World Wheelchair Games
Encyclopedia
The IWAS World Games, formerly known as the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games, the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games, the Stoke Mandeville Games, and the World Wheelchair Games (in the 60s and 70s often referred to as the Wheelchair Olympics), are a multi-sport competition for athletes with a disability.
The Games were originally held in 1948 by Sir Ludwig Guttmann
, who organized a sporting competition involving World War II
veterans with spinal cord injuries
at the rehabilitation hospital Stoke Mandeville Hospital
in Stoke Mandeville
, England. In 1952, the Netherlands
joined in the games, creating the first international competition for the disabled. In 1960, the Ninth Stoke Mandeville Games were held in Rome
, Italy
, following that year's Olympic Games
. These are considered to be the first Paralympic Games
.
While the Paralympic Games evolved to include athletes from all disability groups, the Stoke Mandeville games continued to be organized as a multi-sport event for wheelchair athletes. Games were held annually in Stoke Mandeville under the direction of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF), which became the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (ISMWSF).
In 1999, the first World Wheelchair Games were held outside England, in Christchurch
, New Zealand
. In 2003, the Games were again held in Christchurch, and combined with a competition for amputee athletes organized by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled. In 2004, ISMWSF and ISOD merged to create the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation
(IWAS). The first IWAS World Wheelchair and Amputee Games were held in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
. The second Games were held in 2007 in Chinese Taipei
and the third games were held in Bangalore, India in November 2009.
The Games were originally held in 1948 by Sir Ludwig Guttmann
Ludwig Guttmann
Sir Ludwig "Poppa" Guttmann CBE, FRS was a German neurologist who founded the Paralympic Games while living in England, and is considered one of the founding fathers of organized physical activities for people with a disability....
, who organized a sporting competition involving World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veterans with spinal cord injuries
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
at the rehabilitation hospital Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville Hospital is a large National Health Service hospital within Aylesbury Urban Area to the south of the town of Aylesbury, near the village of Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire...
in Stoke Mandeville
Stoke Mandeville
Stoke Mandeville is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district to the south-east of Aylesbury in the county of Buckinghamshire, England. Although a separate civil parish, the village falls within the Aylesbury Urban Area...
, England. In 1952, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
joined in the games, creating the first international competition for the disabled. In 1960, the Ninth Stoke Mandeville Games were held in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, following that year's Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. These are considered to be the first Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
.
While the Paralympic Games evolved to include athletes from all disability groups, the Stoke Mandeville games continued to be organized as a multi-sport event for wheelchair athletes. Games were held annually in Stoke Mandeville under the direction of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF), which became the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (ISMWSF).
In 1999, the first World Wheelchair Games were held outside England, in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In 2003, the Games were again held in Christchurch, and combined with a competition for amputee athletes organized by the International Sports Organization for the Disabled. In 2004, ISMWSF and ISOD merged to create the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation
International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation
The International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation is an international sports organization that governs sports for athletes with a disability....
(IWAS). The first IWAS World Wheelchair and Amputee Games were held in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The second Games were held in 2007 in Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
and the third games were held in Bangalore, India in November 2009.
Games by year (incomplete)
- 1948 - Stoke Mandeville Games for the Paralysed July 28, 1948, archery competition, 16 competitors (14 men, 2 women)
- 1949 - Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1950 - Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1951 - Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1952 - Stoke Mandeville, England - First International Stoke Mandeville Games A Dutch team participated, making it an international event
- 1953 - 2nd International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1954 - 3rd International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1955 - 4th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1956 - 5th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1957 - 6th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1958 - 7th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1959 - 8th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1960 Rome, Italy - 9th Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games1960 Summer ParalympicsThe 1960 Summer Paralympics, originally known as the 9th Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games, were the first international Paralympic Games, following on from the Stoke Mandeville Games of 1948 and 1952. They were organised under the aegis of the International Stoke Mandeville Games...
- later known as the 1st Paralympic GamesParalympic GamesThe Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their... - 1961 - 10th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1962 - 11th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1963 - 12th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1964 Tokyo, Japan - 13th International Stoke Mandeville Games for the Paralysed1964 Summer ParalympicsThe 1964 Summer Paralympics, originally known as the 13th International Stoke Mandeville Games, were the 2nd Paralympic Games to be held. They were held in Tokyo, Japan, they were the last Summer Paralympics to take place in the same city as the Summer Olympics until the 1988 Summer Paralympics...
- later known as the 2nd Paralympic Games - 1965 - 14th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1966 - 15th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1967 - 16th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1968 Tel Aviv, Israel - 17th International Stoke Mandeville Games1968 Summer ParalympicsThe 1968 Summer Paralympics were the third Paralympic Games to be held. Organised under the guidance of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation , they were known as the 17th International Stoke Mandeville Games at the time...
- later known as the 3rd Paralympic Games - 1969 - 18th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1970 - 19th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1971 - 20th International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1972 Heidelberg, Germany – 21st International Stoke Mandeville Games1972 Summer ParalympicsThe 1972 Summer Paralympics, the fourth edition of the Paralympic Games, were held in Heidelberg, West Germany, from August 2 to 11, 1972.- Sports :As with previous Paralympics, the 1972 games were intended for wheelchair athletes only...
- later known as the 4th Paralympic Games - 1973 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1974 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1975 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1977 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1978 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1979 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1981 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1982 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1983 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1985 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1986 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1987 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1989 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1990 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1991 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1993 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1994 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1995 - International Stoke Mandeville Games
- 1997 - World Wheelchair Games
- 1998 - World Wheelchair Games
- 1999 - World Wheelchair Games
- 2001 - World Wheelchair Games
- 2002 - World Wheelchair Games
- 2003 - World Wheelchair Games
- 2004 - World Wheelchair Games
- 2005 - World Wheelchair and Amputee Games - in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Over 700 athletes from 44 nations. Five events: track and field, table tennis, archery, shooting, and billiards.
- 2006
- 2007 - World Wheelchair and Amputee Games
- 2008
- 2009 - IWAS World Games -
- 2011 - IWAS World Games - Sharjah, - 1–10 December 2011
External links
- Official website of the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS)
- "2012 – The Paralympics come home", BBC, July 4, 2008. A look back at the origins of the Stoke Mandeville Games.