View source for Winter Paralympic Games

{{Short description|International multi-sport event for disabled athletes}}
{{good article}}
{{infobox recurring event
| name = Winter Paralympic Games
| image= 2022_Winter_Paralympics_cauldron_at_Yanqing_Winter_Olympic_Cultural_Square_(20220313142125).jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = One of the four Paralympic cauldrons located in [[Yanqing District|Yanqing]] during the [[2022 Winter Paralympics]]
| list_years = yes
| list_sports = yes
}}
{{Paralympic Games sidebar}}

The '''Winter Paralympic Games '''is an international [[multi-sport event]] where [[Parasports|athletes with physical disabilities]] compete in [[Winter sports|snow and ice sports]]. The event includes athletes with [[mobility impairment]]s, [[amputation]]s, [[blindness]], and [[cerebral palsy]]. The Winter [[Paralympic Games]] are held every four years directly following the [[Winter Olympic Games]] and (since 1992) hosted in the same city. The [[International Paralympic Committee]] (IPC) oversees the Games. Medals are awarded in each event: with gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third, following the tradition that the [[Olympic Games]] began in 1904.

The Winter Paralympics began in [[1976 Winter Paralympics|1976]] in [[Örnsköldsvik]], Sweden. Those Games were the first Paralympics that featured athletes other than those in wheelchairs. The Games have expanded and grown, including the [[Summer Paralympic Games]], to become part of the largest international sporting event after the Olympics. Given their expansion, the need for a very specific [[Disability sport classification|classification system]] has arisen. This system has also given rise to controversy and opened the door for various forms of cheating, which has tainted the integrity of the Games.

Norway has been the top-ranking (medals) nation for four Paralympic Winter Games: [[1980 Winter Paralympics|1980]], [[1988 Winter Paralympics|1988]], [[1994 Winter Paralympics|1994]], and [[1998 Winter Paralympics|1998]]. Germany has been the top-ranking (medals) for three Paralympic Winter Games: [[1976 Winter Paralympics|1976]], [[2002 Winter Paralympics|2002]], and [[2010 Winter Paralympics|2010]]. Russia ([[2006 Winter Paralympics|2006]] and [[2014 Winter Paralympics|2014]]) and United States ([[1992 Winter Paralympics|1992]] and [[2018 Winter Paralympics|2018]]) have been the top-ranking nation two time each. Austria ([[1984 Winter Paralympics|1984]]) and China ([[2022 Winter Paralympics|2022]]) have been the top-ranking nation one time each.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paralympic Games - Results |url=https://www.paralympic.org/paralympic-games-results |access-date=2022-03-14 |website=International Paralympic Committee |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The origins of the Winter Paralympics are much similar to the [[Summer Paralympics]]. Injured soldiers returning from World War II sought sports as an avenue to healing.<ref name=phistory>{{cite news|title=History of the Paralympics|publisher=BBC Sport|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/7582206.stm|access-date=2010-04-21 | date=2008-09-04}}</ref> Organized by Dr. [[Ludwig Guttmann]], sports competitions between British convalescent hospitals began in 1948 and continued until 1960 when a parallel Olympics was held in [[Rome]] after the [[1960 Summer Olympics]].  Over 400 wheelchair athletes competed at the [[1960 Paralympic Games]], which became known as the first Paralympics.<ref name=phistory/>

