The Paralympic Games are not the Olympic Games. Different origin, different flame, unique symbol: each sporting event has its own particularities. The Olympic Games are easily recognized by the five rings representing the united continents. The Paralympic Games, on the other hand, are represented by the Agitos: three waves or commas colored red, green and blue. But where do they come from?
Did you know that the Paralympic flame always starts in England? Here's its history.
Unlike its Olympic cousin, the Paralympic flame does not originate in Greece, but in England. Discover its history, which began in 1948. [Read more]
The Paralympic Games were officially launched in Rome in 1960. The first Paralympic symbols appeared in 1988, at the Seoul Games: at the time, this motif was made up of five Tae-Geuk (a colored semicircle in the shape of a large comma, like the Yin and Yang symbol or the South Korean flag). The five commas are a direct reference to the Olympic Games, echoing their colors and positions.
In 1994, to differentiate itself from the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Committee decided to change its symbol from five to three Tae-Geuk, in green, blue and red. Finally, in 2004, the symbol was modernized, with the Tae-Geuk simplified and cut into thin commas. A final modification, in 2019, creates the Agitos as we know them today, with bright colors, rounded signs, movement and a characteristic position.
The symbol of the Paralympic Games is called "Agitos", which means"I move" in Latin. Agitos can be found on the Paralympic flag, at sports venues, and currently in emblematic places around the capital, such as theArc de Triomphe, Place de la Bastille and the Paralympic Village.
Did you know that the Paralympic flame always starts in England? Here's its history.
