After 1900 and 1924, the French capital will host the Paris Olympic Games for the third time in 2024, 100 years after the last ones. But the Paralympic Games have never been held in France before this year! More recent, these Games dedicated to disabled sport, only date back to 1948, with the first edition in Stoke Mandeville, where they were held until 1960. It was then that the Games in their current form took place in Rome, just after the Olympic Games, with 23 nations taking part.
The idea originally came from Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a German neurologist, who was looking for a way to speed up the recovery of his paraplegic patients, veterans of the Second World War, in a military hospital near London. He imagined sporting events for these wheelchair-bound men during the 1948 London Games, with archery and a basketball derivative.
In 1952, the Dutch joined the English, and two years later, 14 nations took part in the competition. It wasn't until the 9th Stoke Mandeville International Games that they became Paralympic. In 2001, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the IOC signed an agreement confirming that the Paralympic Games would henceforth take place after the Olympic Games, using the same facilities and the same support. The Agitos were unveiled in 2004, at the closing ceremony in Athens.
Paris, which has not hosted the Games since 1924, is concerned by this rule for the first time. From August 28 to September 8, 2024, 4,400 athletes are expected to compete in 549 events, following what promises to be a memorable opening ceremony on the Place de la Concorde. There are still many tickets available at affordable prices for those wishing to support our French athletes!
Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: all the news and information about the Olympic Games
The 2024 Paralympic Games are coming to the capital from August 28 to September 8! Here's a quick roundup of the essential news and information you need to know before the big event. Ticketing, different sports, venues, find out what you need to know! [Read more]
Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: all the news and information about the Olympic Games
