Paris organizers aim to emulate success of London 2012 as 'normalcy' returns to Paralympics

It's been more than a decade since the last Summer Paralympics went off without major controversy.

In 2016, Zika Virus concerns were compounded when, two weeks before the Games, the International Paralympic Committee announced it was making massive cuts amid the biggest financial restraints of its history – including a partial stripdown of the Rio Games themselves.

In 2021, after the Games were already delayed a year, fans and family remained banned from Tokyo amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

You'd have to go back to London 2012, then, for the last time the Paralympics could proceed unbothered.

And according to those who were there: what a Paralympics it was.

"London has probably been the best Games I've been to," said Canadian goalball captain Amy Burk, who competed there and in every Paralympics since. "It was just the crowds were so welcoming, the volunteers, like everything. It was just a well put-together Games."

WATCH | IPC president wants all tickets for Paris sold before opening ceremony:

Even the Paris 2024 organizers are wary of London's reputation. Catherine Gosselin-Despres, the Canadian Paralympic Committee's chief sport officer, visited Paris about two months ago.

"The French, and Paris 2024, have really embraced the challenge and they absolutely want to do better than London," she said. "They say even just when they present, 'This opening ceremony is going to be unique, the best one since London.'

"All of the Games in between are not necessarily mentioned."

There are plenty of reasons to believe that Paris can match, or even exceed, the lore of London. Fans will return, historic venues will be front and centre and, in North America, the timezone will be better than each of the three most recent Paralympics.