This paper deals with the history and development of the Paralympic Games from their small beginnings as a competition for disabled ex-servicemen and women in England founded shortly after the Second World War to the present international festival of Summer and Winter Games organized in conjunction with the Olympic Games. Furthermore, the development of the term "Paralympic" will be explained and some major issues within the Paralympic Movement will to be shown.
The Paralympic Games are a modern-day sporting phenomenon that has grown from a small archery demonstration event many years ago to the second largest multi-sport festival on the planet after the Olympic Games. These Games for athletes with disabilities have played a major role in changing attitudes towards disability and accelerating the agenda for inclusion.
The Games trace their origins to the work of Dr Ludwig Guttmann at the National Spinal Injuries Unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire who used sport as an integral part of the treatment of paraplegic patients. The first competition for wheelchair athletes, named the Stoke Mandeville Games, was organized by him on the day of the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympic Games in 1948. These Games later became the Paralympic Games, which first took place in Italy in 1960.
The Paralympic Games are the Olympic Games for athletes with disabilities and are nowadays organized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). In the beginning, only paraplegic athletes were allowed to participate, but this has changed in the past years. Blind, visually impaired, amputees and athletes with other disabilities are also allowed to participate in the games. To be able to evaluate the athletes fairly, they are divided into so-called damage classes.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. History and Development of the Paralympic Games
2.1. Disability sport prior to the 1940s
2.2. Impact of World War II on disability sport
2.3. Development of the Stoke Mandeville Games
2.4. The birth of the Paralympic Games
2.5. The Winter Paralympic Games
3. The term “Paralympic”
4. Issues within the Paralympic Movement
4.1. Cultural or Sport Event?
4.2. Classification
4.3. Doping
4.4. Boosting
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper explores the historical origins, evolution, and contemporary challenges of the Paralympic Games. It examines the shift from a rehabilitation-focused initiative for disabled veterans to a major international sporting event, while addressing complex issues such as classification, doping, and the nature of the movement itself.
- Historical evolution of disability sports from the post-WWII era.
- Development and etymology of the term "Paralympic".
- Controversies surrounding athlete classification systems.
- Ethical challenges, including doping and the practice of "boosting".
- The ongoing transition from a cultural model to an elite sports model.
Excerpt from the Book
4.4. Boosting
In disability sport, there exists a particular doping method known as boosting. Boosting is the colloquial terminology for self-inducted autonomic dysreflexia, which is considered as a performance enhancing technique. Boosting is practised by athletes with spinal cord injuries who seek to increase their blood pressure in order to enhance performance (Harris, 1994, pp. 289-291).
Athletes with a high-level spinal injury have limited physiological potential for improvements in cardiac output and maximal oxygen uptake, which are known to improve racing performance. The loss of sympathetic cardiac innervation results is a maximum heart rate between 110 and 130 beats per minute. The restricted heart rate reserve and reduced stroke volume are further compounded by a loss of catecholamine response to exercise and by the absence of the muscular venous pump in the lower limbs. These physiological limitations lead some athletes with high-level spinal cord injuries to practise boosting (Webborn, 1999, pp. 74-75). Reported methods for boosting by athletes include for example temporarily blocking their own urinary catheter, drinking large amounts of fluids prior to their event to distend the bladder, tightening clothing and sitting for long periods of time (Brittain, 2010, p. 102). According to Grey-Thompson (2008) this method can boost performance by up to 25 per cent.
Boosting is deemed a prohibited method by the in 1994, but it was later changed to being classed as a health risk and prohibits athletes from competing in a dysreflexia state whether intentional or not (International Paralympic Committee, 2000).
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: Outlines the rise of the Paralympic Games as a modern sporting phenomenon and defines the scope of the paper, including its historical and thematic focus.
2. History and Development of the Paralympic Games: Details the origins of disability sport, the impact of WWII on rehabilitation, and the timeline from the Stoke Mandeville Games to the international Paralympic movement.
3. The term “Paralympic”: Explains the linguistic evolution and official adoption of the term "Paralympic" in relation to its Greek roots and the collaboration with the Olympic movement.
4. Issues within the Paralympic Movement: Discusses the complex challenges faced by the movement, including the debate between cultural versus sports events, classification systems, doping, and boosting.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the need to focus on athletic performance over impairment and calls for reducing societal barriers regarding disability in sports.
Keywords
Paralympic Games, Ludwig Guttmann, Disability Sport, Stoke Mandeville Games, Classification, Doping, Boosting, Autonomic Dysreflexia, Inclusion, Rehabilitation, Elite Sports, International Paralympic Committee, Paralympic Movement, Physical Impairment, Sports Integrity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work provides a comprehensive overview of the history, development, and specific ethical issues surrounding the Paralympic Games.
What are the core thematic areas discussed?
The main themes include the evolution of disability sport after World War II, the linguistic history of the term "Paralympic," and critical management issues like classification, doping, and performance-enhancing techniques.
What is the main research objective?
The paper aims to chronicle the transformation of the Games from a rehabilitation tool into a global athletic event and to analyze the ongoing struggle to define it as an elite sports competition.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The research is based on a historical and analytical review of existing literature, records, and documentation regarding the development of the Paralympic movement.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body focuses on the historical timeline starting from the 1940s, the emergence of the Winter Games, the shift in terminology, and a detailed examination of controversies such as classification errors and anti-doping regulations.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Paralympic Games, disability sport, classification, doping, boosting, and social inclusion.
How does the concept of "boosting" impact Paralympic athletes?
Boosting is a dangerous method used by some athletes with spinal cord injuries to artificially raise blood pressure for performance enhancement; it is strictly prohibited due to severe health risks.
Why is the classification system considered controversial?
Classification is difficult because it attempts to balance fair competition with the diverse nature of disabilities; it is frequently misunderstood by the public and can be vulnerable to cheating.
How did World War II influence the birth of the Paralympic movement?
The influx of war veterans with spinal cord injuries necessitated new rehabilitation methods, with Dr. Ludwig Guttmann pioneering the use of sport as a key element in patient recovery.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2020, History and Development of the Paralympic Games. Issues within the Paralympic Movement, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/991374
