2004 Summer Paralympics 346300 211568610 2008-05-11T01:00:00Z De Boni 2007 4852058 {| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right" |- bgcolor="#efefef" | colspan="2" | <center>'''Games of the XII Paralympics'''</center><br>[[Image:Athens 2004 logo2.jpg|center]] |- |Nations participating||144 |- |Athletes participating||3,969 |- |Events||162 in 19 [[sport]]s |- |Opening ceremony||[[September 17]] |- |Closing ceremony||[[September 28]] |- |Officially opened by||[[Costis Stephanopoulos]] |- |[[Olympic Flame|Paralympic Torch]]||[[Georgios Toptsis]] |- |[[Olympic Stadium|Stadium]]||[[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Olympic Stadium]] |} [[Image:Proteas2004.jpg|thumb|Proteas: The official 2004 Summer Paralympics mascot]] The '''2004 Summer Paralympics''' were held in [[Athens]], [[Greece]], from [[September 17]] to [[September 28]]. The twelfth [[Paralympic Games]], an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as [[demonstration sport]]s - women's 800 m and men's 1500 m wheelchair races. These races were open to able-bodied people and were without disability classification - as such, they did not form part of the official Paralympic programme. ''See [[Wheelchair racing at the 2004 Summer Olympics]] for more details.'' Athletes with [[learning difficulties]] were excluded from the games due to the difficulties in testing for and classifying these disabilities. The exclusion was introduced after the [[2000 Summer Paralympics]] in [[Sydney]], the first games with events exclusively for people with learning difficulties, after it was found that the majority of the [[Spain|Spanish]] [[basketball]] team were not disabled. The [[International Paralympic Committee]] (IPC) stated that the exclusion would continue until there are sufficient tests for the disabilities and a way to measure the effect they have on a sport. [[Exhibition match]]es for these categories were featured in the Games in basketball and [[table tennis]], and the [[Special Olympics]] remains the major sporting event specifically designed for athletes with learning difficulties. This Games Motto : Great Athletes. Great Performances ==Medal count and country performance ranking== {{main|2004 Summer Paralympics medal count}} {| {{RankedMedalTable}} |- |1||align=left|[[Image:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg|20px|]] [[People's Republic of China|China]]||'''63'''||'''46'''||32||'''141''' |- |2||align=left|[[Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|20px|]] [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]]||35||30||29||94 |- |3||align=left|[[Image:Flag of Canada.svg|20px|]] [[Canada]]||28||19||25||72 |- |4||align=left|[[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|20px|]] [[United States]]||27||22||'''39'''||88 |- |5||align=left|[[Image:Flag of Australia.svg|20px|]] [[Australia]]||26||38||36||100 |- |6||align=left|[[Image:Flag of Ukraine.svg|20px|]] [[Ukraine]]||24||12||19||55 |- |7||align=left|[[Image:Flag of Spain.svg|20px|]] [[Spain]]||20||27||24||71 |- |8||align=left|[[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|20px|]] [[Germany]]||19||28||32||79 |- |9||align=left|[[Image:Flag of France.svg|20px|]] [[France]]||18||26||30||74 |- |10||align=left|[[Image:Flag of Japan.svg|20px|]] [[Japan]]||17||15||20||52 |- |} == Opening ceremony == [[Image:Paralympics Opening Ceremony.jpg|thumb|300px|From the Paralympics opening ceremony]] The opening ceremony for the 2004 Summer Paralympics took place on [[September 17]], [[2004]]. The show started with children passing on knowledge and raising their lights to the sky. This was a reference to [[Hippocrates]], who transferred knowledge to the children. A 26 meters tall [[olive]] tree (with more than 195,000 leaves) symbolising life stood in the middle of the arena. The opening ceremony also featured a performance with human drama, with light and with music, in an [[allegory]] about obstacles and limits. The Parade of Delegations was accompanied by the music of French composers [[Yves Stepping]] and [[Jean Christophe]]. The music told the legend of [[Hephaestos]], god of fire and son of [[Zeus]] and [[Hera]]. An athlete from [[Turkmenistan]] propelled himself around the stadium by doing somersaults. Greece, the home team, received a strong cheer. After that, fireworks erupted at the stadium. There were 150 local support staff involved and 400 volunteers. The children were from ages 8 to 17, coming from [[Australia]], [[France]], [[Spain]], [[Greece]] and [[Germany]]. The Games were officially declared opened by Greek president [[Costis Stephanopoulos]] and [[Phil Craven]], the president of the International Paralympic Committee. They were accompanied by the head of the organizing committee [[Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki]], who told the athletes and the audience: ''"The Olympic flame illuminates athletes. Many of you will leave Athens with medals, but all of you will leave as champions."'' Phil Craven quoted [[Democritus]] in his speech: ''"Two thousand years ago, Democritus said 'To win oneself is the first and best of all victories.' This holds true for all athletes, but especially for Paralympians. Recognising and cultivating your unique abilities and mastering challenges - you set standards and give expression for many people, young and old, around the world."'' The [[Olympic flame]] was lit by Greek athlete [[Georgios Toptsis]]. == Closing ceremony == The closing ceremony for the 2004 [[Summer Paralympics]] took place on [[September 28]], [[2004]]. The traditional cultural display was removed from the ceremony as a mark of respect for the deaths of 37 teenagers and 4 teachers from [[Farkadona]], travelling to [[Athens]], whose bus collided with a truck near the town of [[Kamena Vourla]]. :''"The [[Athens Olympics Organising Committee]] <nowiki>[ATHOC]</nowiki> has decided to cancel the closing ceremony of the 12th Athens Paralympics as initially planned and scheduled because of the tragic accident that cost the life of pupils. The artistic and entertainment part of the ceremony will not take place."'' (official statement) Flags were flown at half mast and a minute's silence was observed. In contrast with the formal nature of the opening ceremony, the athletes entered the stadium for the final time as a collective. The flag of the IPC was then officially handed over to the 2008 hosts, [[Beijing]]. A procession of young people then made their way to join the athletes in the centre of the stadium carrying [[paper lantern]]s, before the [[Paralympic flame]] was extinguished, the final moment of the Paralympic Games.