The Paralympics is an international multi-sport event involving athletes with a range of disabilities, including impaired muscle power, impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length difference, short stature, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment and intellectual impairment. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea, are held almost immediately following the respective Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports. Founded on 22 September 1989 in Düsseldorf, Germany, its mission is to "enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world". Furthermore, the IPC wants to promote the Paralympic values and to create sport opportunities for all persons with a disability, from beginner to elite level.
The 2010 Winter Paralympics, officially the X Paralympic Winter Games, or the tenth Winter Paralympics, were held in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada from March 12 to 21, 2010. The Opening Ceremony took place in BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the Closing Ceremony in Whistler. With a theme of "One Inspires Many," the Opening Ceremony featured over 5000 local performers. Fifteen-year-old snowboarder Zach Beaumont, who is an amputee, was the final torch bearer and lit the Games Cauldron. The 2 hours live ceremony was produced by Vancouver-based Patrick Roberge Productions Inc.
Bids for Olympic Games is the process where National Olympic Committees select from within their national territory cities to put forward bids to host an Olympic Games. The staging of the Paralympic Games is automatically included in the bid. Since the creation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, which successfully appropriated the name of the Ancient Greek Olympics to create a modern sporting event, interested cities have rivaled for selection as host of the Summer or Winter Olympic Games.
Belgium has competed at most editions of the Olympic Games after making its first appearance at the 1900 Games. The nation was host to the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp.
Liechtenstein made its Paralympic Games début at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in Stoke Mandeville and New York City, entering just one athlete in athletics. The country competed again at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Games, and at the 1992 and 1994 Winter Games. It was then absent from the Paralympics until the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, where it sent just one table tennis player, Peter Frommelt. Liechtenstein was absent from the 2006 and 2010 Winter Games and the 2008 Summer Games.
Greece, the birthplace of the Ancient Olympic Games that hosted the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics, did not compete in the Summer Paralympics until 1976 and in the Winter Paralympics until 2002, but since then the Greeks have taken part in every edition of both events. Although the Greek delegation traditionally enters first during the parade of nations at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, this tradition does not apply to the Paralympics, where Greece enters within alphabetical order. The National Paralympic Committee for Greece is the Hellenic Paralympic Committee.
Yugoslavia made its Paralympic Games début at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg. It did not compete at the 1976 Summer Games, but did take part in the inaugural Winter Paralympics that year in Örnsköldsvik. In 1980, 1984 and 1988, it took part in both the Summer and Winter Games.
Armenia made its Paralympic Games début at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, with just two entries: Gagik Gasparian in powerlifting, and a four-person team in the mixed crewboat event in sailing. Two years later, Armenia made its Winter Paralympics début, with eight competitors in alpine skiing. The country has participated in every subsequent event of both the Summer and Winter Paralympics, although its delegations have generally been small.
Belgium made its Paralympic Games début at the inaugural Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960, and has participated in every edition of the Summer Paralympics. It also took part in the inaugural Winter Paralympics in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik, and has competed in every edition of the Winter Games except 1980, 1998 and 2002.
Belgium participated in the 1994 Winter Paralympics in Lillehammer, Norway. The country sent two competitors, both in alpine skiing. They entered a total of seven events between them.
Belgium sent a delegation to compete at the 1984 Winter Paralympics, in Innsbruck, Austria.
Ukraine made its Paralympic Games début at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, with thirty athletes competing in archery, track and field, powerlifting, swimming, and sitting volleyball. Vasyl Lishchynskyy won Ukraine's first Paralympic gold medal, in the shot put, and Ukrainians also won four silver medals and two bronze. Ukrainians had previously participated within the Soviet Union's delegation in 1988, and as part of the Unified Team in 1992. Ukraine, following its independence from the Soviet Union, missed out on the 1994 Winter Games, but made its Winter Paralympics début at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano. Ukraine has competed at every edition of the Summer and Winter Games since then and have done so with remarkable success.
Belgium competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia from 7 to 23 February 2014. The team consisted of seven athletes in five sports, one less than in 2010. The goal of the team was a few top-8 performances.
Belgium sent a delegation to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, held between 7–16 March 2014. This was Belgium's eighth time participating in the Winter Paralympic Games. The Belgian delegation consisted of two athletes, Jasper Balcaen in alpine skiing, and Denis Colle, a snowboarder, which was considered a discipline of alpine skiing for these Paralympics. Their best performance in any event was 6th by Colle in the snowboard cross.
Belgium competed at the 1992 Winter Paralympics in Tignes/Albertville, France. 3 competitors from Belgium won no medals and so did not place in the medal table.
Belgium competed at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, held from 9 to 18 March 2018.
Belgium competed at the 1976 Winter Paralympics in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. 5 competitors from Belgium won 0 medals and finished 10th in the medal table.
Belgium competed at the 1988 Winter Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria. 2 competitors from Belgium won 0 medals and finished 16th in the medal table.
