ABSTRACT
The Paralympic Games have grown in popularity and global reach since the inaugural games in Rome in 1960. With this growth in popularity, disability rights, accessibility, and inclusion have come to the forefront of many discussions in the sporting context. Large international para-sport events are often advertised as a way to meet social change objectives within host cities and countries. A number of international disability sport events, along with the Paralympic Games, are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). As such, they are subject to the IPC’s guidelines as they pertain to accessibility and inclusion requirements, as well as justifying claims that the event will have lasting benefits on the host city and country. While these are certainly worthwhile objectives, challenges arise when discussing the impact that sporting events may have on broader social change initiatives in this realm.
