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Editions of Paralympic Games

Summer and Winter Paralympic Games

Last modified: 2024-12-07 by zachary harden
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Summer Games

Winter Games

See also: Other sites:

Summer Paralympics

2nd Paralympic Games: Tokyo 1964

[Japanese Para-Sports Association (former) (Japan)]
image by Zachary Harden, 23 July 2018

The former flag of the Japanese Para-Sports Association was used as the flag of the 1964 Paralympics. The dove represents love and the formation of the wheels and spokes show the letter "V", the sign and call for victory. The rings/spokes also represent the people of the world. For the flag, this symbol is on a green background. This emblem was considered the first Paralympic Games logo. (Source)
Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021 and Zachary Harden, 3 February 2021

3rd Paralympic Games: Tel Aviv 1968

[3rd Paralympic Games 1968] source; image located by Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

4th Paralympic Games: Heidelberg 1972

[4th Paralympic Games 1972] source; image located by Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

5th Paralympic Games: Toronto 1976

[5th Paralympic Games 1976] source; image located by Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

7th Paralympic Games 1984

[7th Paralympic Games 1984] source; image located by Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

The 1984 Summer Paralympics saw two events taking place simultaneously in different places, New York City and Stoke Mandeville, with its respective logos. However, for the sake of continuation with the tradition of featuring the "wheelchair" logo on its flag, only the events held at Stoke Mandeville kept that tradition, before the appearance of an official standardized Paralympic logo being introduced.
Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

8th Paralympic Games: Seoul 1988

[8th Paralympic Games: Seoul 1988] source; image by Zachary Harden, 5 November 2020

9th Paralympic Games: Barcelona 1992

[9th Paralympic Games: Barcelona 1992] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

10th Paralympic Games: Atlanta 1996

[10th Paralympic Games: Atlanta 1996] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

11th Paralympic Games: Sydney 2000

[11th Paralympic Games: Sydney 2000] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

12th Paralympic Games: Athens 2004

[The Athens 2004 Paralympic flag] image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, December 2005

13th Paralympic Games: Beijing 2008

[The Beijing 2008 Paralympic flag] image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, Aug. 2008

Dubbed "Sky, Earth and Human Beings," the emblem of the Beijing Paralympics is a stylized figure of an athlete in motion, implying the tremendous efforts a disabled person has to make in sports as well as in real life. With the unity and the harmony of "sky, earth and human beings," the emblem incorporates Chinese characters, calligraphy and the Paralympic spirit. It embodies the Paralympic motto of "Spirit in Motion" and reflects the integration of heart, body and spirit in human beings - the core of the philosophy of Chinese culture. The three colours in the emblem represent the sun (red), the sky (blue) and the earth (green).

Games of the XXIX Olympiad: Beijing Paralympics Emblem
From The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games
8 Aug. 2008.

14th. Paralympic Games: London 2012

[14th Paralympic Games: London 2012] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

The 2012 Summer Paralympics, the 14th Summer Paralympic Games, and also more generally known as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were a major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) that took place in London, United Kingdom from August 29 until September 9, 2012.

As part of a formal agreement between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee established in 2001, the winner of the bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics was also to host the 2012 Summer Paralympics. At the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, the rights to host the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics were awarded to London.

The first (known) use of joint Olympic and Paralympic events in a flag, was first mentioned here "Flags at London Olympics" in which the same flag portrays both, the 2012 Summer Olympics logo (the fuchsia logo version) on the left and the 2012 Summer Paralympics logo on the right, and below the inscription "host country of the Olympic and Paralympic games", as seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ukinromania/6666060227/

Also important to notice is that "the London 2012 Games were the first time that the Paralympic logo did not include the letters "IPC". The removal of the letters was the only change. On the reverse side of the [flag] you see the image reversed too."

