2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics (Greek: Θερινοί Παραολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004), the 12th Summer Paralympic Games, were a major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee, held in Athens, Greece from 17 to 28 September 2004. 3,808 athletes (2,643 Men and 1,165 Women) from 136 countries participated. During these games 304 World Records were broken with 448 Paralympic Games Records being broken across 19 different sports. 8,863 volunteers worked along the Organizing Committee.
| Host city | Athens, Greece |
|---|---|
| Motto | Great Athletes. Great Performances. (Greek: Μεγάλοι Αθλητές. Μεγάλες Επιδόσεις.) |
| Nations | 136 |
| Athletes | 3,806 |
| Events | 517 in 19 sports |
| Opening | 17 September |
| Closing | 28 September |
| Opened by | President Konstantinos Stephanopoulos |
| Cauldron | Georgios Toptsis |
| Stadium | Olympic Stadium |
Summer
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2004 Summer Olympics | |
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| 2004 Summer Paralympics |
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Four new events were introduced to the Paralympics in Athens; 5-a-side football for the blind, quads wheelchair tennis, and women's competitions in judo and sitting volleyball. Following a scandal at the 2000 Summer Paralympics, in which the Spanish intellectually-disabled basketball team was stripped of their gold medal after it was found that multiple players had not met the eligibility requirements, ID-class events were suspended.
It was also the last time that the old Paralympic symbol was used. The new Paralympic symbol was introduced in 2006.