winter paralympic games winter paralympic games international multi sport event athletes physical disabilities compete includes athletes mobility disabilities cerebral winter paralympic games held years directly following winter olympic games hosted city hosted winter olympics oversees medals awarded event gold medals place silver second bronze following tradition olympic games started began sweden games paralympics summer winter featured athletes wheelchair athletes games expanded grown summer games largest international sporting event olympic games given expansion need specific classification system arisen system given rise controversy opened door cheating winter convicted use forms cheating unique paralympic athletes integrity games history origins similar injured soldiers returning world war sought sports avenue healing organized sports competitions british hospitals began continued parallel olympics held rome summer olympics wheelchair athletes competed paralympic games known paralympics pioneer snow sports disabled athletes double leg austrian experimented skiing work helped pioneer technological advances people disabilities wished participate winter sports advances slow official world ski competition physically impaired athletes featuring downhill cross country skiing held held sweden february alpine skiing visually impaired athletes main events ice racing included demonstration event participating athletes countries time athletes wheelchair athletes permitted compete starting held host city summer olympic games agreement reached winter games use facilities winter olympics cheating athletes cheated representing competitive advantage use performance enhancing drugs german winter test positive won gold medals alpine events stripped medals concern facing paralympic officials technique blood pressure known increase blood pressure 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 athlete affects body impacts athlete blood pressure techniques like allowing disability categories established disability categories applying summer athletes physical disabilities able compete paralympics sport allow disability category athletes partial total loss limb cerebral athletes non progressive brain damage example cerebral traumatic brain injury stroke similar disabilities affecting muscle control balance coordination intellectual disability athletes significant intellectual functioning associated limitations behavior wheelchair athletes spinal cord injuries disabilities require compete wheelchair visually impaired athletes vision ranging partial vision sufficient judged legally blind total athletes physical disability fall strictly categories multiple limbs caused category french classifications disability categories athletes need divided according level classification systems differ sport sport systems designed open paralympic sports athletes possible participate fair competitions athletes similar levels ability closest able bodied competitions age classifications junior sports weight divisions wrestling boxing classifications vary accordance different skills required perform sport biggest challenge classification system account wide variety severity disabilities result range classification follows list winter paralympic sports general description classified alpine skiing events alpine skiing giant alpine skiing athletes following physical limitations spinal injury cerebral visual classifications seven standing athletes sitting athletes visually impaired athletes divisions defined degree athletes function need equipment ski poles etc technically included category competition place limited classifications combination cross country skiing target shooting requires physical stamina accurate shooting events open athletes physical disabilities visual classes athletes placed depending level function divisions athletes physical divisions athletes visual athletes compete finishing times entered formula disability class determine athletes finish order visually impaired athletes able compete use acoustic signals signal intensity varies depending athlete target cross country skiing cross country skiing known skiing open athletes cerebral need wheelchair visual intellectual classifications visually impaired athletes standing athletes seated athletes divisions determined similar fashion alpine skiing attention given athletes level function need devices ice ice hockey open male competitors physical disability lower body game played international hockey rules modifications athletes sit blades allow beneath use sticks spike end pushing blade end shooting athletes classified groups group athletes sitting balance major upper lower limbs group athletes sitting balance moderate athletes group good balance mild upper lower limbs wheelchair wheelchair team event athletes permanent lower limb disabilities require use wheelchair daily lives athletes cerebral multiple play use wheelchair delivery stone hand release use pole classifications event requirement athletes participating need wheelchair daily mobility officially sanctioned commonly known medal event winter paralympic games men women standing cross competitions currently recognizes broader sport classes competitors lower limb upper limb visually impaired classes currently recognized sport debut feature events athletes lower limb permitted wear events run time trial format rider course time results broad class calculated factors adjust raw times based disability classification example hypothetical athlete single knee receive adjustment start finish time lack knee functional leg result greater hypothetical athlete single knee functional sport develops classes expanded refined future list paralympic sports number different sports paralympic program point color indicates discontinued sport winter games
Winter Paralympic Games