1980s Paralympic Summer Games Infographic

Click to zoom into a pdf of the Infographic. Statistics are from the IPC website

1980s Paralympic Winter Games Infographic

Click to zoom into a pdf of the Infographic. Statistics are from the IPC website

This was a pivotal decade for the Paralympics movement.  Not only did the pioneer of the movement pass away in 1980 (Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann) but relations between the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation and the International Olympic Committee became more friendly. 

However, the 1980s began with a growing divergence between Olympics and Paralympics. Through the 1970s the host Olympic nation had hosted the Paralympics as well, even if it took place in another city. In 1972 the Olympics were at Munich and Heidelberg hosted the Paralympics. In 1976 Montreal hosted the Olympics and Toronto the Paralympics. However, Moscow, the 1980s Olympic host, refused to also stage a Paralympics and instead these took place in Arnhem in the Netherlands.

Arnhem 1980 Paralympic Summer Games

Moscow who hosted the Summer Olympics declined to host the 1980 Paralympic Games, so they were held in Arnhem, the Netherlands. 1,653 athletes from 42 countries, competed in 590 events in 13 sports.  The GB team of 65 men and 31 women won a total of 47 gold, 32 silver and 21 bronze medals. Read more about the Arnhem 1980 Summer Paralympic Games here

Geilo 1980 Paralympic Winter Games

299 athletes from 18 countries, competed in 63 events in 3 sports.  The GB team of 6 men competed in Alpine and Cross Country skiing. Read more about the Geilo 1980 Winter Paralympics here

Innsbruck 1984 Paralympic Winter Games

The first of two consecutive Winter Games held at Innsbruck. 419 athletes from 21 countries, competed in 3 sports.  The GB team of 19 men and 3 women won a total of 4 Silver and 6 Bronze medals. Read more about the Innsbruck 1984 Winter Paralympics here

Stoke Mandeville 1984 Paralympic Summer Games

New York 1984 Paralympic Summer Games

The 1984 Summer Paralympic Games were shared between New York (athletes with cerebral palsy, amputees, and those with visual impairment) and Stoke Mandeville (wheelchair athletes with spinal injuries and related impairments). 2105 athletes from 54 countries, competed in 975 events in 18 sports.  The GB team of 156 men and 68 women won a total of 107 Gold, 112 Silver and 112 Bronze medals.

Known as the 'last minute Paralympics'

1984 was a difficult year for the Paralympic Games, the USA as the Olympic host nation was intending to stage the Paralympic wheelchair games at Champaign, Illinois. Then with just four months notice the organiser, the University of Illinois, pulled out due to financial difficulties. To save the day, Stoke Mandeville offered to host the games instead.

South Africa team returns to the Games

South Africa had been expelled from the Olympics back in 1964 because of its apartheid regime. However it had continued to participate intermittently in Paralympic events. The Dutch parliament banned the team from taking part in the 1980 Arnhem games but the South African team returned to the Games at Stoke Mandeville in 1984.

Read more about the Stoke Mandeville 1984 Paralympics here and the New York 1984 Paralympics here

Innsbruck 1988 Paralympic Winter Games

These were the last Winter Games to be held in a separate venue to the Winter Olympic Games. 377 athletes from 22 countries, competing in 4 sports.  The GB team of 18 men and 3 women won no medals. Read more about the Innsbruck 1988 Winter Paralympics here

Seoul 1988 Paralympic Summer Games

The 1988 Paralympic Summer Games in Seoul saw the event being hosted in the same city as the Olympics for the first time since Tokyo in 1964. By this time the scale of the Paralympic Games had grown from some 266 competitors, representing 20 countries, in 143 events across 9 sports in 1964, to 3041 competitors, representing 60 countries, in 733 events across 18 sports. The GB team of 169 men and 55 women won a total of 65 Gold, 65 Silver and 54 Bronze medals. Read more about the Seoul 1988 Summer Paralympics here

Memories from the 1980s

Val Williamson's journey to medals at the 1980 Arnhem Games.

James Brown winning gold at New York.

Terry Willett, selected to light the 1984 Paralympic flame.

Paul Cartwright, wheelchair racing.

Robin Surgeoner, Seoul opening ceremony memories.

Ernie Guild participation in 3 Paralympic Games.

Tara Flood, competing in the New York and Seoul Games.

Mike Kenny winning gold at 4 games.

Simon Jackson winning gold at Seoul.