From humble beginnings at one hospital in England to an International Paralympic competition with over 132 countries participating, the Paralympics has established itself as an athletic competition for athletes with physical, visual and mental disabilities, as well as those who have had limbs amputated. Aside from wheelchair racing, the athletes also compete in wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, sailing, equestrian events and a wheelchair marathon, as well as other sports.
Beginnings
Sir Ludwig Guttman, a British neurologist at Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury, England, decided to add organized sports to his rehabilitation programs for his patients. Because the International Olympics were being held in London that year, he chose to time his athletes' competition to coincide with the London Olympics, according to BBC Sport. Spinal injury patients from other hospitals in Britain took part in this first competition and, from these beginnings, the Paralympics spread and grew.
After these Games ended, Guttman began working to connect his wheelchair competition to the International Olympic Games; this happened with the first Paralympics in 1960, taking place in Rome.
Athletic Categories
At first, only athletes with spinal cord injuries that were confined to wheelchairs were permitted to compete in the Paralympics, so called because they occur "parallel" to the International Olympics. From 1960 through 1972, this was the case. In 1976, in Toronto, athletes from other disability groups began to participate.
From 1976 to the present, athletes in wheelchairs with spinal injuries, athletes with other physical disabilities, visually impaired athletes and those with cerebral palsy and amputees competed.
In 1992, athletes with learning disabilities held their own Paralympic Games in Madrid, Spain.
Host Countries
The first official Paralympic Games took place in Rome, then they moved to Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tel Aviv, Israel hosted the 1968 Paralympic Games, while Heidelberg, Germany did so in 1972 ---- the regular Olympics were held in Munich in 1972, with 11 Israeli athletes being killed during the the competition. Toronto, Canada hosted the 1976 Paralympic Games and, in 1980, Arnhem, Holland held the Games. In 1984, the Games were held jointly in Stoke Mandeville and New York. Seoul, South Korea hosted the Paralympic Games in 1988, being staged on the same scale as the regular Olympics, according to BBC Sport. Barcelona, Spain hosted the Paralympic Games in 1992, Atlanta, Georgia hosted the 1996 games and Sydney, Australia hosted the 2000 Games.
Interesting Facts
The competition in Japan included an introduction of wheelchair racing, using traditional, nonracing wheelchairs. Visually impaired athletes participated fully in 1976, competing for medals while amputees and athletes with mixed disabilities debuted in the International Paralympic Games. Racing wheelchairs for athletes with spinal cord injuries were introduced in these Games.
When the International Paralympic Games came to Atlanta, the Paralympic Organizing Committee didn't get very much help from the International Organizing Committee. As a result, athletes for the Paralympics complained about the accommodations in the Olympic Village and about the transport system in Atlanta. In addition, the athletes competed in stadiums that were virtually empty.
At the 2000 Games in Sydney, Spain's learning-disabled basketball team was stripped of all of their medals after officials on the Spanish Paralympic Committee investigated and found that only two of the 12 players suffered from a true mental disability, states BBC Sport.
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