How are the Paralympic Games different from the Special Olympics?
The Paralympics and the Special Olympics are similar in that they both focus on sport for athletes with a disability and are run by international non-profit organizations. Apart from that, the Paralympics and the Special Olympics differ in three main areas: 1) the disability categories of the athletes that they work with, 2) the criteria under which athletes participate, and 3) the structure of their respective organizations. The Paralympics, as the largest sports competition for athletes with a disability worldwide, involve athletes from several disability categories. The six main disability categories are: amputee, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability (currently under suspension), visually impaired, spinal injuries and Les Autres (French for “the others”, a category that includes conditions that do not fall into the categories mentioned before). In contrast, the Special Olympics are solely for athletes with intellectual disabilities. To participate in the Paralympic Games, athlete