The 2012 Paralympic mascot Mandeville (official website: https://mascot-games.london2012.com) was named after Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Sources: https://www.paralympic.org/london-2012,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Summer_Paralympics and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IWAS_World_Games

For additional information go to London 2012 Paralympics (official website): http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/
Esteban Rivera, 6 August 2018

15th Paralympic Games: Rio 2016

[15th Paralympic Games: Tokyo 2020] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

16th Paralympic Games: Tokyo 2020

[16th Paralympic Games: Tokyo 2020] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

17th Paralympic Games: Paris 2024

[17th Paralympic Games: Paris 2024] source; image by Zachary Harden, 10 November 2021

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic logos were unveiled to the public in October 2019. The main element of the design is the national personification of France, the Marianne, combined in a medal and flame design that is gold in color. It is also of note that the same logo is used for both events, which is a first in history for the Olympics and Paralympics. In the terms of flags, there was a display in Tahiti where the 2024 Paris emblem is placed on a white background.
Zachary Harden, 27 October 2020

Winter Paralympics

2nd Winter Paralympic Games: Norway 1980

[7th Paralympic Games 1984] source; image located by Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

3rd and 4th Winter Paralympic Games: Innsbruck 1984 and 1988

[7th Paralympic Games 1984] source; image located by Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

The logo for Innsbruck was a combination of three parts. The centre of the logo shows a stylised depiction of the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) – one of Innsbruck’s most famous landmarks. Above this was the Olympic rings, which the IOC had agreed to the use of based upon certain conditions. Below the Golden Dachl was five broken rings aimed at depicting the disability of the participants taking part. It also contained the words ‘Under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee’ (originally in German) beneath the Olympic rings." (source)
Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2021

It is of note the logo for the 1984 Winter Paralympics was reused for the 1988 Winter Paralympics as the host city was Innsbruck for both years.
Zachary Harden, 21 February 2021

6th Winter Paralympic Games: Lillehammer 1994

[6th Winter Paralympic Games: Lillehammer 1994] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

7th Winter Paralympic Games: Nagano 1998

[7th Winter Paralympic Games: Nagano 1998] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

8th Winter Paralympic Games: Salt Lake City 2002

[8th Winter Paralympic Games: Salt Lake City 2002] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

9th Winter Paralympic Games: Torino 2006

Original emblem/logo

[The Torino 2006 Paralympic original emblem] image by Torino 2006 Paralympics Committee, and
Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, December 2005

Official flag

[The Torino 2006 Paralympic flag] image by Torino 2006 Paralympics Committee, December 2005

Blue variant flag

[The Torino 2006 Paralympic flag - Variant] image by Torino 2006 Paralympics Committee, and
Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, December 2005

10th Winter Paralympic Games: Vancouver 2010

[10th Winter Paralympic Games: Vancouver 2010] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

See Also: Vancouver Paralympics [2010] (Canada)

11th Winter Paralympic Games: Sochi 2014

[Flag of the 22nh Olympic Winter Games (Sochi 2014)] image by Zoltan Horvath, 27 January 2014

The XI Paralympic Winter Games are being held one month later than Sochi Winter Olympics, between 07 and 16 March 2014.
The logo for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games follows the same typography as the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games emblem, and incorporates the Paralympic Symbol, the three Agitos in red, blue and green, symbolising the fact that Paralympic athletes are constantly inspiring and exciting the world with their performances, always moving forward and never giving up. Letters of web address are light blue with blue contours. This logo was also introduced in December 2009.
Zoltan Horvath, 27 January 2014

12th Winter Paralympic Games: PyeongChang 2018

[Flag of the 22nh Olympic Winter Games (Sochi 2014)] source; image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

13th Winter Paralympic Games: Beijing 2022

[Flag of the 22nh Olympic Winter Games (Sochi 2014)] image by Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

Unvielved in December 2017, the logos for both the 2022 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics were designed by Lin Cunzhen. The goal of both logos was to combine elements of Chinese history with the dynamic artisry of sport. For the Paralympics logo, it combines the Chinese character for "fly" along with an image that resembles a wheelchair athlete racing towards the finish line victory, a sprit that every Paralympian gives with every act, exciting the world while doing so. The design sent by Lin was one of 4,506 submissions from around the world and she also designed the logo for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games held in Nanjing. As for the flag, like most Olympic and Paralympic flags before it, it is a logo on a white background.
Zachary Harden, 26 October 2020

[Flag of the 22nh Olympic Winter Games (Sochi 2014)] image by Zachary Harden, 9 August 2021

Note, there was a branding change in 2020 with the IPC where the text "Paralympic Games" was dropped and the Agitos were updated, yet flags with the old logo are still present.
Zachary Harden, 9 August 2021