Development of sports of disabled people has more than centenary history. In XVIII and XIX Art. it is established that physical activity is one of major factors of rehabilitation of disabled people. The first attempts of familiarizing of disabled people to sports were made in the XIX station when, in 1888, in Berlin the first sports club for deafs was formed. For the first time "The Olympic Games for deafs" are held in Paris on August 10-17, 1924. Athletes participated in them – representatives of official national federations of Belgium, Great Britain, Holland, Poland, France and Czechoslovakia. To Games there arrived athletes from Italy, Romania and Hungary in which such federations weren't. The program of Games included track and field athletics, cycling, soccer, firing and swimming competitions.The Paralympic Games (paraolympic Games) — the international sports competitions for disabled people. Are traditionally carried out after the main Olympic Games, and since 1992 — in the same cities; in 2001 this practice is fixed by the agreement between the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The summer Paralympic Games are held with 1960, and the winter Paralympic Games — with 1976.
The name "paraolympic" is formed from the Greek prefix "παρα -" — "near, to a dress"; overlapping and equality of Paralympic competitions to the Olympic means. The name isn't connected in any way with the term paralysis.
Writing "paraolympic" is recorded in academic "The Russian spelling dictionary" and other dictionaries. It is explained by word etymology (the word is formed from Olympic by means of steam prefix-). Writing "Paralympic" is used in official documents of public authorities, being a calque from English paralympic games (the official name IOC)
Paralympic Games in the world are considered almost same outstanding event, as well as the Olympic Games. Emergence of sports in which disabled people can participate, connect with a name of the English neurosurgeon Ludwig Guttman who, overcoming century stereotypes in relation to people with physical defects, I entered sports into process of rehabilitation of patients with injuries of a spinal cord. It proved in practice that sports for people with physical defects create conditions for successful activity, restore mental balance, allow to return to full-fledged life irrespective of physical defects.