paralympic games paralympic games major international multi sport event involving athletes range physical disabilities including impaired muscle power muscular post syndrome impaired passive range movement limb leg length difference short stature vision intellectual winter summer paralympic games summer games seoul south_korea held immediately following respective olympic games paralympic games governed paralympics grown small gathering veterans largest international sporting events early 21st century equal treatment non disabled olympic athletes large funding gap olympic paralympic athletes paralympic games organized parallel olympic games recognized special olympics world games include athletes intellectual disabilities include deaf athletes given wide variety disabilities paralympic athletes categories athletes compete disabilities broken eligible types categories impaired muscle power impaired passive range movement limb leg length difference short stature vision intellectual categories broken classifications vary sport sport classification system led cheating controversies revolving athletes stated disabilities addition use performance enhancing drugs seen events history athletes disabilities compete olympic games prior advent paralympics athlete german american artificial leg competed shooting events summer olympics right arm shoot left handed disabled athlete appear olympics prior paralympic games danish equestrian athlete contracted won silver medal event organized athletic day disabled athletes coincided olympic games took place day opening summer olympics london united_kingdom german born helped flee nazi germany hosted sports competition veteran patients spinal cord injuries games called international wheelchair games intended coincide olympics aim create elite sports competition people disabilities equivalent olympic games games held location dutch veterans took alongside british making international competition kind early competitions known games described paralympic games paralympic movement official longer open solely war veterans held rome athletes countries competed games paralympic games taken place year olympic games games initially open athletes summer games athletes different disabilities included time inclusion disability classifications summer games expanded athletes countries seoul south_korea milestone paralympic movement seoul paralympic summer games held directly olympic summer games host city facilities set precedent followed eventually agreement recently extended winter games use facilities winter olympics winter games winter paralympic games held sweden paralympics multiple categories athletes disabilities compete winter games celebrated years year summer counterpart olympics tradition upheld games france beginning games winter olympics held numbered years separate summer games recent games paralympic games designed emphasize participants athletic achievements disability recent games emphasized games ability disability movement grown dramatically early days example number athletes participating summer paralympic games increased athletes rome athletes countries beijing paralympic summer winter games recognized world stage paralympics longer held solely british war veterans athletes elite athletes wide variety disabilities world paralympics allow people special needs chance heal injuries games organization dedicated advancement athletic opportunities people disability founded founders organization intended governing body disability sports olympic games committee eventually disabled established tasked advocating rights athletes disability success cooperative effort resulted seoul determined need expand include representatives nations disability sports programs deemed necessary include athletes decisions paralympic governing body consequently body reorganized global governing body comprises disability specific international sports president great_britain capacity head member international headquarters germany responsible organizing summer winter paralympic games serves sports paralympic athletics paralympic swimming paralympic shooting paralympic alpine skiing paralympic paralympic cross country skiing ice hockey requires supervise coordinate world championships competitions sports membership includes international sporting independent sport recognized sole representative responsibilities include technical jurisdiction guidance competition training venues respective sports paralympic games recognizes media partners officials judges responsible enforcing paralympic charter cooperative relationship delegates members participate committees commissions governing bodies remain distinct separate games despite close working relationship symbols originally coined combining origins games people spinal injuries olympic inclusion disability groups meant longer considered accurate present formal explanation derives greek alongside refers competition held parallel olympic games summer games held seoul time term paralympic came official use spirit motion motto paralympic movement symbol paralympics contains colours red blue green colours widely represented flags nations colours shape latin given crescent specially designed paralympic movement circle central point symbol athletes points globe motto symbol changed current versions change intended convey idea spirit competition organization realizes potential moving forward achieve vision enable paralympic athletes achieve sporting excellence inspire world paralympic anthem hymn anthem future composed adopted official anthem march ceremonies opening mandated paralympic charter elements frame opening ceremony paralympic games rituals established summer olympics antwerp ceremony typically starts host country flag performance national anthem unlike olympic games national anthem athletes parade stadium grouped nation winter paralympics nations enter stadium according host country chosen language host country athletes enter host nation presents artistic displays music singing dance theatre representative culture speeches given formally opening games finally paralympic torch brought stadium passed reaches final torch carrier paralympic athlete host nation lights paralympic flame stadium closing closing ceremony paralympic games takes place sporting events concluded flag participating country enter followed athletes enter national distinction paralympic flag taken national flag country