[[File:1stWinterParaolympics1976.jpg|thumb|left|Official sticker from the first Winter Paralympics held in [[Örnsköldsvik]], [[Sweden]], 1976]] Sepp Zwicknagl, a pioneer of snow sports for disabled athletes, was a double-leg amputee Austrian skier who experimented skiing using prosthetics. His work helped pioneer [[Technological changes at the Paralympic Games|technological advances]] for people with disabilities who wished to participate in winter sports.<ref name=origins>{{cite web|title=Örnsköldsvik 1976|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|url=http://www.paralympic.org/Paralympic_Games/Past_Games/Oernskoeldsvik_1976/index.html|access-date=2010-04-14}}</ref>  Advances were slow, and it was not until 1974 that the first official world ski competition for physically impaired athletes, featuring downhill and a cross-country skiing, was held.<ref name=origins/> The first Winter Paralympics were held in [[1976 Winter Paralympics|1976]] at [[Örnsköldsvik]], Sweden from February 21–28. Alpine and Nordic skiing for amputees and visually impaired athletes where the main events but ice sledge racing was included as a demonstration event.<ref name=origins/> There were 198 participating athletes from 16 countries,<ref>{{cite web|title=Results search|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|url=http://www.paralympic.org/Sport/Results/search.html?games=1976PWG&gender=all&medal=all&npc=all&sport=all|access-date=2010-04-14}}</ref> and it was the first time that athletes with impairments other than wheelchair athletes were permitted to compete.<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=History of the Paralympic Games|publisher=The Government of Canada|url=http://www.canada2010.gc.ca/101/histor/010203-eng.cfm|access-date=2010-04-14}}</ref>

Starting in [[1988 Summer Paralympics|1988]] the Summer Paralympics were held in the same host city as the [[Summer Olympic Games]]. This was due to an agreement reached between the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) and the [[International Paralympic Committee]] (IPC). The [[1992 Winter Paralympics]] were the first Winter Games to use the same facilities as the [[1992 Winter Olympics|Winter Olympics]].<ref name=history/>

==Cheating==
{{Main|Cheating at the Paralympic Games}}
Athletes have cheated by over-representing impairment to have a competitive advantage, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cheating shame of Paralympics|last=Slot|first=Owen|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=2001-02-03|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2998162/Cheating-shame-of-Paralympics.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2998162/Cheating-shame-of-Paralympics.html |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2010-04-07 | location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cheating does happen in the Paralympics|last=Grey-Thompson|first=Tanni|date=2008-09-11|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/paralympicsport/2798515/Cheating-does-happens-in-the-Paralympics-Paralympics.html|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120828224222/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympic-sport/2798515/Cheating-does-happens-in-the-Paralympics-Paralympics.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-08-28|access-date=2010-04-07 | location=London}}</ref> German skier Thomas Oelsner became the first Winter Paralympian to test positive for steroids in [[2002 Winter Paralympics|2002]].  He had won two gold medals in the alpine events but was stripped of his medals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Skier Fails Drug Test |last=Maffly |first=Bryan |publisher=Salt Lake 2002 Paralympics |date=2002-03-13 |url=http://saltlake2002.paralympic.org/ |access-date=2010-04-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605042933/http://saltlake2002.paralympic.org/ |archive-date=2010-06-05 }}</ref> One concern now facing Paralympic officials is the technique of boosting blood pressure, known as [[autonomic dysreflexia]]. The increase in blood pressure can improve performance by 15% and is most effective in the endurance sports such as [[Paralympic cross-country skiing|cross-country skiing]]. To increase blood pressure athletes will deliberately cause trauma to limbs below a spinal injury. This trauma can include breaking bones, strapping extremities in too tightly and using high-pressured compression stockings. The injury is painless to the athlete but affects the body and impacts the athlete's blood pressure, as can techniques like allowing the bladder to overfill.<ref>{{cite news|title=Paralympic athletes who harm themselves to perform better|publisher=BBC|work=BBC News Magazine|date=2012-08-22|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19325756|access-date=2014-02-12}}</ref>

[[International Paralympic Committee]] (IPC) found evidence that the [[Doping in Russia|Disappearing Positive Methodology]] was in operation at the [[2014 Winter Paralympics]] in Sochi.<ref name=IPC160807/> On 7 August 2016, the IPC's Governing Board voted unanimously to ban the entire Russian team from the [[2016 Summer Paralympics]], citing the Russian Paralympic Committee's inability to enforce the IPC's Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code which is "a fundamental constitutional requirement".<ref name=IPC160807/> IPC President Sir Philip Craven stated that the Russian government had "catastrophically failed its Para athletes".<ref name=Craven160807/> IPC Athletes' Council Chairperson Todd Nicholson said that Russia had used athletes as "pawns" in order to "show global prowess".<ref name=Nicholson160807/>

