The first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896, founded by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, as a way to educate young people through various sports and to build a better and more interconnected world. In 1960, the first Paralympic Games were held, including 23 nations and around 400 athletes. Athletes from hundreds of countries now participate in the modern Olympics and Paralympics, and teams are composed of athletes from countless different backgrounds, ethnicities, and levels of ability. This amazing chance to see a group of athletes who are infinitely diverse is changing people’s views and challenging society’s prejudice against those who appear different. These games are a pivotal chance to briefly unite a world in conflict, to showcase the breathtaking talent of diverse athletes, and to spread the much-needed message of good sportsmanship and social justice worldwide. As athlete John Carlos said, “If you stand for justice and equality, you have an obligation to find the biggest possible megaphone to let your feelings be known. Don't let your message be buried and don't bury yourself.”

 

Race and Disability in the Modern Olympics and Paralympics

For a long time, the concept of racial difference was at the core of the Olympics and Paralympics. The games collectively show that race has no relation or effect on athletic talent and they have become a stage used to protest for racial justice. In the 1968 Olympics, American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos won gold and bronze medals in the 200 meter track race. As they stood on the podium and listened to the U.S. national anthem, they raised their fists, covered in black gloves, while they wore black socks and no shoes. This iconic image was in solidarity with the Olympic Project for Human Rights, which called for shedding light on Black freedom struggles and stood in protest against discrimination. Through this action, they brought these important issues to the attention of viewers worldwide. 

 

Similarly, the Paralympics reinforces the reality that neither race nor appearance impact talent, while also challenging prejudiced ways of thinking that differently abled people are not capable. A single example of this, though there are many, is the men’s 100 meter backstroke - S1. Swimmers in races labeled S1 are unable to bend their hands and wrists, unable to control their torsos, have no leg mobility, and do not have the head control to swim strokes other than backstroke. The S1 gold medalist in the 2024 Paralympics was  a Polish man named Kamil Otowski who swam the race in two minutes and 17.85 seconds. 

 

What can you do?

These games show that every person is more than their surface traits of skin color, background, and disability. No one should be labeled or judged based on these things alone. You can help end prejudice and discrimination by using the Olympics and Paralympics as a reminder of the strength in mind, body, and spirit that all humans are capable of, and of the fact that everybody is more than what we see on the outside.