History of the Paralympic Games

More or less we all know the history of the Olympic Games, which dates back to the Ancient Greek times. However, there is another organization, the Paralympic Games, which is held as widely as the Olympics and where athletes from all over the world participate. Paralympic Games every two years It is held in two different types as summer and winter games, and in these games, disabled athletes compete in many different kinds of sports.

Considered as one of the largest sports organizations in the world, the Paralympic Games have been held in integration with the Olympic Games in recent years and are held in the same country immediately after the Olympics. The story of a small organization that was started after the Second World War for the reintegration of people with disabilities into society is admirable. Bride The history of the Paralympic Games Let’s take a closer look.

What are the Paralympic Games?

The Paralympic Games is an international sporting event in which athletes with different disabilities participate. Paralympic Summer Games and Paralympic Winter Games Two different types of organizations are held every two years. Paralympic word; meaning disabled in english paralyzed and olympic formed by combining words.

Although it means Paralympics in English, Greek money of the word side Considering that it has the meaning of the Paralympic Games, actually It is like a side organization of the Olympic Games we know. The Paralympic Games are organized by the International Paralympic Committee, briefly IPC, in Turkish, by the International Paralympic Committee. After the agreement between the IPC and the International Olympic Committee in 2001, the Paralympic Games and the Olympic Games became two integrated organizations.

Where was the Paralympic Games first held?

The year is 1948. The Second World War has just ended and the world is celebrating the end of this bloody war with joy. But not everyone celebrates. In this bloody war in which countless people lost their lives countless others have become disabled as a result of war wounds and returned to his country as a veteran. Unfortunately, at that time, these people both struggled with the trauma of war and had to face the inhumane attitudes of society that ignored the disabled.

Owner of a center for rehabilitating spinal cord injuries in England Ludwig Guttmann opposed the neglect of these people and he planned an event to reintegrate them into society. Knowing the positive effect of doing sports on the rehabilitation of disabled people, Guttmann organized a sports competition.

On the same day as the 1948 London Olympic Games A competition called the International Wheelchair Games was held. An archery competition was held among 16 wheelchair athletes, mostly veterans, including women. This is how the first Paralympic Games in history took place.

The Paralympic Games go international:

Disabled athletes may not be able to participate in official sports organizations, but From a club founded by deaf athletes in Berlin in 1888 In fact, people with disabilities have always been involved in sports. The event, which was started by Ludwig Guttmann, therefore grew every year with more and more participants.

These games, called the Stoke Mandeville Games, with the addition of the javelin throw, It became an international organization as a result of negotiations with the Netherlands in 1952. In 1960, the name of this organization was officially the Paralympic Games. More than 400 disabled athletes from 23 different countries participated in the event held in the same year.

The organization that became the Paralympic Games no longer consisted of just a few simple sports. Just after the Olympic Games In the Paralympic Games held at the Rome Olympic Stadium, many different sports such as archery, basketball, swimming, fencing, javelin, shooting, stick throwing, swimming, table tennis, pentathlon and billiards were competed.

The Paralympic Games are growing fast:

The Paralympic Games made its name known all over the world in a short time. The organization held in Toronto in 1976 More than 1500 disabled athletes from 40 different countries participated and 13 different sports were fought. In the same year, the Paralympic Winter Games were held in Sweden.

Until the Paralympic Games held in Seoul in 1988, this organization used the same facilities as the Olympic Games. When we came to 1996, the Paralympic Games held that year, The World’s Second Largest Sports Event It was an undeniable success. It no longer only appealed to people with disabilities as a result of spinal cord injuries, but to athletes with disabilities around the world.

The Paralympic Games and the Olympic Games become integrated organizations:

There was an indisputable relationship between the Paralympic Games and the Olympic Games from day one. This relationship became official in 2001. With the agreement between the International Paralympic Committee, IPC in Turkish, International Paralympic Committee and International Olympic Committee in Turkish, IOC in Turkish, Paralympic Games were also guaranteed to be held in the country hosting the Olympic Games.

After this agreement, it is now officially accepted to be at the same level as the Olympic Games. Financial and moral support for the Paralympic Games increased rapidly. More than 4400 disabled athletes participated in the 2020 Paralympic Summer Games held in Tokyo in 2021 as it was postponed for one year due to the pandemic.

How is the Paralympic Games classified?

Although each of the disabled athletes participating in the Paralympic Games are real masters in their own branches, it is a natural situation. The disability level of each is different. This can create the perception that the person with the fewest obstacles will always win. However, the International Paralympic Committee, which organizes the Paralympic Games, has a very sensitive classification system in this regard.

Under the classification system applied by the International Paralympic Committee each athlete is in a category suitable for their disability level. Because the athletes in question are now world-class professionals, it cannot be left to chance. This problem is overcome by making a sensitive assessment of the athlete’s ability to perform with his disability.

Which sports are included in the Paralympic Games?

• Paralympic Summer Games sports;
  • Weight lifting
  • Athletics
  • Shooting
  • wheelchair basketball
  • Riding
  • Bike
  • boccia
  • lawn bowling
  • Dive
  • fencing
  • Football
  • goalball
  • Barbell
  • Judo
  • Ping pong
  • Tennis
  • Archery
  • wheelchair rugby
  • Volleyball
  • Sail
  • Swimming
• Paralympic Winter Games sports;
  • alpine skiing
  • Biathlon
  • ski running
  • wheelchair curling
  • Sled
  • Ice Hockey

Today, it is one of the largest sports organizations in the world, where disabled athletes compete. What is the Paralympic Games We talked about the history of this international event. You can share your thoughts about the Paralympic Games in the comments.