Learn more about the history, symbols and values of the Paralympic Movement
The first idea of the Paralympic Games was born of a competition with World War II veterans
Agitos and the flag of the Paralympic Movement (©Getty Images/ Quinn Rooney)
The history of the Paralympic Games dates back to 1948, when World War II veterans with a spinal cord injury were gathered in a sport competition that took place at Stoke Mandeville (not by chance the name of the London 2012 Paralympic Games mascot), England. In 1960, Olympic style games for athletes with disability were organised in Rome. These can be considered the first Paralympic Games.
The Paralympic Games have always been held at the same year as the Olympic Games. But it was only at the Seoul 1988 that they have taken place at the same venues as the Olympic Games. Since the Athens 2004 Games, they are prepared by the same Organising Committee.
Paralympic Games values
On 26 November, 2011, the Rio 2016™ Paralympic Games emblem will be unveiled in front of about ten thousand people at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. The emblem will express the essence of the Rio 2016 Games – Passion and Transformation – as seen from the Paralympic movement perspective. To have a complete understanding of its meaning, it is required a brief notion about the Paralympic values.
Let’s begin at the beginning. Why are the Games called Paralympic? The term Paralympic refers to a competition held in parallel with another – the Olympic Games. The motto of the Paralympic Movement is “Spirit in motion”.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organises the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports. Its symbol and flag is formed by three “Agitos” (Latin for “I move”) of three different colours: red, blue and green. The colours are the most commonly found in the flags of nations. Circling a central point, the Agitos are a symbol of the athletes congregating from all points of the globe. IPC is also responsible for promoting the Paralympic values, which are courage, determination, inspiration and equality.
Now, you just have to wait until 26 November to know the Rio 2016™ Paralympic Games emblem. If you are going to be at Rio at the occasion, why don’t you come over Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas at 8 p.m. and watch the launch of the emblem, live?
