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Summer Paralympic Games Sports

Athletes compete in up to 22 Sports at the Summer Paralympics (and six at the Winter Paralympics), as listed below. Many of the sports also include several disciplines or events, with the number and kinds of events changing from one Paralympic Games to another. Some sports began as demonstration events.

a goalball game for blind athletes

Para Rowing was added to the program in 2008. Canoe and triathlon made their debut in Rio 2016. Badminton and taekwondo made their Paralympic debuts at the Tokyo 2021 Games, replacing sailing and 7-a-side football. Para-climbing will be included for the first time in LA 2028.

Goalball, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair basketball have men's and women's events, wheelchair rugby is a mixed event, while the football event is only open to male competitors.

The current list of summer Paralympic sports (Paris 2024)

Archery (since 1960)
Athletics (since 1960)
Boccia (since 1984)
Cycling: Track & Road cycling (since 1984)
Equestrian (since 1996)
Football 5-a-Side (since 2004) - for vision imparied
Goalball (since 1980)
Judo (since 1988)
Para-Badminton (since 2021)
Paracanoe (since 2016)
Paratriathlon (since 2016)
Para-Taekwondo (since 2021)
Powerlifting (since 1984)
Rowing (since 2008)
Shooting (since 1976)
Sitting Volleyball (since 1976)
Swimming (since 1960)
Table tennis (since 1960)
Wheelchair Basketball (since 1960)
Wheelchair Fencing (since 1960)
Wheelchair Rugby (since 2000)
Wheelchair Tennis (since 1992)

New for LA 2028

Para-Climbing (2028)

Discontinued Summer Paralympic Sports

Here are just some of the sports and events that has previously been part of the Paralympic Games. See more of these plus a discussion about discontinued sports and events.

Basketball ID (1996–2000)
Lawn bowls (1968–1988, 1996)
Snooker (1960–1976, 1984–1988)
Dartchery (1960–1980)
Weightlifting (1964–1992)
Wrestling (1980–1984)
Sailing (2000-2016)
Football 7-a-Side (1984-2016) — for athletes with cerebral palsy
Precision javelin throw — part of Athletics: (1960, 1968-76, 1984, 1988)
Wheelchair slalom (1964-1988)
... more

Demonstration Paralympic Sports

Here are some of the sports and events that have been part of the Paralympic Games as demonstration sports. See more of these plus a discussion about discontinued sports and events.

Sailing (1996)
Showdown (1996)

Sports aiming to be included in future Paralympics

These eight sports have applied for inclusion on the program for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. None of these were added

Football 7-a-Side (for CP athletes)
RaceRunning (Frame Running)
Powerchair Football
Golf
Surfing
Armwrestling
Karate
Para Dance Sport
Sailing

Three sport disciplines from sporting federations with sports that already feature on the Paralympic program have also put forward applications for new disciplines.

3x3 basketball
Poomsae discipline of Taekwondo
Trap shooting

Other sports which have been considered for the Paralympics at other times

Amputee Football
Basketball - Intellectual Impairment
Electric Wheelchair Hockey

Notes:

In 2010, para-badminton, intellectually impaired basketball, para-golf, powerchair football and para-taekwondo all applied to be part of the Rio 2016 Paralympic sports program but were unsuccessful. The successful sports were para-canoe and para-triathlon.