United States and several of its allies. [70] [71] Ragnhild Myklebust of Norway holds the record for the most medals ever won at the Winter Paralympic Games.

Competing in a variety of events in 1988, 1992, 1994 and 2002, she won a total of 22 medals, of which 17 were gold. After winning five gold medals at the 2002 Games she retired at the age of 58. [72] Neroli Fairhall, a paraplegic archer from New Zealand, was the first paraplegic competitor, and the first Paralympian, to participate in the Olympic Games, when she competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles . She placed thirty-fourth in the Olympic archery competition, and won a Paralympic gold medal in the same event. [1] Host cities Learn all about Special Olympics: The difference between the Special Olympics and Paralympics From Special Olympics Fan Community A World of Neglect People with intellectual disabilities are every society's most neglected population. Nearly 200 million people, or three percent of the world's population, have an intellectual disability, making it the largest disability population in the world.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 The difference between the Special Olympics and Paralympics Special Olympics is for those only with intellectual disabilities that are 8 or older. I can't be sure, but even those with IEPs can be included. The Paralympic Games are a multi-sport event for athletes with physical and visual disabilities. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Paralympic Games are held every four years, following the Olympic Games, and are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The Paralympic Games are sometimes confused with the Special Olympics World Games, which are only for people with intellectual disabilities. Posted by The Symbol for the Paralympics - Disabled World The Symbol for the Paralympics Print Published: 2012-08-22 (Rev. 2015-01-09) - Contact: Disabled World at Synopsis: Information regarding Paralympic symbols and flags used by the International Paralympic Committee to promote the Paralympic Games.

Definition: Defining the Meaning of Paralympics A major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their respective Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Main Document "The Current Paralympic Symbol (three Agitos) consists of three elements in red, blue and green - the three colors that are most widely represented in national flags around the world." Information regarding Paralympic symbols and flags used by the International Paralympic Committee to promote the Paralympic Games. Current Paralympic Symbol: Latest Paralympic Symbol The Current Paralympic Symbol (three Agitos) consists of three elements in red, blue and green - the three colors that are most widely represented in national flags around the world. The three Agitos (from the Latin meaning "I move") encircling a central point symbolize motion, emphasize the role of the Paralympic Movement in bringing athletes together from all corners of the world to compete.

The symbol also reflects the Paralympic Motto, "Spirit in Motion ," representing the strong will of every Paralympian. The Paralympic Symbol also emphasizes the fact that Paralympic athletes are constantly inspiring and exciting the world with their performances: always moving forward and never giving up. The current Paralympic Symbol was created by the internationally renowned agency "Scholz & Friends", and approved at the IPC Executive Board meeting held in Athens 4 to 6 April 2003, when the Committee decided on a new corporate identity. The previous symbol remained in limited use through the Athens 2004 Paralympics. Previous Paralympic Symbol (1994-2004): Second Paralympic Symbol The second Paralympic symbol used three Tae-Geuks. In March 1992 the Paralympic symbol was changed to a version with three tae-gueks. This was not used until after the 1994 Winter Paralympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

A Paralympic Symbol with three Tae-Geuks was officially launched on a worldwide level at the 1994 World Championships in IPC sports. "Mind, Body, Spirit " was adopted as the Paralympic Motto. In 2003, this symbol was replaced by the current one and the new motto officially became "Spirit in Motion ". First Paralympic Symbol (1988-1994): First Paralympic Symbol The first symbol incorporated the Tae-Geuk, which is a traditional Korean decorative motif. Tae-Geuks were first used in a symbol at the 1988 Paralympic Games in Seoul, Korea. At that time, the symbol consisted of five Tae-Geuks in a configuration and in colors similar to the Olympic Rings, i.e., blue, black, red, yellow and green. At the end of the Seoul 1988 Paralympics, the symbol was adopted by the then International Co-ordinating Committee of World Sports Organizations for the Disabled (ICC) and used as a symbol for the co-ordination of the Paralympic Games of the various international organizations of sport for the disabled.

Paralympics Logo: Each Paralympic Games has its own Paralympic emblem, or logo. The city that hosts the Paralympic Games creates a symbol to represent the event. This design incorporates the Paralympic symbol, the name of the event, and one or more distinctive elements to identify the event. It is the responsibility of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to approve Paralympic emblems for the Paralympic games. The Paralympic emblems are used in promotional materials, by sponsors of the Paralympics, and on the uniforms of every Paralympic competitor. All emblems are the property of the IPC. Paralympics 2012: Doctor remembered for idea Paralympics 2012: Doctor remembered for idea Daily News Article — Posted on August 29, 2012 Jump to... (by Danica Kirka, WashingtonTimes.com) LONDON (AP) – The Olympics have Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern games. The Paralympics have Sir Ludwig Guttmann.