hosting summer winter paralympic games hoisted corresponding national anthem played games officially closed paralympic flame extinguished compulsory elements host nation briefly introduces artistic displays dance theater representative culture medal presentation medal ceremony held paralympic event concluded winner second place competitors teams stand awarded respective medals medals given member national flags raised national anthem gold country plays citizens host country act hosts medal ceremonies aid officials present medals act flag paralympic event respective medal ceremony held day event final equality relationship olympics international olympic committee signed agreement guaranteed host cities contracted manage olympic paralympic games agreement remain effect summer olympics extended encompassing summer winter games summer olympics written commitment equal access athletics people charter states charter silent discrimination specifically related disability given language charter discrimination reasonable discrimination basis disability ideals olympic charter consistent paralympic charter discrimination basis political religious economic disability gender sexual orientation racial reasons chairman london organising committee said summer paralympics summer olympics london england winter paralympic games paralympics hosted russia russia ratified period notably vancouver paralympic team topped medal table olympic team performed expectations winter olympics led media highlight contrast achievements country olympic paralympic despite greater attention funding awarded olympic athletes organizers winter paralympic games efforts host city accessible olympics paralympic athletes sought equal opportunities compete olympic games precedent set paralympic archer new_zealand competed summer olympics los_angeles oscar south african attempted qualify summer olympics legs knee races carbon blades manufactured holds paralympic world record meter event missed qualifying summer olympics meter race seconds qualified summer paralympics won gold medals meter qualified summer olympics competed events semi final metres race team came 8th final metres relay race athletes disability compete paralympics sighted guides athletes visual close essential competition athlete visual guide considered team athletes medal candidates funding criticism providing equal funding paralympic athletes compared olympic athletes example criticism lawsuit filed paralympic athletes jacob united_states alleged include athletes cited fact healthcare benefits available smaller percentage provided smaller quarterly training paid smaller financial awards medals won paralympics saw disadvantage paralympic athletes nations canada britain supported virtually equally deny funding contended fact receive government financial support result rely revenue generated media exposure athletes olympic athletic success resulted greater exposure paralympic athletic achievements case heard lower courts ruled right finances athletes different rates case appealed supreme_court september announced hear appeal time lawsuit lasted funding nearly million paralympic athletes million olympics recent paralympics supported contributions major sponsors unlike olympics arenas clean sponsor paralympics allow official sponsors displayed inside arenas uniforms media coverage olympic games experienced tremendous growth global media coverage summer olympics paralympics unable maintain consistent international media presence television broadcasts paralympic games began early coverage confined taped delay releases nation region hours live coverage available europe countries broadcast highlight packages games meaningful improvements coverage occurred summer paralympics sydney paralympics represented significant increase global media exposure paralympic games deal reached broadcast games internationally deals reached asian south american european broadcast companies distribute coverage markets possible games time efforts sydney paralympics reached global audience estimated million people significant fact organizers pay networks games games despite advances consistent media attention challenge evidenced coverage great_britain winter paralympics bbc criticized minimal coverage compared coverage winter olympics bbc announced stream content website hour highlight program games ended winter olympics bbc aired hours coverage response bbc budget constraints time zone factor necessitated limited broadcast schedule reduction coverage spite increased ratings summer paralympics watched population great_britain norway broadcast hours winter games live sport critical parts production vancouver notified issues coverage excluding shooting cross country skiing distance making hard follow progress competition far pleased production ice hockey wheelchair events felt reached level olympic games commercial broadcaster channel_4 acquired rights paralympics united_kingdom summer paralympics planned air extensive coverage games channel_4 aired hours coverage offered mobile dedicated streaming channels additional coverage sky virgin media channel_4 website channel push profile paralympics country producing minute trailer coverage meet simultaneously commercial channels july channel acquired rights summer paralympics american broadcaster owns broadcast rights olympics criticised athletes officials airing bare minimum coverage paralympics lack coverage nbc athens cause concern senior officials especially given united_states bidding games nbc produced hours tape delayed highlights games airing pay channel cover ceremonies president vocal nbc reluctance air coverage expressing disappointment american athletes viewers miss amazing images games bring remarking people think north_america lead don time caught following closing ceremonies hinted greater scrutiny broadcasters future editions paralympics strip nbc broadcast rights stating find values don fit nbc pick broadcast rights paralympics promising significantly larger coverage outside games study olympic games impact showed roughly canadian respondents percent believed paralympic olympic games vancouver canada triggered additional accessibility buildings public spaces percent employers said games increased willingness hire people disabilities chief executive officer said summer paralympics beijing china classification established disability categories athletes divided category according level functional