The Paralympics are here!
While many felt this moving, healing calm from the Winter Olympics, and feel sad now that it’s over, we can anticipate the magic that is the paralympics. So many stories are yet to come out and so many moments will forever be etched into our memories. It’s exciting, and it’s always memorable. So here I am to answer all the must – knows for this year’s edition.
Where is the Paralympics being Held?
In Milano Cortino, Italy from March 6th to the 15th. The athletes use the same places and the same village (except in the next edition in Los Angeles 2028 where the paralympics will still be in L.A just in Long Beach).
How Many Events are Held?
Six sporting codes exist for para-athletes – these are wheelchair curling, alpine skiing, ice hockey, biathlon, cross country skiing, and snowboarding. However, these are held across 79 events and feature 665 athletes from around the world.
Is the Olympic Village changed for accessibility?
Absolutely! All Olympic villages function as a small village within a bigger village, with dining facilities, pharmacies, medical and recovery areas and facilities. The village is adapted for 100% accessibility, bathrooms, beds and showers are modified for the para-athletes. The villages are always situated close to the stadiums and snowboard park so that travelling is minimal and easy for all athletes. It is estimated that over 4000 meals are prepared daily in the village for the athletes and their coaches (that’s a lot of cooking!)
What does Paralympic mean?
The para in Paralympics do not stand for paraplegic as many believe, rather it stands for parallel as these games run parallel with the Olympics which come before. They run parallel to one another. The Paralympics also has its own logo, not the rings as we are used to seeing, but the agitos (a Latin word meaning “I move”). The agitos is comprised of red, blue and green crescent shapes representing courage, determination, bravery, and inspiration.
Who organises the Paralympics?
The International Paralympic Committee organises and oversees the games. All of the athletes who compete are fully elite athletes who have to qualify for the games, as any other athlete would.
The Beautiful Mascot for this year’s Paralympics!
Tina the white stoat was an absolute vibe at the Winter Olympics this year and her partner Milo, the brown stoat is the official mascot for the paralympics. While Milo is incredibly cute as a mascot, he has his own story too. He is missing a leg (or paw) and has adapted by using his tail to walk, he also loves music, plays a musical instrument and is full of energy and is mountain loving of course. The stoat is a natural predator who lives in the Italian alps, their fur changes from brown to white in Winter as they adapt to their environment. In real life, they are small, agile and incredibly sweet looking. (Anyone want to send me a mascot as a gift?)
Lastly, the controversy that follows….
The paralympics have come under fire due to the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes in this year’s edition of the paralympics. For the first time since the war with Ukraine, Russia will be allowed to compete under its own flag and this has drawn strong opposition from counties like the U.K, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Estonia and Germany. There will be tension as these nations boycott the opening and closing ceremonies in support of Ukraine, and these tensions may rise during the events.
In South Africa, you can watch the paralympics on the Olympic YouTube channel. Here is the full schedule.
