Latest News Founding organisations of the Paralympic Games 21st January 2025 The history of World Abilitysport and WheelPower Author: Dr Ian Brittain (Coventry University, UK), 24th October 2024 It might appear strange to write about the history of what are today two very different, but related, sporting organisations. However, both World Abilitysport and WheelPower: British Wheelchair Sports Foundation, actually have exactly the same roots and share much of the same history, going back to the founding of the Games under Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann. Below is a timeline that outlines this shared history and development as well as the point at which the two organisations actually became separate entities with different but related objectives. Early iterations and precursors for each organisation are highlighted in red (World Abilitysport) and blue (WheelPower). The World Abilitysport and WheelPower collections, hosted by the Buckinghamshire Archives, are of international significance due to their role in the development of the Paralympic Games and Movement. 1940s - 1950s 1943 – Ludwig Guttmann joins Stoke Mandeville Hospital In September 1943 the British Government appointed Dr Ludwig Guttmann, a German Jewish neurosurgeon, as the Director of the National Spinal Injuries Unit at the Ministry of Pensions Hospital, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury. This was mainly to take care of the numerous soldiers and civilians suffering from spinal injuries as a result of the World War II and the planned D-Day landings. Guttmann accepted under the condition that he would be totally independent and that he could apply his philosophy as far as the whole approach to the treatment of those patients was concerned. As well as introducing new medical procedures to their treatment such as turning the patients every couple of hours, day and night to eliminate bedsores, Guttmann introduced sport recognising its physiological and psychological value in the rehabilitation process. In order to achieve this, as well as surrounding himself with the necessary medical professionals and physiotherapists he built a team around him of individuals whose names have now become folklore in the history of sport for the disabled, including Joan Scruton, Charlie Atkinson and Thomas ‘Q’ Hill. These are the people who were responsible for assisting Guttmann with not only using sport as a rehabilitation process, but also organising the Stoke Mandeville Games that would follow. 1948 – The first Stoke Mandeville Games For an event that would later go on to become the largest ever sporting event for disabled people and one of the largest multi-sport events on the planet after the Olympic Games the event now known globally as the Paralympic Games had a rather inauspicious and humble beginning. It began life as an archery competition between two teams of Paraplegics from the Ministry of Pensions Hospital at Stoke Mandeville and the Star and Garter Home for Injured War Veterans at Richmond in Surrey, as a demonstration of what Guttmann’s rehabilitation methods had achieved. The competition was held to celebrate the presentation of a specially adapted bus to the patients of Stoke Mandeville by the British Legion and London Transport. Perhaps more auspicious was the date chosen for the handover of the bus and the archery competition; - Thursday 29th July 1948, the exact same day as the opening ceremony for the Games of the Fourteenth Olympiad (Olympic Games) at Wembley in London less than thirty-five miles away. A total of sixteen archers took part in the event with eight competing on each team. The team from the Star and Garter home were all male, whereas the team from Stoke Mandeville consisted of six males and two females. 1952 – The first International Stoke Mandeville Games On Saturday 26th July 1952, five years after they began, Dr Guttmann’s dearest wish for the Games came true when a team of four athletes (Gerard van Opdorp, Renus Hoogendoorn, Fritz van Ommen, Arri Prins), a physiotherapist (W. Simmers) and a nursing sister (C.M. van Nispen) and led by Dr J.E. van Gogh arrived at Stoke Mandeville from the Doorn Military Rehabilitation Centre, Aardenburg in the Netherlands and the Games became truly international. Their attendance was greatly aided by the assistance of the World Veterans’ Federation (WVF) who arranged and paid for the visit through their rehabilitation programme. Mr Kurt Jannson, director of the WVF rehabilitation programme announced at the Games that the WVF intended to make it possible for more teams from other countries to attend the Games the following year, which greatly assisted in the expansion of the Games on an international level. 