A London Councils Member briefing August 2012

Paralympic Games

The Paralympic Opening Ceremony for the fourteenth takes place today, celebrating the distinct identity of these games and focusing on human endeavor and achievement. This briefing outlines what the games will entail for London’s local authorities, and what boroughs have done to prepare.

Overview The Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony takes place today in the Olympic Stadium and marks the opening of the fourteenth Paralympic Games. The Paralympic Games is the world’s second After largest sporting event, with around 2.5 million tickets made available. The games will run from “a hugely 29 August to 9 September, and are a celebration of sporting achievement and excellence, with successful a focus on human endeavour and achievement and a distinct identity. Olympics, London’s Following a hugely successful in London, Games Organisers and city partners boroughs have including London local authorities have been gearing up to deliver an equally successful been gearing

Paralympic Games. up to deliver an equally “ Background successful Great Britain could, arguably, be described as the home of the Paralympic Movement. In 1944, Paralympics at the request of the British Government, Dr. Ludwig Guttmann opened a spinal injuries centre at the Hospital in Great Britain, and in time, rehabilitation sport evolved to recreational sport and then to competitive sport.

On 29 July 1948, the day of the Opening Ceremony of the London 1948 Olympic Games, Dr. Guttmann organized the first competition for wheelchair athletes which he named the Stoke Mandeville Games. They involved 16 injured servicemen and women who took part in Archery. In 1952, Dutch ex-servicemen joined the Movement and the International Stoke Mandeville Games were founded.

These Games later became the Paralympic Games which first took place in Rome in 1960, featuring 400 athletes from 23 countries. Since then they have taken place every four years. In 1976 the first Paralympic Winter Games were held in Sweden, and as with the Summer Games, these have taken place every four years.

The word “Paralympic” derives from the Greek preposition “para” (beside or alongside) and the word “Olympic”. Its meaning is that Paralympics are the parallel Games to the Olympics and illustrates how the two movements exist side-by-side. London 2012 will be the biggest Paralympic Games ever. An estimated total of 4,200 athletes are expected to compete in the Games, an increase of 250 athletes in comparison to the 2008 Summer Paralympics. They will represent 165 countries, 19 more than in Beijing.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The International Paralympic Committee describes the Paralympic Values as:

• courage - it encompasses the unique spirit of the Paralympic athlete who seeks to accomplish what the general public deems unexpected, but what the athlete knows as a truth

• determination - the manifestation of the idea that Paralympic athletes push their physical ability to the absolute limit

• inspiration - when intense and personal affection is begotten from the stories and accomplishments of Paralympic athletes, and the effect is applying this spirit to one’s personal life

• equality - Paralympic sport acts as an agent for change to break down social barriers of discrimination for persons with a .

The Paralympic Games presents an opportunity to transform the perception of people with in society. Analysis London local authorities have planned for this summer broadly on the principle that wherever possible, planning for the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be integrated. As part of that process, boroughs considered what, if any, differences there may be in terms of the delivery during the Paralympic Games.

For example, the numbers of people taking part might be lower during the Paralympic Games but the complexity for the city will be greater with schools back, fewer people on holiday from work and proportionately far more people with disabilities travelling around the capital, possibly in groups.

The differences identified have, in some cases, been based on anecdotal evidence from previous Games, advice and guidance on client groups from LOCOG and TfL and lessons identified at national Paralympic table-top exercises. The key differences we are expecting are:

• many more Paralympic events in East London than during the Olympics and many more of these are concentrated on the Olympic Park. In addition Paralympic Family Hotels are concentrated in City and East London with concentrations around Olympic Park and ExCel. Media workforce no longer accommodated in Bloomsbury. This represents a significant shift in the centre of gravity during the Paralympic Games towards East London.

• different profile of spectators, including more school children, families and large groups

• potentially more movement of vehicles for athletes but also for their equipment

• schools go back during the Paralympics, meaning more people on public transport and on the road network during peak hours • potentially more spectators travelling within the city by coach

• a slightly higher reliance on taxis

• more people with disabilities using public transport than normal

• residents may start “getting back to normal” and we may see more volume on local government services, where perhaps they delayed activities during the Olympic Games. Commentary Overall, the Games-time plans that London local authorities put in place before the Games have not changed significantly changed for the Paralympics. That being said, boroughs have not been complacent.

Local authorities have identified a number of key lessons from the Olympic Torch Relay, and daily Olympic Games-time operations which they have identified as relevant to their preparations for the Paralympics. Where these are positive lessons, these have been carried on through to the Paralympics.

Author: Anne-marie Pickup, policy officer (020 7934 9756) Click here to send a comment or query to the author

Links: Paralympic Games guide Paralympic news

This member briefing has been circulated to: Portfolio holders and those members who requested policy briefings in the following categories: Crime and Public Protection; Culture, Sport, Tourism and 2012; Economic Development; Leadership, Devolution and Democracy; Transport

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