South Africa at the
Paralympics
IPC codeRSA
NPCSouth African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee
Websitewww.sascoc.co.za
Medals
Gold
121
Silver
95
Bronze
88
Total
304
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

South Africa has competed at both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.

The country made its Paralympic début at the 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan, where it sent nine athletes to compete in archery, athletics, swimming and weightlifting. They finished sixth on the medal table with nineteen medals, of which eight gold. Paradoxically, South Africa thus began to compete at the Paralympics just after being barred from competing at the Olympics. South Africa had been banned from the Olympic Games following the passing of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1761 which, in 1962, condemned the country's policy of apartheid. South Africa was not, however, banned from the Paralympics, and was therefore present at the 1964 Paralympics despite being absent from the 1964 Summer Olympics.[1]

The country continued to compete at the Summer Paralympics until 1976, included.[2]

The States-General (national Parliament) of the Netherlands, the host country of the 1980 Summer Paralympics, adopted a motion declaring South Africa's participation in the 1980 Games "undesirable".[3] South Africa was subsequently absent from the Paralympic Games until 1992, at which point it also made its return to the Olympics, in the context of the dismantling of apartheid. It has competed at the Summer Games ever since.[4]

South Africa made its Winter Paralympics début at the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan. It thus became the second African country to compete at the Winter Paralympics, following Uganda in 1976. South Africa has competed at every edition of the Winter Paralympics since then. To date, only one athlete, alpine skier Bruce Warner, has represented South Africa at the Winter Games. He has yet to win a medal.[5]

Medal tables

Medals by Summer Games

GamesGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1964 Tokyo88319
1968 Tel Aviv910726
1972 Heidelberg16121341
1976 Toronto691126
1992 Barcelona4138
1996 Atlanta1081028
2000 Sydney13121338
2004 Athens1513735
2008 Beijing213630
2012 London812929
2016 Rio de Janeiro76417
2020 Tokyo4127
Totals (12 entries)1219588304

See also

References

  1. ↑ South Africa at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
  2. ↑ South Africa at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
  3. ↑ "'The Netherlands against Apartheid' - 1970s", International Institute of Social History
  4. ↑ South Africa at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
  5. ↑ South Africa at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
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