Paralympics – everything you need to know about the games in Paris

After the Olympic Games comes the Paralympics. The games for athletes with disabilities begin in Paris on Wednesday. We answer the most important questions before the start:

What exactly are the Paralympics?

The Paralympics are competitions for athletes with disabilities, based on the Olympic Games. They take place every four years where the Summer or Winter Olympic Games were held shortly before. Since 1960, athletes have competed for Paralympic medals in summer sports every four years. The word Paralympics is made up of the English words paraplegic (paralyzed on both sides) and Olympics (Olympic Games).

What sports are there?

A total of 4,400 athletes from 182 nations will compete for medals in 22 sports: blind football, badminton, boccia, archery, dressage, weightlifting, goalball, judo, canoeing, athletics, cycling, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis, rowing, swimming, sitting volleyball, shooting, taekwondo, table tennis, triathlon.

Is there an opening ceremony?

Instead of travelling by boat on the Seine as is the case at the Olympics, the Paralympic athletes will be presenting themselves to spectators on Wednesday (8 p.m./ZDF) on the magnificent Avenue des Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde. The four stadiums for urban sports (3×3 basketball, BMX, skateboarding and breakdancing) have been converted into a large arena for the opening ceremony at the Place de la Concorde.

Who are the Paralympics stars?

The German prosthetic long jumper Markus Rehm is one of the outstanding athletes in Paris. Since 2011, he has won all 15 titles at world and European championships and Paralympics. With 8.72 meters, he also holds the world record. The Dutchwoman Diede de Groot has won all Grand Slam tournaments in wheelchair tennis since 2021. The Australian Ryley Batt is considered the best wheelchair rugby player ever, and not just because of his two Paralympic successes.

How many athletes from Germany are there?

There are 143 participants in total. 65 female athletes and 78 male athletes as well as five guides will be taking part. The largest team is athletics with 27 starters (plus two guides). Germany will only not be represented in blind football, goalball, taekwondo and weightlifting. The oldest German participant is dressage rider Heidemarie Dresing (69 years old). Swimmer Johanna Döhler from Berlin is the youngest athlete at 14 years old.

What does the German team expect?

The German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) does not have a specific medal target, says President Friedhelm Julius Beucher. In Tokyo there were 13 gold medals, 12 silver and 18 bronze medals. With twelfth place in the medal table at the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo, the German team achieved the worst placing. The goal is to get back into the top 10.

Will Russian and Belarusian athletes participate?

90 individual athletes from Russia and eight participants from Belarus will be in Paris. They were previously checked by a law firm commissioned by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). After Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022, they will compete under a neutral flag. They will again not be allowed to take part in the opening ceremony in Paris, and the national anthem will not be played in the event of a gold medal. Teams from these two countries are still excluded.

How high are the bonuses for the German athletes?

For gold, silver and bronze medals, Paralympic athletes receive the same bonuses as non-disabled athletes. First place is rewarded with 20,000 euros, second place with 15,000 and third place with 10,000 euros.

Where can I see the live images from the Olympics?

ARD and ZDF are sharing the coverage of the Paralympics. ZDF will begin on August 28 with the opening ceremony. There will be more than 60 hours of live sport. In addition, around 75 hours of para-sports will be shown live on the ARD and ZDF streaming channels.