==Disability categories==
The IPC has established six disability categories applying to both the Summer and Winter Paralympics. Athletes with one of these physical disabilities are able to compete in the Paralympics though not every sport can allow for every disability category.<ref name=categories>{{cite news |title=Making sense of the categories |publisher=[[BBC|BBC Sport]] |date=2000-10-06 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics2000/paralympics/959701.stm |access-date=2010-04-07}}</ref>

*'''Amputee''': Athletes with a [[amputation|partial or total loss]] of at least one [[Limb (anatomy)|limb]].
*'''Cerebral Palsy''': Athletes with non-progressive [[brain damage]], for example [[cerebral palsy]], [[traumatic brain injury]], [[stroke]] or similar disabilities affecting muscle control, [[sense of balance|balance]] or [[coordination (physiology)|coordination]].
*'''Intellectual Disability''': Athletes with a significant [[developmental disability|impairment in intellectual functioning]] and associated limitations in adaptive behavior.
*'''Wheelchair''': Athletes with [[spinal cord injury|spinal cord injuries]] and other disabilities which require them to compete in a [[wheelchair]].
*'''Visually Impaired''': Athletes with [[visual impairment|vision impairment]] ranging from partial vision, sufficient to be judged [[legal blindness|legally blind]], to total [[blindness]].
*'''''Les Autres''''': Athletes with a physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other five categories, such as [[dwarfism]], [[multiple sclerosis]] or [[congenital disorder|congenital]] [[deformity|deformities]] of the limbs such as that caused by [[thalidomide]] (the name for this category is [[French language|French]] for "the others").<ref name=categories/>

==Classifications==
[[File:Andy Soule, 2010 Paralympics.jpg|thumb|right|Paralympian [[Andy Soule]] in the 12.5&nbsp;km cross-country race at the [[2010 Winter Olympics]]]]
Within the six disability categories the athletes still need to be divided according to their level of impairment. The classification systems differ from sport to sport.  The systems are designed to open up Paralympic sports to as many athletes as possible, who can participate in fair competitions against athletes with similar levels of ability. The closest equivalents in non-disabled competitions are age classifications in junior sports, and weight divisions in wrestling, boxing, and weightlifting. Classifications vary in accordance with the different skills required to perform the sport. The biggest challenge in the classification system is how to account for the wide variety and severity of disabilities. As a result, there will always be a range of impairment within a classification.<ref name=classdescribed>{{cite web|title=Athlete Classification|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|url=http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/content/understanding-classification|access-date=2010-06-01|archive-date=2010-05-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529082106/http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/content/understanding-classification|url-status=dead}}</ref> What follows is a list of the Winter Paralympic sports and a general description of how they are classified.

'''[[Alpine skiing at the Winter Paralympics|Alpine skiing]]''':
There are two events in alpine skiing: slalom and giant slalom. Alpine skiing accommodates athletes with the following physical limitations: spinal injury, Cerebral Palsy, amputation, ''Les Autres'' and blindness/visual impairment. There are eleven classifications, seven for standing athletes, three for sitting athletes, and three for visually impaired athletes. The divisions are defined by the degree of the athletes' function and the need for assistive equipment (prosthesis, ski poles, etc.).<ref>{{cite web|title=Alpine Skiing|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|url=http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/alpine-skiing|access-date=2010-06-01|archive-date=2010-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328053231/http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/alpine-skiing|url-status=dead}}</ref> Snowboard Cross is technically now included in this category, though competition will take place with only limited classifications (see below).

