Paralympic Games: A Comprehensive Overview

The Paralympic Games trace their origins to 1948, when Dr. Ludwig Guttmann organized the International Wheelchair Games at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, UK, for British World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries, coinciding with the 1948 London Olympics. Initially called the Stoke Mandeville Games, they became international in 1952 with Dutch and Israeli participation. The first official Paralympic Games, retroactively designated, were held in 1960 in Rome, Italy, with 400 athletes from 23 countries, organized by Dr. Antonio Maglio and funded by Italy’s Workers National Accident Insurance Fund. The Winter Paralympics began in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. Since 1988 (Seoul Summer Games), the Paralympics have been held in the same host city as the Olympics, formalized by an IPC-IOC agreement in 2001, extended to 2032.

Countries Where the Paralympic Games Are Held (Host Countries)

The Paralympic Games have been hosted in 19 cities across 12 countries for Summer Games and 10 cities across 8 countries for Winter Games (1960–2024), with future editions planned through 2034. The United States has hosted the most (5 times: 3 Summer, 2 Winter), followed by Canada and Italy (3 times each). Below is a list of host cities:

Summer Paralympic Host Cities

Winter Paralympic Host Cities

Key Notes: The United States leads in hosting Summer Paralympics, while Norway and Austria are prominent in Winter Paralympics. The 2020 Tokyo Games were postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 but retained the 2020 title. No African or South American country has hosted, though Brazil’s 2016 Rio Games marked South America’s first Paralympics. The 1984 Summer Paralympics were uniquely split between New York and Stoke Mandeville due to logistical issues.

Which Games (Sports) Are Included?

The Paralympic Games feature 22 Summer sports and 6 Winter sports, covering various events tailored to athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual impairments. Sports are adapted with classifications to ensure fair competition across 10 impairment types (e.g., impaired muscle power, visual impairment, intellectual disability). Below is the current list of Paralympic sports (2024 Paris Summer and 2022 Beijing Winter):

Summer Paralympic Sports

1. Archery
2. Athletics
3. Badminton
4. Boccia
5. Canoe Sprint
6. Cycling (Road, Track)
7. Equestrian
8. Football 5-a-Side
9. Goalball
10. Judo
11. Powerlifting
12. Rowing
13. Shooting
14. Sitting Volleyball
15. Swimming
16. Table Tennis
17. Taekwondo
18. Triathlon
19. Wheelchair Basketball
20. Wheelchair Fencing
21. Wheelchair Rugby
22. Wheelchair Tennis

Winter Paralympic Sports

1. Alpine Skiing
2. Biathlon
3. Cross-Country Skiing
4. Para Ice Hockey
5. Snowboard
6. Wheelchair Curling

Key Notes: Sports like boccia, goalball, and football 5-a-side are Paralympic-specific, designed for specific impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy, visual impairment). Badminton and taekwondo were added in 2020. Classifications (e.g., S1–S10 in swimming, T11–T13 in athletics) ensure equitable competition based on impairment severity.

Which Events Occurred in the Past but Not Now?

• Discontinued Events:
  • Wheelchair Slalom (1964–1988): A timed obstacle course for wheelchair users, discontinued due to limited global participation.
  • Wrestling (1980–1984): Removed due to low participation and safety concerns.
  • Basketball ID (1996–2000): Suspended after 2000 due to cheating scandals (e.g., Spanish team falsifying intellectual disability status); not reinstated.
  • Sailing (1996–2016): Dropped post-2016 due to insufficient global reach to meet IPC criteria.
  • Weightlifting (1964–1992, men only): Evolved into powerlifting, which remains active.
  • Lawn Bowls (1968–1988, 1996): Discontinued due to limited international appeal.
• Current Events (Recent Additions):
  • Badminton (2020–present): Introduced to expand racket sports.
  • Taekwondo (2020–present): Added for combat sport diversity.
  • Canoe Sprint (2016–present): Expanded water-based events.
  • Triathlon (2016–present): Added to reflect endurance sport trends.

Key Notes: The IPC limits sports based on global participation and universality. Discontinued sports like sailing may return if they meet IPC criteria (e.g., 2028 Los Angeles). Intellectual disability events were reintroduced in 2012 (athletics, swimming, table tennis, rowing) after tightened eligibility controls.

