- What are the Paralympic Games?
- Characteristics of the Paralympic Games
- Origin of the Paralympic Games
- Modalities of the Paralympic Games
- Difference Between Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
We explain what the Paralympic Games are, their origin, categories and characteristics. In addition, differences with the Olympic Games.
What are the Paralympic Games?
The Paralympic Games are the world's largest international competition for athletes with disabilities. Just like the Olympic Games ordinary, the Paralympic Games take place every 4 years in a different city in the world and bring together sports delegations from different nationalities to compete in various disciplines over a couple of weeks.
These competitions International Olympics are organized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), a body based in Bonn, Germany, and which cooperates closely with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The details of the ceremony, the execution of the games and other important details are collected in the Paralympic Charter.
For their part, Paralympic athletes are professionals in the sport grouped into ten categories based on their specific disability, called “layers of disability”:
- Muscle power layer. It refers to different levels of muscle weakness or slowness, either in the whole body or in a part, such as polio, spina bifida or spinal cord injuries.
- Passive range of motion layer. Refers to congenital conditions of movement systematically reduced in one or more body joints.
- Layer of loss or deficiency of a member. It refers to the lack or dysfunction of any body limb, as in the case of amputations and malformations.
- Short cloak.Refers to height deficiency due to musculoskeletal deficit, dwarfism, or other similar conditions.
- hypertonic layer. Refers to abnormal tensioning of the musculature of the body, which prevents its natural relaxation, as a consequence of congenital conditions such as cerebral palsy.
- Ataxia Cloak. It refers to the loss of coordination muscle in cases of cerebral palsy, Friedreich's ataxia and other similar conditions.
- Athetosis layer. Refers to conditions of loss of Balance bodily, involuntary muscle movements and problems maintaining a symmetrical posture, a consequence of conditions such as cerebral palsy or choreoathetosis.
- Cloak of visual handicap. It refers to the total or partial loss of vision, so the athletes in this category compete together with specialized guides.
- Cloak of Intellectual Disadvantage. It refers to conditions of high or severe cognitive or intellectual disability.
Like the regular Olympics, the Paralympic Games reward its most outstanding athletes with gold, silver and bronze medals, and organize them according to a complex classification system that takes into account the degree of disability and the effort made.
Characteristics of the Paralympic Games
In general, the Paralympic Games are characterized by the following:
- They are similar to the Olympic Games, but dedicated to athletes with severe disabilities of various kinds. These receive gold, silver and bronze medals depending on their sports performance.
- They cover a total of 25 sports disciplines, which vary depending on whether it is summer or winter. These disciplines are specifically designed to be practiced by athletes with a disability, which is why they often involve wheelchairs, guides for the blind, and other necessary elements.
- Athletes compete who are classified in 10 categories, depending on the type of disability they present.
- They are organized by the International Paralympic Committee, based in Bonn, Germany.
- Their symbol is a logo based on the Tae-Geuks, a traditional Korean emblem similar to the one that appears on their flag, which combined the colors red, blue, and green. Later, this logo was stylized and in 2003 its current image was approved.
- They are held every 4 years in a different city. At the beginning of each edition, the Paralympic Anthem (“Hymn of the Future”) is played, composed by Thierry Darnis and approved by the International Paralympic Committee in 1996.
Origin of the Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games seek to promote sport for people with disabilities.
The Paralympic Games are heirs to initiatives born in the mid-20th century that sought to promote sport for people with disabilities, such as the International Sports Organization for the Disabled, founded in 1964. This organization sought to become an equivalent of the IOC that organizes the International Olympic Games.
Thus, in 1982, the International Coordination Committee for Sport for the Disabled (CIC) was established. Thanks to the cooperation between these two organizations, the first Paralympic Games were held in Seoul in 1988. The success of this initiative was such that in 1989 the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was founded.
From then on, the Paralympic Games became more popular and spread internationally, and new agreements were reached with the IOC to share facilities and manage them jointly. For this reason, the Paralympic Games share the year with the traditional Olympics.
In this way, the size and diversity of the Paralympic Games increased, going from the 400 athletes from 23 countries competing in 8 sports that had the competitions in 1960, to the more than 4,200 athletes from 164 countries that currently compete in more of 20 different sports.
Modalities of the Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games have two modalities or editions, just like the regular Olympics: an edition of summer and another of winter. Depending on which one, some sports or others are practiced.
- In the Paralympic Summer Games they practice: athletics, badminton, basketball boccia, cycling, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair fencing, football-5, goalball, weightlifting, equestrian, judo, swimming, taekwondo, rowing, canoeing, wheelchair rugby, table tennis, wheelchair tennis, archery, olympic shooting, triathlon and volleyball seated.
- At the Paralympic Winter Games, biathlon, wheelchair curling, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ice hockey and snowboarding are practiced.
Difference Between Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
The difference between the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games has to do with the athletes who compete in each. The Paralympic Games are designed for those sports professionals who suffer from some type of severe disability, and who have traditionally not been represented in Olympic competitions.
Both competitions are very important and the Olympic and Paralympic Committees work hard for the equality of its athletes, so that the cities that host the Olympic Games must also host the Paralympics. Similar media coverage must also be guaranteed for both competitions.