'''[[Paralympic Biathlon|Biathlon]]''':
Biathlon is a combination of cross-country skiing with target shooting. It requires physical stamina and accurate shooting. The events are open to athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments. There are fifteen classes in which athletes will be placed depending on their level of function. Twelve divisions are for athletes with a physical impairment and three divisions are for athletes with a visual impairment. The athletes compete together, and their finishing times are entered into a formula with their disability class to determine the athletes' overall finish order.  Visually impaired athletes are able to compete through the use of acoustic signals. The signal intensity varies depending upon whether or not the athlete is on target.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biathlon|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|url=http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/biathlon|access-date=2010-06-01|archive-date=2011-02-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221170411/http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/biathlon|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''[[Paralympic cross-country skiing|Cross-country skiing]]''':
Cross-country skiing, also known as Nordic skiing, is open to athletes with Cerebral Palsy, amputations, the need for a wheelchair, visual impairment and intellectual impairment. There are fifteen classifications, three for visually impaired athletes, nine for standing athletes and three for seated athletes. The divisions are determined in a similar fashion to alpine skiing with attention given to the athletes' level of function and need for assistive devices.<ref>{{cite web|title=Classification information sheet Nordic Skiing|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|url=http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/cross-country-skiing|access-date=2010-06-01|archive-date=2010-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328053829/http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/cross-country-skiing|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:2010ParalympicsUnitedStatesVsJapanIceSledgeHockey.jpg|right|thumb|Ice sledge hockey game at the [[2010 Winter Paralympics]]]]
'''[[Ice sledge hockey at the Winter Paralympics|Ice Sledge Hockey]]''':
Ice sledge hockey is open only to male competitors with a physical disability in the lower part of their body. The game is played using international hockey rules with some modifications. Athletes sit on sledges with two blades that allow the puck to go beneath the sledge. They also use two sticks, which have a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting. The athletes are classified into three groups: group 1 is for athletes with no sitting balance or with major impairment in both upper and lower limbs, group 2 is for athletes with some sitting balance and moderate impairment in their extremities and athletes in group 3 have good balance and mild impairment in their upper and lower limbs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ice Sledge Hockey|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|url=http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/ice-sledge-hockey|access-date=2010-06-01|archive-date=2011-02-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221170338/http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/ice-sledge-hockey|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''[[Wheelchair curling at the Winter Paralympics|Wheelchair curling]]''':
Wheelchair curling is a coed team event for athletes with permanent lower limb disabilities that require them to use a wheelchair in their daily lives. Athletes with Cerebral Palsy or Multiple Sclerosis can also play if they use a wheelchair. Delivery of the stone can be by hand release or the use of a pole.  There are no classifications in this event except the requirement that all athletes participating must have need for a wheelchair for daily mobility.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wheelchair curling|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|url=http://vancouver2010.paralympic.org.au/sports/wheelchair-curling|access-date=2010-06-01}}</ref>

'''[[Para snowboard]]''':
On 2 May 2012, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) officially sanctioned Para snowboarding (formerly known as ''adaptive snowboarding'') as a medal event in the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games under Alpine Skiing. There were men's and women's standing [[snowboard cross]] competitions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paralympic.org/news/para-snowboard-included-sochi-2014-paralympic-winter-games |title=Para-Snowboard Included in Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games &#124; IPC |publisher=Paralympic.org |date=2012-05-28 |access-date=2013-01-31}}</ref> The sport's Paralympic debut featured events for only athletes with overall lower-limb impairments. Athletes with amputations were permitted to wear a prosthesis. The events were held in a [[time trial]] format, but no accommodation was made based on an athlete's level of impairment. At the [[2018 Winter Paralympics]], the number of events increased from 2 to 10 with the split of the lower limb classifications into two sub-groups (LL-1 for greater impairment and LL-2 for lesser impairment), and the addition of the [[banked slalom]]. The snowboard cross event was run in a head-to-head format with multiple knockout heats to determine the medal winners.<ref>{{cite web|title=Para Alpine Skiing Rules & Classification|url=http://www.paralympic.org/AlpineSkiing/RulesandRegulations/Classification|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|access-date=2018-12-25}}</ref> In 2022, events for athletes with upper-limb impairments were added, but the [[International Paralympic Committee|IPC]] eliminated the LL-1 category for women due to a dearth of athletes in that class. Those athletes were initially barred from competing at all until [[Brenna Huckaby]] of the United States prevailed in a lawsuit to "compete up" against the LL-2 class.

