Paralympic Games

Where the differently abled show their skills

Most of you would be blessed with a complete human figure, with no disabilities. But, among us, are a few who are physically handicapped, either from birth, or as a result of accidents which may have occurred later in their lives.

Summer Paralympics
Paralympic Games		Year	Host city		Country
Summer Paralympics I		1960	Rome			Italy
Summer Paralympics II		1964	Tokyo			Japan
Summer Paralympics III		1968	Tel Aviv		Israel
Summer Paralympics IV		1972	Heidelberg		Germany
Summer Paralympics V		1976	Toronto			Canada
Summer Paralympics VI		1980	Arnhem			Netherlands
Summer Paralympics VII		1984	Stoke Mandeville 	United Kingdom 
					and New York		and USA
Summer Paralympics VIII		1988	Seoul			South Korea
Summer Paralympics IX		1992	Barcelona		Spain
Summer Paralympics X		1996	Atlanta			United States
Summer Paralympics XI		2000	Sydney			Australia
Summer Paralympics XII		2004	Athens			Greece
Summer Paralympics XIII		2008	Beijing			China
Summer Paralympics XIV		2012	London			United Kingdom

But, does this mean that it's all over for them? No, it's not. Many of these differently abled people have proven that they don't lack courage and dedication, and have made huge achievements despite their disabilities. The field of sports is a field which basically tests the physical capabilities of humans.

The Olympics bring the top sportsmen and sportswomen of the world into one arena, to test their skills and capabilities against each other. Then, what about the disabled people who are skilled in various sports? This is where the Paralympics fit in.

Paralympics is a multi-sport event which is quite similar to the Olympics, but it is meant for sportsmen and sportswomen with physical disabilities. This event too is held once in four years like the Olympics, and generally comes after the Olympics.

Paralympics too comprise a summer version and a winter version, similar to the Olympics.

Does the name Paralympics remind you of paralysis since the event is for the physically handicapped? If it does, however, it is not what is meant here. Paralympics simply means that the competition is held parallel to the Olympics, using the Greek term 'para' which means parallel.

History and evolution

The birth of the Paralympics can be tracked down to 1948, but it did not start off as the Paralympics. It was a sports festival called 'Stoke Mandeville Games' which was organised by Sir Ludwig Guttmann in Stoke Mandeville, England.

Winter Paralympics
Paralympic Games		Host City	   Country
1976 Winter Paralympics		Ornskoldsvik	   Sweden
1980 Winter Paralympics		Geilo		   Norway
1984 Winter Paralympics		Innsbruck	   Austria
1988 Winter Paralympics		Innsbruck	   Austria
1992 Winter Paralympics		Tignes-Albertville France
1994 Winter Paralympics 	Lillehammer 	   NorwayY
1998 Winter Paralympics 	Nagano 	   	   Japan
2002 Winter Paralympics		Salt Lake City	   USA	
2006 Winter Paralympics		Turin		   Italy
2010 Winter Paralympics		Vancouver	   Canada

This competition evolved into an Olympic style sports event in 1960 and was held in Rome as the first Paralympics. The Winter Paralympics were initiated in Sweden in 1976.

The tradition of having the Paralympics in the same venue as the Olympics started in 1988 for Summer Paralympics and in 1992 for Winter Olympics. This practice symbolises that all the sportsmen are equal despite whatever physical disabilities they may have.

The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, which governs the Paralympics, came to this agreement.

As a result, all athletes for both games stay in the same village, enjoy the same catering and medical services and other facilities. Since it is difficult to accommodate the Olympics and the Paralympics at the same time, generally the Paralympics is held three weeks after the end of the Olympics.

Therefore, whenever a country wants to host the Olympics, it must be prepared to host the Paralympics as well.

The number of sports in the competition has increased over the years, and some popular events at the Summer Paralympics are athletics, power lifting, five-a-side football, seven-a-side football, rowing and sailing.

Games such as tennis, basketball and rugby have wheelchair versions like wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. Sports such as alpine skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling are popular Winter Paralympic sports events.

Aravinda Dassanayake