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The Paralympic Movement describes itself as a catalyst for change. It claims to reduce stigma and discrimination. It purports to create a more accessible and inclusive world.
But what does all that really mean?
In an outstanding speech during his recent visit to Australia, International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons outlined how the Paralympic Games had impacted host cities beyond the sporting arena. Whether in improvements to transport, employment, education or elsewhere, here are some of the examples Mr Parsons provided.
“The Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games led to the Chinese government being one of the first signatories of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The government also invested millions making 14,000 facilities across China accessible.”
“Following the London 2012 Paralympics, research found one in three people in the United Kingdom – equivalent to 20 million people – changed their attitudes towards persons with a disability. By 2018, government figures showed the number of persons with disabilities in employment had increased by one million compared to before the Games.”
“Rio 2016 led to the building of a state-of-the art high performance Paralympic training centre, improved accessibility of transport infrastructure, and led to many tourist hotspots becoming accessible.”
“In Tokyo, the number of accessible Metro stations increased from 70 to 100 percent in the seven years they had to prepare for the Games. And, following concerns raised by the IPC about hotel accessibility, Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japanese Government introduced new legislation to improve accessibility and the number of accessible hotel rooms.”
“Last summer, Paris staged the most spectacular and impactful Paralympic Games in history. More than EUR 1.5 billion is being invested by the national government specifically in disability inclusion initiatives across France. This included the nationwide development of inclusive sport clubs and a reduction in tax on sports equipment for persons with disabilities. Earlier this year, the reimbursement of all wheelchairs was confirmed, a sign of the continuing impact of the Games.
“The City of Paris spent EUR 125 million improving accessibility in the historic capital. Overground transport, civil buildings and voting were made accessible. The city developed accessible urban communities and committed to having an accessible school within 15 minutes of every Parisian family.
“The Mayor of Paris described hosting the Paralympic Games as driving an Accessibility Revolution in the City and the country.”
Mr Parsons then threw forward to Milano Cortina, which will host the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
“While the event is much smaller than the summer Games, the impact is still as impressive. As part of a broader vision to transform the historic city of Verona into a barrier-free city, authorities are spending EUR 20 million making the 2,000-year-old Arena di Verona, the site of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony, accessible.
“The Arena is the largest historical venue that hosts events to be made fully accessible. In my view, if a Roman built arena can be made accessible then so can any other building.
“Elsewhere in Italy, millions of Euros are being spent improving transport infrastructure in host cities and regions. This includes increasing the number of accessible metro lines in Milan from two to five. Soon, Milan will become the first major European city with all metro lines fully accessible.”
Mr Parsons’ examples show how hosting the Paralympic Games leads to outcomes that benefit the whole of society. With preparations for Brisbane 2032 in swing, Mr Parsons said the IPC was encouraged that accessibility was at the heart of the government’s infrastructure plan.
“The commitment to deliver fully accessible venues and improved transport infrastructure is commendable and will greatly benefit Queenslanders and international visitors for generations to come,” he said.
By David Sygall, Paralympics Australia.
Published 6 June, 2025.