==List of Paralympic sports==
{{Main|Paralympic sports}}
A number of different sports have been part of the Paralympic program at one point or another.

{{center|{{legend2|#EBE7E7|This color indicates a discontinued sport|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
! Sport || Years
|- style="background:#EBE7E7;"
| [|[[Ice sledge racing]] || 1980–1988, 1994–1998
|-
| [[Para alpine skiing]] || 1976–present
|-
| [[Para biathlon]] || since 1988
|-
| [[Para cross-country skiing]] || 1976–present
|-
| [[Para ice hockey]] || since 1994
|-
| [[Para snowboard]] || since 2014
|-
| [[Wheelchair curling]] || since 2006
|}

==All-time medal table ==
{{See also|All-time Paralympic Games medal table}}
According to official data of the [[International Paralympic Committee]]. This table lists the top 20 nations, as ranked by number of golds, then silvers, then bronzes.

=== Winter Paralympics (1976–2022) ===
{| class="wikitable"  style="width:60%; font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
!No. !!Nation !!Games !!style="background:gold;"|Gold !!style="background:silver;"|Silver !! style="background:#c96;"|Bronze !!Total
|-
!1
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|NOR}} ||13
|140
|111
|86
|334
|-
!2
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|USA}} ||13
|117
|130
|88
|335
|-
!3
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|AUT}} ||13
|109
|118
|116
|343
|-
!4
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|GER}}<ref name=GER>Only medals won since 1992 are counted. . Does not include the totals from [[West Germany]] (FRG) and [[East Germany]] (GDR).</ref>  ||9
|109
|85
|81
|275
|-
!5
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|RUS}} ||6
|84
|88
|61
|233
|-
!6
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|FIN}} ||13
|79
|51
|62
|192
|-
!7
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|FRA}} ||13
|63
|57
|60
|183
|-
!8
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|CAN}} ||13
|58
|52
|76
|186
|-
!9
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|SUI}} ||13
|53
|55
|50
|158
|-
!10
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|FRG}} ||4
|42
|43
|35
|120
|-
!11
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|UKR}} ||7
|38
|51
|52
|141
|-
!12
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|SWE}} ||13
|28
|35
|44
|107
|-
!13
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|JPN}} ||13
|27
|42
|37
|97
|-
!14
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|CHN}}
|6
|19
|20
|23
|62
|-
!15
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|SVK}} ||8
|18
|21
|22
|61
|-
!17
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|NZL}} ||12
|17
|7
|11
|35
|-
!18
|align=left|{{flagIPCteam|ITA}} ||12
|16
|25
|32
|73
|-
!19
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|ESP}} ||12
|15
|16
|12
|43
|-
!20
| align="left" |{{flagIPCteam|AUS}} ||12
|12
|6
|17
|35
|-
|}

==List of Winter Paralympic Games==

{{location map+|Earth
|width=800
|float=center
|caption=Non-European host cities of Winter Paralympic Games
|places=
{{Location map~|Earth|position=right|lat=36.667442|long=138.194771|label='''[[Nagano (city)|1998]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Earth|position=|lat=40.770659|long=248.108951|label='''[[Salt Lake City|2002, ''2034'']]'''}}
{{Location map~|Earth|position=left|lat=49.284606|long=-123.120738|label='''[[Vancouver|2010]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Earth|position=right|lat=50.118170|long=-122.957356|label='''[[Whistler, British Columbia|2010]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Earth|position=top|lat=37.388797|long=128.389977|label='''[[Pyeongchang|2018]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Earth|position=|lat=39.905445|long=116.407396|label='''[[Beijing|2022]]'''}}
}}

