The History of Para Sports and The Paralympics

The turning point towards establishing the Paralympic Games started back in 1948. Even though the history of the Olympic Games dates back to the times of Ancient Greece and the first modern Games took place in 1896, it took quite a bit longer for the Paralympic Games to become established.

Changing Attitudes After the Second World War

During the Second World War, many war veterans experienced life-changing injuries as a result of devastating blast injuries from artillery shells, mines and fragmented shrapnel from bullets.

As a result of war veterans displaying visible injuries and increased campaigning for better care and treatment for veterans from charities such as the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association (BLESMA) – there was a gradual change in the general public's understanding of the capabilities and determination of amputees.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s Influence

If Second World War veterans were British and experienced a significant spinal injury, it’s likely they would have been admitted to the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, located in Buckinghamshire, UK.

At the time, neurologist and physician Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann was appointed director of the National Spinal Injuries Centre. Guttmann, originally from Germany, managed to escape the Nazis just before the start of the Second World War due to being persecuted for being Jewish.

While Guttmann was attending to patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, he made it his mission to improve the lives of patients through physiotherapy, rehabilitation – and alongside war veteran charities such as the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association (BLESMA), raising awareness about the capabilities and resilience of veterans, who had suffered a life-changing injury.

Guttman helped patients build strength through sporting activities such as throwing balls, then advancing onto darts, wheelchair polo, basketball, and archery. The activities soon developed into competitive games, which gave patients the chance of experiencing competitive sports once again, or for the first time in their lives.

1948 - Stoke Mandeville Games

During the Olympic Games in 1948, Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann organised a competition for patients from Stoke Mandeville Hospital to take part in their own para-athletic competition at Stoke Mandeville Stadium for wheelchair athletes. A total of 16 injured servicemen and women took part in archery. The event was a great success and went down in the history books as a major contributor towards establishing the Paralympic Games later on in the 20th century.

1952 - First International Stoke Mandeville Games

Building on the success of the first localised Stoke Mandeville Games in 1948, the first international Stoke Mandeville Games were held in 1952, where a team of British veterans took on a team of veterans from the Netherlands.

1954 - More Countries Join the International Stoke Mandeville Games

Very quickly more countries across the globe become aware of The International Stoke Mandeville Games in the UK. As a result, more and more hospitals and physicians are inspired to use sports therapy as a result of Guttmann’s work at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

In 1954, 14 countries attended the Stoke Mandeville Games including from as far afield as Australia, Egypt, and Portugal. Javelin throwing was also added to the list of sports – highlighting the inspiring physical strength of the para-athletes.

1960 - First Official Paralympic Games held in Rome, Italy

Shortly after the Olympics in 1960, the first official Paralympic Games took place in Rome, Italy. 400 para-athletes from 23 countries took part, competing in sporting events such as archery, javelin, shot put, swimming, basketball, fencing and club throwing.

1961 - National Sports Week at Stoke Mandeville

In the 1960s, despite the establishment of the Paralympic Games, competitive para games were still held at Stoke Mandeville on a national scale.

In 1961, the British Sports Association for the Disabled held its first National Sports Week, alongside the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association (BLESMA), which held its first National Sports Day at the renowned National Spinal Injuries Centre.

A majority of those who took part were war veterans who had lost at least one limb. They took part in sporting events such as ten-pin bowling, club throwing and basketball. As the archive footage from British Pathé highlights – “Maybe it’s time to change that word disabled.”

22nd September, 1989 - The International Paralympic Committee was founded

After the continued success and growing importance of the Paralympic Games, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was founded on 22nd September, 1989, in Düsseldorf, Germany, which to this day acts as the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement.

In addition, almost every year more sports are introduced to the Paralympics, including powerlifting, women’s wheelchair basketball, goalball, sitting volleyball and shooting.

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The fast and continued growth of competitive para sports are testament to how far the disability sports movement has grown since the early 20th century – and long may it continue to grow in popularity!