Rhodesia at the 1972 Summer Paralympics

Rhodesia at the
1972 Summer Paralympics
IPC codeRHO
in Heidelberg
Competitors13 in 2 sports
Medals
Ranked 17th
Gold
3
Silver
5
Bronze
4
Total
12
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)

Rhodesia competed at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, West Germany. It was the last time the nation competed at the Paralympic Games before returning as Zimbabwe at the 1980 Summer Paralympics. The delegation consisted of 13 competitors in the sports of track and field athletics and swimming. Three athletes (Avril Davis, Sandra James, and Leslie Manson-Bishop) competed in both sports.[1]

Rhodesia had also been invited to take part in the 1972 Summer Olympics, but the invitation was withdrawn by the International Olympic Committee four days before the opening ceremony, in response to African countries' protests against the Rhodesian regime. As the Paralympics that year were held before the Olympics, Rhodesia was able to take part in the Paralympic Games.[2][3]

  1. ^ Rhodesia at the Paralympics on paralympic.org
  2. ^ "1972: Rhodesia out of Olympics", BBC
  3. ^ "Rhodesia expelled", Montreal Gazette, 23 August 1972