{{location map+|Europe
|width=800
|float=center
|caption=European host cities of Winter Paralympic Games
|places=
{{Location map~|Europe|lat=63.291360|long=18.716617|label='''[[Örnsköldsvik|1976]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=|lat=60.535094|long=8.208795|label='''[[Geilo|1980]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=top|lat=47.270319|long=11.404102|label='''[[Innsbruck|1984,1988]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=top|lat=45.677567|long=6.392726|label='''[[French Alps|''2030'']]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=left|lat=45.469471|long=6.905579|label='''[[Tignes|1992]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=|lat=61.116068|long=10.466231|label='''[[Lillehammer|1994]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=bottom|lat=45.072371|long=7.686864|label='''[[Turin|2006]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=|lat=43.604897|long=39.734154|label='''[[Sochi|2014]]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=|lat=45.466667|long=9.183333|label='''[[Milan|''2026'']]'''}}
{{Location map~|Europe|position=|lat=46.540278|long=12.136111|label='''[[Cortina d'Ampezzo|''2026'']]'''}}

}}
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; font-size: 90%"
|- 
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Games
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Year
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Host
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Opened by
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Dates
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | National Paralympic Committees
!colspan=3 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Competitors
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Sports
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Events
!rowspan=2 style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Top Nation
|-
! style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Total
! style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Men
! style="background:#89CFF0; color:white;" | Women
|-
|align=center| [[1976 Winter Paralympics|1]]
|align=center| 1976
|align=left| {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Örnsköldsvik]], [[Sweden]]
|align=left|King [[Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden]]
|align=center| 21–28 February
| 16 || 196 ||  || || rowspan=2|2 || 53
|{{flagIPCteam|FRG}}
|-
|align=center| [[1980 Winter Paralympics|2]]
|align=center| 1980
|align=left| {{flagicon|Norway}} [[Geilo]], [[Norway]]
|align=left|King [[Olav V of Norway]]
|align=center| 1–7 February
| 18 || 299 ||  || || 63
|{{flagIPCteam|NOR}}
|-
|align=center| [[1984 Winter Paralympics|3]]
|align=center| 1984
|align=left| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Innsbruck]], [[Austria]]
|align=left|President [[Rudolf Kirchschläger]]
|align=center| 14–20 January
| 21 || 419 || || || 3 || 107
|{{flagIPCteam|AUT}}
|-
|align=center| [[1988 Winter Paralympics|4]]
|align=center| 1988
|align=left| {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Innsbruck]], [[Austria]]
|align=left|President [[Kurt Waldheim]]
|align=center| 18–25 January
| 22 || 377 || || || 4 || 97
|{{flagIPCteam|NOR}}
|-
|align=center| [[1992 Winter Paralympics|5]]
|align=center| 1992
|align=left| {{flagicon|France}} [[Tignes]] and [[Albertville]], [[France]]
|align=left|President [[François Mitterrand]]
|align=center| 25 March – 1 April
| 24 || 365 || 288 || 77 || 3 || 78
|{{flagIPCteam|USA}}
|-
|align=center| [[1994 Winter Paralympics|6]]
|align=center| 1994
|align=left| {{flagicon|Norway}} [[Lillehammer]], [[Norway]]
|align=left|[[Queen Sonja of Norway]]
|align=center| 10–19 March
| 31 || 471 || || || rowspan=2|5 || '''133'''
|{{flagIPCteam|NOR}}
|-
|align=center| [[1998 Winter Paralympics|7]]
|align=center| 1998
|align=left| {{flagicon|Japan}} [[Nagano (city)|Nagano]], [[Japan]]
|align=left|[[Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan|Crown Prince Naruhito]] 
|align=center| 5–14 March
| 32 || '''571''' || || || 122 
|{{flagIPCteam|NOR}}
|-