Sir Ludwig Guttmann, 1899-1980 Guttmann, a Jewish neurosurgeon who fled Nazi Germany, pioneered athletic competition as therapy for patients with spinal injuries and organized an archery competition for 16 patients at Britain’s Stoke Mandeville hospital in 1948. From this humble start have come the Paralympic Games, which this week will bring more than 4,000 athletes from around the world to London. “The Guttmann story is massive,” said Olympic historian Martin Polley. “He was the one who linked rehab to competitive sport.” This month has been Guttmann’s moment, what with a BBC film about his life, “The Best of Men,” an exhibition at the Jewish Museum in London and his daughter, Eve Loeffler, being named mayor of the athletes village — a sort of ambassador in chief who welcomes the participants for games that start today and end Sept. 9. It follows a resurgence of interest in Guttmann, who escaped [from Germany] in the late 1930s and settled in Britain, where his research on treating spinal patients drew the attention of the government.

Guttmann began working with injured soldiers at Stoke Mandeville hospital, just north of London, during World War II – a time when suffering a spinal injury was considered a death sentence. Patients were discouraged from moving, leading to secondary infections from bed sores or from pneumonia. Known for an authoritarian streak and his stubborn insistence on changing the status quo, Guttmann swept into the hospital and took patients off sedation, which had been administered to make them comfortable. But Guttmann was having none of that. No one was going to be comfortable. “One patient told me ‘I’m waiting for God almighty to take me up,” the Times of London reported Guttmann as saying at a conference in 1962. “I told him ‘While you are waiting, you can do some work’.” He made the patients sit up and work muscles. Seeking to keep them motivated, he hit upon competition as a way to make them work harder. He tried wheelchair field hockey, but when that became too violent, he got the patients involved in wheelchair basketball, Loeffler said. It was tough and demanding, but grateful patients nicknamed him “Poppa.” They were still paralyzed.

But many lived – and carried out Guttmann’s wish that they become [employed]. Loeffler said her father was marked by his past. Many of his relatives perished in Auschwitz. He was driven, intent to give back to the country that had given his family refuge. … 1948 Stoke Mandeville Games – archery On the same day that London opened its 1948 Olympics, Guttmann organized a competition for wheelchair athletes, which he called the Stoke Mandeville Games. They involved 16 patients taking part in archery. From those humble origins, the Paralympics have grown into a festival of sport involving 4,200 athletes from 166 teams. Though smaller than the Olympics – which had more than twice the number of athletes – London’s event represents the largest field ever for the games. The London event – the first to have come as a result of a joint bid from the host city – has also benefited from greater integration with the Olympics, particularly in terms of marketing and organization. … [Also], Queen Elizabeth II [has] agreed to open the event, a reflection of their importance to the country.

Some 2.3 million tickets have been sold, the most ever, many to Britons new to Paralympic sport but who wanted to get an opportunity to see the glittering new stadiums and experience the excitement of first class sporting competition. Britain’s team is also strong. They were second in the Paralympic table at Beijing with 102 total medals, including 42 gold. The hometown crowd wants to see their athletes — and of course wants to see them win. Loeffler believes her father’s vision has come to pass. And when she wanders the village, people recognize her, like Canadian athlete Jessica Vliegenthart, who saw Loeffler having her photograph taken in a smart navy jacket with its massive circular gold badge. “Aren’t you the daughter of …” Vliegenthart asked, as two wheelchair basketball athletes drew their wheels in. Loeffler nodded, her pride clear. Her father dreamed of an “Olympic Games for disabled men and women,” and now a whole new generation is learning about him. “Who but he could have imagined that it would have happened,” she said.

“I don’t think anybody else could.” Britain embraced Guttmann, giving him a knighthood in 1966 and making him a fellow of the Royal Society – honors of which he was extremely proud. Though he died in 1980, he lived long enough to see the Paralympics grow. [In 1960 the Olympics were held in Rome, and Goodman arranged for wheelchair athletes to compete in a ‘parallel’ Olympics. The name was shortened to the Paralympics, and now athletes with a wide range of disabilities represent their country every four years.] Copyright 2012 The Washington Times, LLC. From the Associated Press. Reprinted from the Washington Times for educational purposes only. Visit the website at washingtontimes.com . Questions The Paralympics, Special Oympics and a Deaflympics? The Paralympics, Special Oympics and a Deaflympics? Tweet On September 6, following the Beijing Olympics this summer, the Paralympics commenced. However, I’ve hardly found anyone who knows anything about the Paralympics now that I’m back on US soil. More so, it’s often confused with the Special Olympics.

