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What is Paralympics?
Paralympic Games or Paralympics is an international multi-sport event for athletes with a range of disabilities. The event usually takes place every two years and almost immediately after the Olympic Games. There are two versions of Paralympic games — Winter and Summer Games. All Paralympic Games are managed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Athletes who participate have a range of disabilities including impaired muscle power, hypertonia, ataxia, vision impairment, intellectual impairment, etc.
Categories Paralympic athletes compete in
Given the different types of disabilities, there are several categories for the Paralympic athletes to compete in. There are ten eligible impairment types. The categories are muscle power, impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length difference, short stature, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment and intellectual impairment. They are further broken down into different classifications depending on the sport.
Paralympics began for the first time in 1948 with a small gathering of British World War II veterans. Now it has become one of the largest international sporting events with thousands of competitors from 100 countries. Paralympians want equal treatment with non-disabled Olympic athletes but there is a huge gap in funding for Paralympic games compared to Olympic Games.
The first Paralympic Games took place in Rome in 1960. 400 athletes from 23 countries took part in the Games. It was initially open only to athletes in wheelchairs. Later in the 1976 Summer Paralympic Games, athletes with other disabilities were also included.
International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
It is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The body comprises 176 National Paralympic Committees and four disability-specific international sports federations. Currently, the IPC is headed by Brazilian sports administrator and journalist, Andrew Parsons.
The IPC manages the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. It is also the international federation for 9 sports. It regulates World Championships and other competitions for each of the 9 sports it manages.
Latest Updates on Paralympics
American executive Cindy Hook has been appointed as the inaugural CEO of the organising committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane
At the Turf 2022 and India Sports Awards of FICCI, former Ranji cricketer Sarkar Talwar was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement of the Year award on Saturday
Cheating in sports has existed as long as sports. Unfair advantage is sought by athletes and coaches to make sure they or their teams win at any cost. Here's a list of the 10 such instances
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed young paralympic champion Avani Lekhara for clinching her second gold medal at the ongoing Chateauroux 2022 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in France
Tokyo Paralympics champion Avani Lekhara secured a spot at the 2024 Paris Paralympics after winning the gold medal in the Para Shooting World Cup in women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 in France
Prachi bagged the bronze with a timing of 1:04.71 seconds behind silver medallist Brianna Hennessy of Canada (1:01.58s) and gold medallist Susan Seipel of Australia (1:01.54s)
The javelin thrower competes in the F46 events in the Paralympics and was among the four Paralympic medallists to be conferred with the Padma awards this year
In a stunning reversal, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from the Winter Paralympic Games for their countries' roles in the war in Ukraine, the International Paralympic Committee
In a Q&A, the shooting gold medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics talks about her difficult journey after a debilitating accident left the wheelchair-bound champion totally paralysed waist down
India's splendid show at the Tokyo Paralympics has inspired many people with disabilities to get into sports; here's how they can complete the exciting yet challenging journey that will get them there
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has felicitated the Para badminton players who won the medals at the recent Tokyo Paralympics and congratulated them on their spectacular performance in Tokyo.
Joins three other independent directors and one nominee director, besides Ritesh Agarwal who is the chairman
Malik was a silver-medalist at the 2016 Paralympic Games
PM presented with an autographed stole and athletes' personal gear
India's Paralympians presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an autographed stole on Thursday during a breakfast hosted by him to felicitate the contingent at his residence here.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that as the Tokyo Paralympics come to an end and winners are celebrated, all participants who gave their best must be congratulated.
The last batch of India's triumphant Paralympic athletes, including shooting sensation Avani Lekhara and shuttler-cum-bureaucrat Suhas Yathiraj, returned home
Six persons related to the Paralympic Games tested positive for Covid-19 as the sportspersons, officials, administrators, and volunteers that have gathered for the Tokyo Games left for home on Monday
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur on Sunday said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the Paralympians on their return to India
Modi said on Sunday that their feat will always have a special place in the history of Indian sports and expressed hope to build on these successes to ensure greater participation in sports.