|align=center| [[2002 Winter Paralympics|8]]
|align=center| 2002
|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Salt Lake City]], [[United States]]
|align=left|President [[George W. Bush]]
|align=center| 7–16 March
| 36 || 416 || || || 4 || 92
|{{flagIPCteam|GER}}
|-
|align=center| [[2006 Winter Paralympics|9]]
|align=center| 2006
|align=left| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Turin]], [[Italy]]
|align=left|President [[Carlo Azeglio Ciampi]]
|align=center| 10–19 March
| 39 || 486 || ||  || rowspan=2|5 || 58
|{{flagIPCteam|RUS}}
|-
|align=center| [[2010 Winter Paralympics|10]]
|align=center| 2010
|align=left| {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Vancouver]] and [[Whistler, British Columbia|Whistler]], [[Canada]]
|align=left|Governor General [[Michaëlle Jean]]
|align=center| 12–21 March
| 44 || 506 ||  ||  || 64
|{{flagIPCteam|GER}}
|-
|align=center| [[2014 Winter Paralympics|11]]
|align=center| 2014
|align=left| {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Sochi]], [[Russia]]
|align=left|President [[Vladimir Putin]]
|align=center| 7–16 March
| 45 || 550 ||   ||  ||   rowspan=5|'''6''' || 72
|{{flagIPCteam|RUS}}
|-
|align=center| [[2018 Winter Paralympics|12]]
|align=center| 2018
|align=left| {{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Pyeongchang]], [[South Korea]]
|align=left|President [[Moon Jae-in]]
|align=center| 9–18 March
| '''49'''  || 569  ||  ||  || 80
|{{flagIPCteam|USA}}
|-
|align=center| [[2022 Winter Paralympics|13]]
|align=center| 2022
|align=left| {{flagicon|China}} [[Beijing]], [[China]]
|align=left| President [[Xi Jinping]]
|align=center| 4–13 March
| 46 || 564 ||  ||  || 78 
|{{flagIPCteam|CHN}}
|-
|align=center| [[2026 Winter Paralympics|14]]
|align=center| 2026
|align=left| {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Milan]] and [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]], [[Italy]]
|align=left| 
|align=center| ''6–15 March''
|  ||  ||  ||  || 79|| 
|-
|align=center| [[2030 Winter Paralympics|15]]
|align=center| 2030
|align=left| {{flagicon|France}} [[French Alps]], [[France]]
|align=left| 
|align=center| ''1-10 March''
|  ||  ||  || || ||  
|-
|align=center| [[2034 Winter Paralympics|16]]
|align=center| 2034
|align=left| {{flagicon|United States}} [[Salt Lake City]], [[United States]]
|align=left| 
|align=center| ''10–19 March''
|  ||  ||  || ||  ||  
|
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[[Summer Paralympic Games]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=IPC160807>{{cite news |url= https://www.paralympic.org/news/ipc-suspends-russian-paralympic-committee-immediate-effect |title= The IPC suspends the Russian Paralympic Committee with immediate effect |publisher= [[International Paralympic Committee]] |date= 7 August 2016 }}</ref>

<ref name=Craven160807>{{cite news |url= https://www.paralympic.org/news/ipc-decision-membership-status-russian-paralympic-committee-0 |title= The IPC decision on the membership status of the Russian Paralympic Committee |first= Philip |last= Craven |publisher= International Paralympic Committee |date= 7 August 2016 }}</ref>

<ref name=Nicholson160807>{{cite news |url= https://www.paralympic.org/news/ipc-decision-membership-status-russian-paralympic-committee |title= The IPC decision on the membership status of the Russian Paralympic Committee |first= Todd |last= Nicholson |publisher= International Paralympic Committee |date= 7 August 2016 }}</ref>

}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.paralimpia.lap.hu Paralympic Link Directory]
*[http://www.paralympic.org Official IPC Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090206205816/http://www.accessibleportugal.com/revista/2008/Setembro/capa1.html Paralympics History] By Susana Correia in Accessible Portugal Online Magazine

{{Paralympic Games}}
{{Nations at the Paralympics}}
{{Paralympic Winter Games Host Cities}}
{{Multi-sport events}}

[[Category:Winter Paralympic Games| ]]
[[Category:Paralympic Games|*]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1976]]
[[Category:Winter multi-sport events]]
[[Category:Quadrennial sporting events]]