Winter Paralympic Games
History
The Winter Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Winter Paralympic Games are held every four years directly following the Winter Olympic Games. The Winter Paralympics are also hosted by the city that hosted the Winter Olympics.
The first Winter Paralympics were held in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. This was the first Paralympics that featured athletes other than wheelchair athletes. The Games were originally developed as a way for World War II veterans to compete.
Sports
The Winter Paralympic Games consist of 5 winter sports, divided into 80 events. The sports include Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing (which includes the biathlon and cross-country skiing), Ice sledge hockey, Wheelchair curling and Snowboarding.
Classification
Athletes at the Paralympic Games are classified according to their physical abilities to ensure fair competition. The classification system allows athletes to compete against others with a similar level of function.
Medal Table
The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) that has won the most medals at the Winter Paralympic Games is the United States, followed by Germany and Austria.
Future Games
The next Winter Paralympics will be held in Beijing, China in 2022.