classification system differs sport sport categories established disability categories including physical visual intellectual athletes disabilities compete paralympics sport allow disability category categories apply summer physical different types physical impaired muscle power category force generated muscles muscles limb body lower half body reduced spinal cord injury impaired passive range movement range movement joints reduced systematic way acute conditions included loss limb limb total partial absence bones joints partial total loss illness trauma limb difference significant bone shortening occurs leg trauma short stature standing height reduced shortened legs arms trunk deficit bone structures marked abnormal increase muscle tension reduced ability muscle stretch result injury disease conditions involve damage central nervous system cerebral consists lack coordination muscle movements cerebral generally characterized movements difficulty maintaining symmetrical posture cerebral visual ranging partial vision sufficient judged legally blind total includes component visual system eye structure nerve visual sighted guides athletes visual close essential competition athlete visual guide considered team beginning guides sighted football eligible receive medals intellectual disability athletes significant intellectual functioning associated limitations behaviour primarily serves athletes physical disabilities disability group added paralympic games includes elite athletes intellectual disabilities diagnosed age recognized special olympics world games open people intellectual disabilities classification system disability categories athletes need divided according level classification systems differ sport sport intended open sports athletes possible participate fair competitions athletes similar levels ability biggest challenge classification system account wide variety severity disabilities consequently range classifications medical classification 1980s inception 1980s paralympic system classifying athletes consisted medical evaluation diagnosis athlete medical condition factor determine class competed example athlete spinal cord injury resulted lower limb compete wheelchair race athlete double knee fact disability caused factor classification determination consideration medical diagnosis views disabled athletics shifted form rehabilitation end classification system changed medical diagnosis focus functional abilities athlete functional classification 1980s clear date shift occurred functional classification system norm disabled athletic classification 1980s functional system focus effect athlete athletic performance system athletes total loss function legs compete sports functional loss reason loss exception functional system classification format uses medically based system sports held certain disability types example visually impaired athletes paralympics recognizes different grades visual consequently competitors wear black mask athletes visual advantage sports like athletics open athletes wide variety athletics participants broken range classes based disability placed classification range based level example classes visually impaired athletes class depends level visual team competitions wheelchair rugby members team given point value based activity limitation lower score indicates severe activity limitation higher score team certain maximum total points field play time ensure equal competition example wheelchair rugby players combined disability number total points sports sports program sports program sports events example alpine skiing downhill super combined super giant governance sports international organizations known notably govern sports specific certain disability groups national chapters including responsible recruitment athletes governance sports national level controversy cheating sydney games spanish basketball player alleged members gold medal winning spanish basketball disabled team disabled claimed athletes member team met qualifications disabled athlete controversy ensued called launch investigation investigation uncovered spanish athletes rules interview president federation oversees competition admitted athletes world breaking eligibility rules responded starting investigation results investigation confirmed spanish athlete allegations determined incident isolated basketball event spanish athletes result competitions suspended indefinitely ban lifted games work criteria controls governing admission athletes intellectual disabilities sports swimming athletics table tennis rowing anticipated hold competitions athletes summer paralympics paralympics use games beijing german basketball player banned having tested positive banned substances decrease comparison track athlete banned games german winter test positive won gold medals medals stripped positive drug test winter olympics vancouver swedish tested positive banned substance suspended months removed rest competition team allowed continue year old said doctor prescribed medication banned substances list concern facing paralympic officials technique athletes artificially increase blood pressure self shown improve performance effective endurance sports cross country skiing increase blood pressure athletes deliberately cause trauma limbs spinal injury trauma include breaking bones tightly high pressured compression injury affect athlete blood pressure potential concern use gene therapy paralympic athletes paralympic athletes banned enhancing abilities gene extremely difficult differentiate concepts currently researching gene gene therapy boundary closely related concepts working ensure compliance anti code paralympic athletes promised continue increasing number athletes tested games order minimize possible effect paralympic sports mandatory competition testing implemented ensure athletes performing compliance regulations notable champions achievements united_states decorated history competed blind swimming events won total medals gold paralympic career spanned years alternate american olympic swim team olympics boycott united_states allies norway holds record medals won winter paralympic games competing variety events won total medals gold winning gold medals games retired age archer new_zealand competitor participate olympic games competed summer olympics los_angeles placed thirty fourth olympic competition won paralympic gold medal event host cities
Paralympic Games