Paralympic Games

Paralympic Emblem, International Paralympic Committee. The Paralympic emblem (three Agitos - Latin for "I move") are three crescents that symbolize movement. The word Paralympics comes from the Greek preposition "para" meaning beside or alongside - the Paralympics are parallel or equal-to the Olympics.

1960

First Paralympic Games

ROME, ITALY

400 athletes
23 countries
8 sports

1960 Paralympic Games

logo, Paralympicanorak .

The 1960 logo was the same one used for the past five Stoke Mandeville Games.

Opening ceremony of the 1960 First Paralympic Games, International Paralympic Committee

The first-ever Paralympic Games took place in 1960 in Rome, Italy. A crowd of 5,000 people came to watch the opening ceremony, which took place six days after the Olympics. There were eight sports: archery, dartchery (darts+archery), wheelchair fencing, wheelchair basketball, para athletics, snooker (pool), para swimming, and table tennis.

"The vast majority of competitors and escorts have fully understood the meaning of the Rome Games as a new pattern of reintegration of the paralysed into society, as well as the world of sport." (Ludwig Guttmann, International Paralympic Committee)

"...this organised activity of adapted wheelchair sport has brought to the world's attention the ability of disabled people, even with a handicap of such magnitude as paraplegia, to become sportsmen and sportswomen in their own right. Sport-originally introduced at Stoke Mandeville in 1944 as remedial exercises complementary to the conventional methods of physiotherapy-has proved to be an ideal natural outlet for the paraplegic's energy and recreation, and it plays today an important part in his social integration." (Ludwig Guttmann, Paraplegia)

2020

Summer Paralympic Games

TOKYO, JAPAN

Approx 4,400 athletes
160 countries
22 sports

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic logo,

International Paralympic Committee

The 2020 Tokyo logo represents "Unity in Diversity"

The new National Stadium, Tokyo Japan, Forbes.

The 2020 Tokyo Games have been postponed to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the games will keep the name 'Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020' and the Olympic flame will remain in Japan.

"We hope next year, these Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 can be a celebration of humanity, for having overcome this unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this way, the Olympic flame can really become the light at the end of this dark tunnel." (Thomas Bach, IOC President)

There will be 540 events in 22 sports, with badminton and taekwondo as two debuting sports. Over 3,000 media broadcasters will be covering the games, which is expected to break the record 4.1 million total viewers set by the 2016 Rio Paralympics. With the largest global audience anticipated, the Paralympic Games have the monumental potential to change attitudes towards the disabled.

"What excites me the most about Tokyo 2020 is the impact the Paralympics will have on society. Through sport, the Games will act as a catalyst to empower person with disabilities, influence political leaders to pursue the inclusion agenda and advance societal change."

"Historically, persons with disabilities have been on the edges of Japanese society due to a feeling of over-protection. Happily, the Paralympic Games are changing this, and growing awareness is shifting attitudes in the right direction."

"Change starts with sport and thanks to the Paralympics Japanese people will start to understand that persons with disabilities can do far more than they thought possible, not only can they compete, they can work, have fun, travel and lead full lives just like anyone else." (Andrew Parsons - IPC President, International Paralympic Committee)