The Paralympics & its Origins

    Para is a prefix implying multiple connotations, often defined as "next-to" or "side-by-side" by the Greeks. In this instance, the meaning of the Paralympics, when compared to the Olympics, refers to the games being side by side with each other, or simply, parallel. I believe this is due to the capabilities of the athletes in the Paralympics versus the Olympics. The Olympics displays athletes without conditions that cause them to play their sport differently. Paralympics, which have competitors with physical and intellectual inabilities, still showcases athletes competing in sports, but not to the extent that Olympic athletes do. While both games exhibit athletes contending, they can't engage in the same sport, making them parallel with those in the Olympics. 

    For some time, the Paralympics wasn't a concept one would fathom. Many individuals who were disabled either physically or intellectually were often ostracized in their community or looked down upon. Post World War II encountered the highest amount of people with injuries. The most common impairment soldiers faced was spinal injuries, leaving many disabled. Society, at the time, was quick to label these people as incapable, however, Dr. Ludwig Guttman thought otherwise. Dr. Guttman saw these people and knew they could be so much more, thus he encouraged movement to help with rehabilitation. These activities became games his patients participated in annually, and later became known as the Paralympics. Today, these games are nearly as big as the Olympics. With over 4,000 athletes participating in these games, it's considered the biggest disability movement. 

    Not only did these games enhance medical efforts and raise life expectancy, but they also restored hope and a sense of purpose for people who felt unsalvageable. Dr. Anjali J. Forber Pratt in her presentation regarding the Paralympic movement discussed instances where people who participated in these games were accepted by their community when representing their countries (2018). She also acknowledged that the Paralympics encourages the inclusion of people with disabilities. Showing society that these people have the same capabilities as those in the Olympics disproves the idea that they can't achieve. The Paralympics revitalized a population of people that lost their hope in themselves and pushed society to accept these differences.

    The origins of the Paralympics wouldn't have come to be without Dr. Guttman's push for autonomy among the disabled post-World War II. The Stoke Mandeville Games have grown enormously since then, making the Paralympics something to achieve for the disabled. These people have risen to the challenge despite setbacks, and the world cheered them on while doing so. 

Citation: 

The Paralympic movement. YouTube. (2018, October 15). Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://youtu.be/_u7EFpMonrg