The Paralympic Games or Paralympics are a periodic series of international multi-sport events 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 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, are held almost immediately following the respective Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Cheating at the Paralympic Games has caused scandals that have significantly changed the way in which the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) manages the events.
Jordan first participated at the Paralympic Games in 1984, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Paralympic Games since then, with the exception of the 1992 Summer Paralympics. The nation has never participated in the Winter Paralympic Games.
Lucy Ogechukwu Ejike is a Nigerian Paralympic powerlifter. She has represented her country at five consecutive Paralympic Games from 2000 in Sydney through to 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. She has won medals at each, three gold and two silver. she won a further silver medal at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth games women's lightweight category of the Para Powerlifting event behind compatriot Esther Oyema. She competed in 2021 in Manchester at the World Championships.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has participated in every summer and winter Paralympic Games.
The United Arab Emirates started actively participating in the Paralympic community during the 1990s. They made their debut at the 1992 Summer Paralympics. Since that time, they have won several Paralympic medals. The country had their debut on the international Paralympic stage at the 1990 Stoke Mandeville Games. Some of the country's Paralympic competitors are internationally ranked. The United Arab Emirates have competed at several other Paralympic events including the Arab Paralympic Games, Asian Paralympic Games, IWAS World Games, Stoke Mandeville Games, and World Semi-Olympic Championship. The United Arab Emirates Paralympic Committee is the national organisation, gaining its International Paralympic Committee recognition in 1995 and have subsequently made winning medals and hosting events a priority.
A team representing Ireland has competed at every Summer Paralympic Games but the country has never taken part in the Winter Paralympics. Irish athletes have won 178 Summer Paralympic medals, 47 gold, 57 silver and 74 bronze. Paralympics Ireland is the National Paralympic Committee. Athletes from Northern Ireland may compete for either Great Britain or Ireland at the Paralympics, on the same basis as at the Olympics.
The Philippines made its Paralympic Games debut at the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul and has been fielding athletes up to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games. Powerlifter Adeline Dumapong won her country's first Paralympic medal when she took the bronze medal in the Up to 82.5 kg event, lifting 110 kg in the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games.
Great Britain competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, from 29 August to 9 September 2012 as the host nation. A total of 288 athletes were selected to compete along with 13 other team members such as sighted guides. The country finished third in the medals table, behind China and Russia, winning 120 medals in total; 34 gold, 43 silver and 43 bronze. Multiple medallists included cyclist Sarah Storey and wheelchair athlete David Weir, who won four gold medals each, and swimmer Stephanie Millward who won a total of five medals. Storey also became the British athlete with the most overall medals, 22, and equal-most gold medals, 11, in Paralympic Games history.
Australia competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Games in London, United Kingdom from 29 August to 9 September 2012. The London Games were the biggest Games with 164 nations participating, 19 more than in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic. Australia has participated at every Summer Paralympic Games and hosted the 2000 Sydney Games. As such, the 2000 Sydney Games, regarded as one of the more successful Games, became a point-of-reference and an inspiration in the development of the 2012 London Games.
Haiti competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom from August 29 to September 9, 2012.
Burkina Faso sent a delegation to the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, from 29 August to 9 September 2012. This was the country's fifth appearance at a Summer Paralympic Games. The Burkinese delegation to London consisted of two athletes, Lassane Gasbeogo and Kadidia Nikiema, who competed in wheelchair cycling at the Brands Hatch race circuit in Kent. Neither athlete won any medals in their respective events, with the best finish of Burkina Faso at these Paralympics coming from Nikiema in the women's road trial H3 race with a sixth-place result.
Djibouti made its Paralympic Games début at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, from August 29 to September 9. The country was represented by a single athlete in middle distance running, their first Paralympian. Houssein Omar Hassan did poorly in his heat due to an ankle injury, and did not win a medal. Despite not winning a medal, he was cheered on by the crowd as he ran alone on the track for two laps.
Egypt competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom from August 29 to September 9, 2012. Egypt made their debut at the Paralympic Games in 1972. Since their debut Egypt have won 165 medals. Egypt's most successful appearance at the Paralympic Games was in Atlanta in 1980, winning 30 medals.
Kenya competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom from August 29 to September 9, 2012, where they were represented by thirteen athletes who won six medals at these games, two gold, two silver and two bronze. All the country's Paralympians competed in athletics. Kenya had originally qualified a larger team, and in more sports like powerlifting and rowing.
Nigeria competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom from 29 August – 9 September 2012. Nigerian Paralympians combined won more medals than their Olympic counterparts in London, winning 6 golds, 5 silvers and 2 bronze medals.
A number of notable controversies and concerns associated with the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, UK were the subject of public debate and media commentary.
Great Britain and Northern Ireland competed, under the name Great Britain, at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016. The first places for which the team qualified were for six athletes in sailing events.
Powerlifting in Cameroon is one of several para-sports in Cameroon for people with physical disabilities. The sport is represented nationally at the University Games.
James Brown is a former Northern Irish paralympic-cyclist, who competed for Great Britain, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. He is visually impaired and participated in five Paralympic Games in various sports. Brown earned two gold medals at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in athletics and a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in the men's road time trial with sighted pilot Damien Shaw.