Till Now, India’s Position

India has participated in 13 Summer Paralympics (1968–2024) and no Winter Paralympics, ranking 49th in the all-time Summer Paralympic medal table (as of 2024 Paris):

• Medals: 12 Gold, 14 Silver, 17 Bronze (Total: 43).
• Highlights: India’s best performance was in 2020 Tokyo (19 medals: 5 Gold, 8 Silver, 6 Bronze). In 2024 Paris, India won 29 medals (7 Gold, 9 Silver, 13 Bronze), their highest tally, with standout performances in athletics (17 medals) and badminton (5 medals). Avani Lekhara (shooting) and Sumit Antil (javelin) are notable multiple gold medalists.

All-Time Top 10 Summer Paralympic Medal Table (as of 2024):

Winter Paralympics: India has not competed due to limited winter sports infrastructure and no medals.

Members (Participating Nations) with Website Links

As of 2024, 178 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) are recognized by the IPC, including 167 sovereign states, 8 dependencies, 2 IOC-specific teams (Refugee Olympic Team, Individual Neutral Athletes), and Chinese Taipei. Below is a list of NPCs with their official websites (where available):

• Afghanistan: Afghanistan Paralympic Committee
• Albania: Albanian Paralympic Committee
• Algeria: Algerian Paralympic Committee
• American Samoa: American Samoa Paralympic Committee
• Andorra: Andorran Paralympic Committee
• Angola: Angolan Paralympic Committee
• Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua and Barbuda Paralympic Committee
• Argentina: Argentine Paralympic Committee
• Armenia: Armenian Paralympic Committee
• Aruba: Aruban Paralympic Committee
• Australia: Paralympics Australia
• Austria: Austrian Paralympic Committee
• Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan Paralympic Committee
• Bahamas: Bahamas Paralympic Committee
• Bahrain: Bahrain Paralympic Committee
• Bangladesh: Bangladesh Paralympic Association
• Barbados: Paralympic Association of Barbados
• Belgium: Belgian Paralympic Committee
• Belize: Belize Paralympic Association
• Benin: Benin Paralympic Committee
• Bermuda: Bermuda Paralympic Association
• Bhutan: Bhutan Paralympic Committee
• Bolivia: Bolivian Paralympic Committee
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Paralympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana: Botswana Paralympic Committee
• Brazil: Brazilian Paralympic Committee
• British Virgin Islands: British Virgin Islands Paralympic Association
• Brunei Darussalam: Brunei Paralympic Committee
• Bulgaria: Bulgarian Paralympic Association
• Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso Paralympic Committee
• Burundi: Burundi Paralympic Committee
• Cambodia: Cambodia National Paralympic Committee
• Cameroon: Cameroon Paralympic Committee
• Canada: Canadian Paralympic Committee
• Cape Verde: Cape Verde Paralympic Committee
• Cayman Islands: Cayman Islands Paralympic Committee
• Central African Republic: Central African Paralympic Committee
• Chad: Chadian Paralympic Committee
• Chile: Chilean Paralympic Committee
• China: China Administration of Sports for Persons with Disabilities
• Chinese Taipei: Chinese Taipei Paralympic Committee
• Colombia: Colombian Paralympic Committee
• Comoros: Comoros Paralympic Committee
• Congo: Congo Paralympic Committee
• Cook Islands: Cook Islands Paralympic Committee
• Costa Rica: Costa Rican Paralympic Committee
• Croatia: Croatian Paralympic Committee
• Cuba: Cuban Paralympic Committee
• Cyprus: Cyprus Paralympic Committee
• Czech Republic: Czech Paralympic Committee
• Democratic Republic of the Congo: DR Congo Paralympic Committee
• Denmark: Paralympic Committee Denmark
• Djibouti: Djibouti Paralympic Committee
• Dominica: Dominica Paralympic Committee
• Dominican Republic: Dominican Republic Paralympic Committee
• Ecuador: Ecuadorian Paralympic Committee
• Egypt: Egyptian Paralympic Committee
• El Salvador: El Salvador Paralympic Committee
• Equatorial Guinea: Equatorial Guinea Paralympic Committee