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3693934.stm "Games finale cut after bus deaths"], ''[[BBC News Online]]'', 2004-09-27</ref> ==Media Coverage Controversy== Although the Paralympic Games were broadcast to around 1.6 billion viewers throughout 49 countries<ref>[http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/IPC/IPC_Annual_Report/2004_Annual_Report_web.pdf "International Paralympic Committee Annual report 2004"], ''[[IPC]]''</ref>, some controversy was caused when not one American television network stayed to broadcast the event.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/3699650.stm "Athens advance Paralympics"], ''[[BBC News Online]]'', 2004-09-24</ref> This resulted in some US viewers having to wait almost 2 months until the coverage was broadcast, compared with live feeds in the UK and other countries. <ref>[http://www.paralympics.com/News_articles_archive/us_tv.htm "US TV Coverage of the Paralympics - starts November ..."], ''[[paralympics.com]]', 2004-09-20</ref> ==Sports featured in the 2004 Summer Paralympics== The 2004 Summer Paralympics included 19 sports. New events featured in the Games were five-a-side blind football, women's sitting volleyball, and quads wheelchair tennis. ''Results for individual events can be found on the relevant page.'' *[[Archery at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Archery]] *[[Athletics at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Athletics]] *[[Boccia at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Boccia]] **''see [[Boccia]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Cycling at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Cycling]] *[[Equestrian at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Equestrian]] *[[5-a-side Football at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Football (5-a-side)]] *[[7-a-side Football at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Football (7-a-side)]] **''see [[Paralympic Football]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Goalball at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Goalball]] **''see [[Goalball]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Judo at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Judo]] **''see [[Paralympic Judo]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Powerlifting at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Powerlifting]] **''see [[Paralympic Powerlifting]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Sailing at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Sailing]] **''see [[Paralympic Sailing]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Shooting at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Shooting]] **''see [[Paralympic Shooting]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Swimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Swimming]] **''see [[Paralympic Swimming]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Table Tennis at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Table Tennis]] **''see [[Paralympic table tennis]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Volleyball at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Volleyball (Sitting)]] **''see [[Paralympic Volleyball]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Wheelchair Basketball at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Wheelchair Basketball]] **''see [[Paralympic Basketball]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Wheelchair Fencing at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Wheelchair Fencing]] **''see [[Paralympic Fencing]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Wheelchair Rugby at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Wheelchair Rugby]] **''see [[Wheelchair Rugby]] for general details of the sport'' *[[Wheelchair Tennis at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Wheelchair Tennis]] **''see [[Wheelchair Tennis]] for general details of the sport'' ==Nations== <!-- A full list should be added eventually --> Athletes from 136 nations competed in the Athens Paralympics. '''Articles by nation:''' *[[Canada at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Canada]] *[[Estonia at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Estonia]] *[[Great Britain at the 2004 Summer Paralympics|Great Britain]] ==See also== * [[Summer Paralympics]] * [[Paralympics]] * [[International Paralympic Committee]] * [[2004 Summer Olympics]] ==External links== * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/paralympics/facts/ 25 things you never knew about the Paralympics] (BBC website). Also links to information about 20 athletes from Team GB. ==References== <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> <references /></div> {{Paralympics}} [[Category:Sport in Athens]] [[Category:2004 Summer Paralympics|*]] [[Category:Summer Paralympic Games]] [[de:Sommer-Paralympics 2004]] [[fr:Jeux paralympiques d'été de 2004]] [[ko:2004년 하계 패럴림픽]] [[it:XII Giochi Paralimpici estivi]] [[nl:Paralympische Zomerspelen 2004]] [[ja:アテネパラリンピック]] [[pl:Letnie Igrzyska Paraolimpijskie 2004]] [[fi:Kesäparalympialaiset 2004]] [[sv:Paralympiska sommarspelen 2004]] [[zh:2004年夏季残奥会]]