Paralympic Games

The Paralympic Games are international sports competitions for people with disabilities. The Paralympics take place shortly after the Olympic Games, in the same host city and its name means “alongside the Olympics.” Athletes from countries around the world compete in the Paralympics.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), based in Germany, has organized the Paralympic Games since 1989. One of its goals is to help athletes with disabilities achieve excellence in sports. Another goal is to increase the world’s respect and admiration for people with disabilities.

Some Paralympic athletes have spinal cord injuries that caused paralysis or others are missing limbs. For this reason, these athletes may use wheelchairs or prostheses to move around. Some other athletes are blind or have limited vision, or even cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or other conditions that limit movement. Besides, athletes with intellectual disabilities may compete in some of the events.

At the Summer Paralympic Games, participants compete in more than a dozen sports. Among them are archery, track and field (athletics), cycling, rowing, sitting volleyball, soccer, swimming, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, and wheelchair fencing. At the Winter Paralympic Games, athletes compete in ice sledge hockey, skiing, wheelchair curling, and other cold-weather sports.

Adapted from: Britannica Kids