1960 Summer Paralympics

I Paralympic Games
LocationRome, Italy
Nations23
Athletes~400
Events57 in 8 sports
Opening18 September
Closing25 September
Opened by
Camillo Giardina
StadiumAqua Acetosa
1960 Summer Olympics
A black and white photo of a large track and field stadium with spectator stands and flags flying on the left hand side and trees in the background. A large procession of people in wheelchairs goes round the track with a sign being held at the front reading "Italia". The team is led by a walking man carrying the Italian flag.
Italian Team at the Opening Ceremony

The 9th Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games, retroactively designated as the 1960 Summer Paralympics, were the first international Paralympic Games, following on from the Stoke Mandeville Games of 1948 and 1952. They were organised under the aegis of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation.[1] The term "Paralympic Games" was approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) first in 1984,[2] while the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was formed in 1989.

The Games were held in Rome, Italy from September 18 to 25, 1960, with the 1960 Summer Olympics. The only disability included in these Paralympics was spinal cord injury. There were 400 athletes from 23 countries.[2][3][4][5][6]

  1. ^ "Summer Games Governance 1960 to 1992", IWAS
  2. ^ a b Rome 1960, International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
  3. ^ "Beijing Paralympics factsheet", BBC, July 11, 2008
  4. ^ "Participation Numbers: Rome 1960 Paralympic Games", International Paralympic Committee
  5. ^ IPC searchable database
  6. ^ "Paralympic Games History", Channel Four Paralympics