Commentary: Why aren’t the Olympics and Paralympics combined into one Games?

LONDON, Canada: As the lights go out on an outstanding Olympic Games in Paris, it’s important to remember the Games aren’t over - it’s just the halfway mark.  While the closing ceremony on Aug 11 seemed like the end of the event with the official handover to Los Angeles for 2028, the 2024 Games were really just on pause.

This two-week break between Olympic and Paralympic Games isn’t a respite at all. Paris was getting ready to host the Paralympic Games, which began on Wednesday (Aug 28) with the opening ceremony.

In two weeks, a whole new set of elite international athletes descended on Paris for the third largest sporting event in the world.  Staff worked hard to set up venues for the Paralympic sports. This means tearing down some temporary venues and putting up others that facilitate accessibility for Paralympic sports, athletes and their entourage.

Transforming the village, which housed just over 14,000 athletes and team personnel for the Olympics, to get it ready for the 8,000 para-athletes and staff for the Paralympic Games is no simple feat.

At this juncture, the question often arises as to why the Olympics and Paralympics aren’t combined together into one Games. The reasoning behind the decision is more complicated than it might appear.

In 2001, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed the One Bid, One City agreement to protect the interests of the Paralympic Games. The agreement requires host cities to stage both the Olympic and Paralympic Games using the same venues, facilities and infrastructure. This also unites the two sporting movements.

The sheer size of such an event would make it impossible for almost any city to host a single combined Olympic and