The 2016 Summer Paralympic Games concluded last week in Rio. The event included 150 countries and over 4,300 athletes, and it became the second largest Paralympic games in terms of ticket sales. With 2 Million tickets sold, it beat Beijing's Paralympic ticket prices and came only behind London 2012. In total, a large number of 1597 medals were given away to athletes with broad ranges of disabilities. However, if you are like most people, you've heard little to nothing about the Paralympics at all.
The first Paralympics began in Rome in 1960, and they have expanded widely since then. Earlier than that, sports for the disabled existed, but were uncommon. The first organized competition was for war veterans who had been disabled while in service, which took place 12 years earlier than Rome. This competition north of London was not officially called the Paralympics yet, but they would soon become the biggest competition for athletes with disabilities. The first winter games took place in 1976. Both the summer and winter Paralympic games have been commonplace along with the Olympics every four years since then. Since the 80's, they have also taken place in the same host city as the Olympics, as these years's Paralympic games also took place in Rio.
Despite the history of the Paralympics and the many athletes that compete, there is rarely a lot of attention given to the games. A few events may be shown on TV, but they do not get the extensive coverage that the Olympics get, and fewer people seem to care. During the Olympics, it was impossible to get away from coverage and news, having to hear about gold medals in sports you don't follow on every website and channel you land your eyes on. When it comes to the Paralympics, however, many people didn't even know they were happening, or didn't know when they even started. There is no prime time coverage of the Paralympic games every night as there is with the Olympics. If one wanted to see it, it would be difficult to find coverage of any of the ceremonies or events. Although we just ended another Olympics and people may not be prepared to start another, it's disrespect to the athletes that work years for the Paralympic games to get less recognition.
Looking into the Paralympic games, they are extremely interesting and definitely deserve more recognition. The medals have braille written on them, as well as a certain number of balls on the inside so that those who are hard of hearing can hear their medals. The athletes in these competitions work no less than those in the Olympics, so they deserve the same praise.