This no doubt is due to the limited coverage the Paralympics got here in the United States. NBC did cover the Para- Games, however, the channel was buried if viewers had a special channel package at all. The Times gets the most kudos for its coverage but still nothing compares to the Chinese’s efforts. I’m happy to report that China kept its word on treating the Paralympics with equal importance as the Olympics. There was an entire television channel in the single digits dedicated to reporting the Paralympic Games, accessible to everyone. After the Olympic Closing Ceremony it seemed as if overnight, Beijing, which was plastered with Olympic banners, flags, and billboards, was re-plastered with the same signage but adorned with promoting the Paralympics. I had the wonderful honor to interview track and field Paralympians for the Paralympic News Service at the Bird’s Nest. I was awestruck multiple times just watching these athletes perform given their disabilities. My favorite races to watch by far were the blind runners who ran with guides (I’ll write more on this later). However, the Paralympics truly is about focusing on athletic accomplishments, so the athlete’s disabilities weren’t questions asked in interviews.

Questions focused on their strategy, technique, weather conditions, how they felt or what made that race unique. While I thought that the disabilities may have been an elephant in the room, I was completely wrong in every way. Although as cliché as it sounds, they’re regular people with extraordinary athletic abilities. With that said, I’d like to take this chance to clarify what the difference is among the Paralympics, Special Olympics…and yes, there’s also a Deaflympics. The Special Olympics The Special Olympics is the most familiar of competitions among the people I’ve spoken with. This is probably because we may know someone with a child that competes in them since they are open to children and adults. The Special Olympics uses sport to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities. There are year-round training and events. Since 2003, there are Special World Olympics that are held every two years. Fundamentally, the Special Olympics focuses on being a catalyst for social change by offering people with intellectual disabilities an avenue to build confidence. The Special Olympics is also an international nonprofit organization and has no ties as far as I can tell to the Olympics or Paralympics in any way.

The Paralympics I can’t say it any better than wiki : The Paralympic Games are for athletes with physical and sensorial disabilities. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Paralympic Games are held every four years, following the Olympic Games, and are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The Paralympic Games are sometimes confused with the Special Olympics World Games, which are only for people with intellectual disabilities, but Special Olympics participants may still take part in the Paralympic games. If you’re curious, these are the categories that we used for the track and field events (they change and evolve with each Paralympics): Classes 11, 12, and 13 cover different levels of visual impairment Class 20 covers athletes with an intellectual disability Classes 32-38 cover athletes with different levels of cerebral palsy – wheelchair (32-34) and ambulant (35-38) Classes 40-46 cover ambulant athletes with different levels of amputations and other disabilities, including les Autres (e.g.

dwarfism) Classes 51-58 cover wheelchair athletes with different levels of spinal cord injuries and amputations So if I covered the Men’s 400m – T54 race, I was covering a wheelchair sprint. The “T” indicates it’s on the track whereas an “F” indicates a field event, like discus throw. World Games for the Deaf (also known as the Deaflympics) The World Games for the Deaf or Deaflympics has its own competition because Deaf people do not consider themselves disabled, particularly in physical ability. Rather, the Deaf community considers themselves to be part of a cultural and linguistic minority. The competitions held in the Deaflympics aren’t adapted in any way like in the Paralympics which needs to adapt some rules to accommodate different disabilities. The only difference between regular competitions with non-deaf athletes versus Deaf athletes is how the Deaf athletes communicate. The summer and winter Deaflympics are held every four years but not in conjunction with the Olympics and Paralympics.

The Deaflympics are organized by The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (CISS), and are sanctioned as an autonomous competition under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that is the overarching governing body of the Olympics. Numbers: The Special Olympics serves 2.5 million people with intellectual disabilities in over 180 countries The number of athletes participating in Summer Paralympic Games has increased from 400 athletes from 23 countries in Rome in 1960 to 4,000 athletes from 150 countries in Beijing in 2008. More than 3,200 deaf athletes and officials from 67 nations participated in the 20th Summer Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia, in January 2005. Over 600 athletes and officials participated in the 16th Winter Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, United States in February 2007.

Question: What is the name of the multi-sport event for athletes with physical and visual disabilities, including athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy, that are held every 4 years, following the Olympic Games?
Answer: The Paralympic Games