The Paralympics is a major 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).
Four athletes from East Timor competed as Individual Olympic Athletes at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Tonga has competed in eight editions of the Olympic Summer Games and two of the Olympic Winter Games. Tonga became the smallest independent nation to have won an Olympic medal in the Summer games when Super Heavyweight Boxer Paea Wolfgramm earned silver in the 1996 Super heavyweight 91 kg championships in Atlanta.
Tonga competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, that celebrated in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. Tonga was represented by the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee, and was one of 117 nations that won no medals at the Games. Tonga was represented by three athletes competing in two sports–Aisea Tohi and Ana Po'uhila in track and field events, and Maamaloa Lolohea in weightlifting. The delegation's appearance at the Olympics marked its seventh consecutive appearance at the Olympics since its debut at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The flag bearer for Tonga in Beijing was field athlete Ana Po'uhila.
Tonga sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China.
Tonga sent a delegation to compete at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, Greece. The country was represented by a single athlete, Alailupe Valeti, who competed in a shot put event for visually impaired athletes.
Macau's Paralympic Committee was founded in 1979, and the territory first competed at the Summer Paralympic Games in 1988. It has competed in every edition of the Summer Games since then, but has never participated in the Winter Paralympic Games.
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.
Zambia made its Paralympic Games début at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, with a single athlete competing in men's track and field. In 2000, Zambia had two representatives, once more in track and field. The country was absent from the 2004 Games, but sent one representative in 2008.
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.
East Timor first sent competitors to the Paralympic Games for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. The country at that time was not yet recognised as a sovereign state, and its athletes participated as "Individual Paralympic Athletes". There were only two: Alcino Pereira in track & field, in the men's 5,000m race ; and Mateus Lukas in men's powerlifting, in the up to 48 kg category. Pereira failed to complete his race, while Lukas lifted 105 kg, finishing 13th and last of the athletes who successfully lifted a weight in his category.
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.
Ivory Coast competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics. The country, competing at only their second Paralympic Games, was represented by 2 male athletes. These were the country's second appearance at the Paralympic Games.
Tunisia competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia from August 29 to September 9, 2000.[1] This was the nation's fourth appearance at the Summer Paralympics since 1988. The Tunisian Paralympic Committee sent a total of 10 athletes to the Games, 8 men and 2 women to compete in Athletics only. Tunisia left Sydney with a total of 11 Paralympic medals.
Tonga participated in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom, from August 29 to September 9, 2012. Their participation marked their fourth consecutive Summer Paralympics appearance since their début at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. Tonga was represented by the Tonga National Paralympic Committee, and was one of the 45 participating countries that sent only a single athlete. Tonga has always sent only a single athlete from Sydney 2000 to London 2012. Tonga National Paralympic Committee sent a delegation of three people, including one athlete. The sole athlete to represent the nation was ʻAloʻalo Liku, who participated in javelin and discus throw. Liku was the country's flag-bearer during the Games' opening ceremony. Tonga did not win a medal at these Games, however Liku finished with seasonal bests in both the events.
Tonga competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.
Athletes have competed as Independent Paralympians at the Paralympic Games for various reasons, including political transition, international sanctions, suspensions of National Paralympic Committees and compassion.