• Eritrea: Eritrean Paralympic Committee
• Estonia: Estonian Paralympic Committee
• Eswatini: Eswatini Paralympic Committee
• Ethiopia: Ethiopian Paralympic Committee
• Fiji: Fiji Paralympic Association
• Finland: Finnish Paralympic Committee
• France: French Paralympic and Sports Committee
• Gabon: Gabonese Paralympic Committee
• Gambia: Gambia Paralympic Committee
• Georgia: Georgian Paralympic Committee
• Germany: German Paralympic Committee
• Ghana: Ghana Paralympic Committee
• Great Britain: British Paralympic Association
• Greece: Hellenic Paralympic Committee
• Grenada: Grenada Paralympic Committee
• Guam: Guam Paralympic Committee
• Guatemala: Guatemalan Paralympic Committee
• Guinea: Guinea Paralympic Committee
• Guinea-Bissau: Guinea-Bissau Paralympic Committee
• Guyana: Guyana Paralympic Committee
• Haiti: Haitian Paralympic Committee
• Hong Kong, China: Hong Kong Paralympic Committee
• Hungary: Hungarian Paralympic Committee
• Iceland: Icelandic Paralympic Committee
• India: Paralympic Committee of India
• Indonesia: Indonesian Paralympic Committee
• Iran: IR Iran Paralympic Committee
• Iraq: Iraq Paralympic Committee
• Ireland: Paralympics Ireland
• Israel: Israel Paralympic Committee
• Italy: Italian Paralympic Committee
• Jamaica: Jamaica Paralympic Association
• Japan: Japan Paralympic Committee
• Jordan: Jordan Paralympic Committee
• Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan Paralympic Committee
• Kenya: Kenya Paralympic Committee
• Kiribati: Kiribati Paralympic Committee
• Kosovo: Kosovo Paralympic Committee
• Kuwait: Kuwait Paralympic Committee
• Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstan Paralympic Committee
• Laos: Lao Paralympic Committee
• Latvia: Latvian Paralympic Committee
• Lebanon: Lebanese Paralympic Committee
• Lesotho: Lesotho Paralympic Committee
• Liberia: Liberia Paralympic Committee
• Libya: Libyan Paralympic Committee
• Liechtenstein: Liechtenstein Paralympic Committee
• Lithuania: Lithuanian Paralympic Committee
• Luxembourg: Luxembourg Paralympic Committee
• Madagascar: Malagasy Paralympic Committee
• Malawi: Malawi Paralympic Committee
• Malaysia: Malaysia Paralympic Council
• Maldives: Maldives Paralympic Committee
• Mali: Mali Paralympic Committee
• Malta: Malta Paralympic Committee
• Marshall Islands: Marshall Islands Paralympic Committee
• Mauritania: Mauritania Paralympic Committee
• Mauritius: Mauritius Paralympic Committee
• Mexico: Mexican Paralympic Committee
• Micronesia: Micronesia Paralympic Committee
• Moldova: Moldova Paralympic Committee
• Monaco: Monaco Paralympic Committee
• Mongolia: Mongolian Paralympic Committee
• Montenegro: Montenegrin Paralympic Committee
• Morocco: Moroccan Paralympic Committee
• Mozambique: Mozambique Paralympic Committee
• Myanmar: Myanmar Paralympic Committee
• Namibia: Namibia Paralympic Committee
• Nauru: Nauru Paralympic Committee
• Nepal: Nepal Paralympic Committee
• Netherlands: Dutch Paralympic Committee
• New Zealand: Paralympics New Zealand
• Nicaragua: Nicaraguan Paralympic Committee
• Niger: Niger Paralympic Committee
• Nigeria: Nigeria Paralympic Committee
• North Macedonia: North Macedonia Paralympic Committee
• Norway: Norwegian Paralympic Committee
• Oman: Oman Paralympic Committee
• Pakistan: Pakistan Paralympic Committee
• Palau: Palau Paralympic Committee
• Palestine: Palestine Paralympic Committee
• Panama: Panamanian Paralympic Committee
• Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea Paralympic Committee
• Paraguay: Paraguayan Paralympic Committee
• Peru: Peruvian Paralympic Committee
• Philippines: Philippine Paralympic Committee
• Poland: Polish Paralympic Committee
• Portugal: Paralympic Committee of Portugal
• Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Paralympic Committee
• Qatar: Qatar Paralympic Committee
• Romania: Romanian Paralympic Committee
• Rwanda: Rwanda Paralympic Committee
