The story of Paralympic Games
Photo from http://flickr.com/photos/pietroizzo/113417432/
Photo from http://flickr.com/photos/61476395@N00/70534174/
Photo from http://flickr.com/photos/renatachaves/124486273
There are two flags raised over Vancouver city hall - 2010 Olympic and Paralympic flags.
There’s a history to the current design, which speaks of the uneasy, unequal relationship between the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Koreans came up with a flag that looked much different when they unfurled a new Paralympic banner for the 1988 games in Seoul. However, the IOC complained that flag was too similar in colour and design to the renowned Olympic rings (and we all know how sensitive the IOC is when it comes to protecting its image). One of the major opponents of the Paralympic flag was Canadian Dick Pound. Further collaboration between the IOC and IPC was halted until the flag was changed significantly to what you see today.
The story of the flag represents a history that took a controversial turn 20 years ago after the International Paralympic Committee entered into a close relationship with the International Olympic Committee. The teaming of the IPC and IOC went high-profile after the first wheelchair track demonstration at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Prior to 1988, the Paralympic and Olympic games were hosted in completely different venues, different cities and even completely different countries. However, the 1988 games in Seoul marked the first time Paralympians had the opportunity to use the same venues as their Olympic counterparts. Such cooperation has been a doubled-edged sword for the International Paralympic movement and its athletes.
Read more - http://thetyee.ca/Views/2006/06/07/Paralympics