• Saint Kitts and Nevis: St. Kitts and Nevis Paralympic Committee
• Saint Lucia: Saint Lucia Paralympic Committee
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: St. Vincent and the Grenadines Paralympic Committee
• Samoa: Samoa Paralympic Committee
• San Marino: San Marino Paralympic Committee
• São Tomé and Príncipe: São Tomé and Príncipe Paralympic Committee
• Saudi Arabia: Saudi Paralympic Committee
• Senegal: Senegalese Paralympic Committee
• Serbia: Serbian Paralympic Committee
• Seychelles: Seychelles Paralympic Committee
• Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone Paralympic Committee
• Singapore: Singapore Disability Sports Council
• Slovakia: Slovak Paralympic Committee
• Slovenia: Slovenian Paralympic Committee
• Solomon Islands: Solomon Islands Paralympic Committee
• Somalia: Somali Paralympic Committee
• South Africa: South African Sports Confederation and Paralympic Committee
• South Korea: Korea Paralympic Committee
• South Sudan: South Sudan Paralympic Committee
• Spain: Spanish Paralympic Committee
• Sri Lanka: National Paralympic Committee of Sri Lanka
• Sudan: Sudan Paralympic Committee
• Suriname: Suriname Paralympic Committee
• Sweden: Swedish Paralympic Committee
• Switzerland: Swiss Paralympic Committee
• Syria: Syrian Paralympic Committee
• Tajikistan: Tajikistan Paralympic Committee
• Tanzania: Tanzania Paralympic Committee
• Thailand: Paralympic Committee of Thailand
• Timor-Leste: Timor-Leste Paralympic Committee
• Togo: Togo Paralympic Committee
• Tonga: Tonga Paralympic Committee
• Trinidad and Tobago: Trinidad and Tobago Paralympic Committee
• Tunisia: Tunisian Paralympic Committee
• Turkey: Turkish Paralympic Committee
• Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan Paralympic Committee
• Tuvalu: Tuvalu Paralympic Committee
• Uganda: Uganda Paralympic Committee
• Ukraine: National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates: UAE Paralympic Committee
• United States: United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
• Uruguay: Uruguayan Paralympic Committee
• Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan Paralympic Committee
• Vanuatu: Vanuatu Paralympic Committee
• Venezuela: Venezuelan Paralympic Committee
• Vietnam: Vietnam Paralympic Association
• Virgin Islands, US: US Virgin Islands Paralympic Committee
• Yemen: Yemen Paralympic Committee
• Zambia: Zambia Paralympic Committee
• Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Paralympic Committee
• Refugee Paralympic Team: IPC Refugee Paralympic Team
• Individual Neutral Athletes: No dedicated website (IPC-managed)

Notes:

• Links are sourced from the IPC website (paralympic.org/national-paralympic-committees) as of October 24, 2025.
• Russia’s NPC is suspended (2016–present); athletes compete as Individual Neutral Athletes under IPC conditions.
• Some NPCs lack dedicated websites; links redirect to the IPC’s NPC directory.

All Games in Paralympic Games: Regulatory Bodies and Official Links (National/International)

Each Paralympic sport is governed by an International Federation (IF) or the IPC directly, with regional and national federations (e.g., India) managing local events. Below is the list of Paralympic sports with their regulatory bodies and links (international and Indian national as an example).

Notes:

• Links are current as of October 24, 2025, sourced from IPC and IF websites.
• For sports like boccia, goalball, judo, triathlon, and wheelchair basketball, where Indian federations lack dedicated websites, the Paralympic Committee of India (paralympicindia.org.in) or Sports Authority of India (sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in) is used.
• Winter sports in India are managed by the Winter Games Federation of India or Ice Hockey Association of India due to limited infrastructure.
• For other countries’ national federations, refer to respective NPC websites or IPC’s directory: paralympic.org/national-paralympic-committees.