1955 – The Paraplegic Sports Endowment Fund initiated Slowly, but surely, the Games were becoming a victim of their own success. In the four years since the Games had become truly international in nature in 1952, they had grown from 130 participants from two nations to 280 participants from 18 nations. The increasing cost of putting the Games on, combined with the problems of housing all the athletes and officials, led to the announcement by Dr Guttmann at the Games of 1955 that the future of the Games was in danger. This announcement caused Mr J.C.A. Faure, a spectator at those Games and father of one of the physiotherapists at Stoke Mandeville, to approach Dr Guttmann in order to see what could be done to rectify the situation. Mr Faure, a successful businessman with Unilever and also President of the Principal Oil Seed, Oils and Fats Trade Association, had discussions with Dr Guttmann as to the best way forward and on 15th November 1955 a group of interested individuals gathered at Stoke Mandeville with a view to setting up a Paraplegic Sports Endowment Fund in order to put the future of the Stoke Mandeville Games on a firm financial footing. In order to do this, it was decided that a sum of not less than £60,000 would be required. A management board was set up with Mr Faure as its Chairman and Dr Guttmann as the Vice-Chairman. The Fund itself and the money it generated were used in a variety of ways. These include: New accommodation huts Erection of temporary stands for spectators Running costs of the Games themselves Purchase of sports equipment for paraplegics who had left hospital and were now living at home Financing paraplegic teams and individuals to take part in sports events at home and abroad Grants to The Cord, the journal for paraplegics It is clear from this list that the organisers of the Stoke Mandeville Games considered the organisation of the Games to be a national activity to be paid for from national funds alongside activities that would help develop sport for wheelchair users within Britain. Some of these roles are today fulfilled by WheelPower. 1958 – The first Great Britain team competes at the Stoke Mandeville Games In 1957 there were 360 competitors from 23 overseas countries and 22 different British organisations and institutions including spinal units. Space was now getting so tight that on 13th and 14th June 1958 a National Stoke Mandeville Games had to be introduced to select a team to represent Great Britain at the International Games. And so, from Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th July a Great Britain team competed in the International Games for the very first time. These Games attracted around 250 competitors from twenty nations – a much more manageable number in terms of accommodation. 1959 – The International Stoke Mandeville Games Committee formed The idea for an International Stoke Mandeville Games Committee (ISMGC) came about at a meeting of managers and trainers held at the International Stoke Mandeville Games of 1959, but the committee was not actually constituted and did not hold their first official meeting until Sunday 26th September 1960 in Rome where Dr Guttmann was elected President and Joan Scruton as Honorary Secretary. The rest of the committee consisted of Dr Antonio Maglio (Italy), Dr Albert Tricot (Belgium), Mr Michel Boubee (France) and Captain Henrik Tjebbes (Netherlands). The role of the ISMGC was to act as a co-ordinating body for the proper conduct of the International Stoke Mandeville Games. 1960s to 1970s 1960 – The International Working Group (IWG) for other impairment groups founded In 1960, recognising the need to organise international sports for impairment groups other than paraplegics the International Working Group on Sports for the Disabled was set up under the aegis of the World Veterans Federation whose headquarters was in Paris. Unfortunately, due to language difficulties and differences of opinion the organisation failed and was dissolved in 1964. 1964 – The International Sports Organisation for the Disabled replaces the IWG In place of the International Working Group the International Sports Organisation for the Disabled (ISOD) was founded at a meeting in Paris in 1964. ISOD remained under the patronage of the World Veterans Federation until 1967, when it became an independent organisation, and its headquarters were transferred to Stoke Mandeville. In the same year the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association (BLESMA) organised the first ever international sports competition for amputees at Stoke Mandeville. Guttmann, now Sir Ludwig Guttmann after being knighted by the Queen for services to the disabled in 1966, became President of both ISMGC and ISOD and this dual role would eventually play a major part in bringing the different impairment groups together in one Games. Initially ISOD represented a number of disability groups, but by 1981 both the blind and the cerebral palsied had broken away to form their own international federations – the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) and Cerebral Palsied – International Sport and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA). 1969 – Stoke Mandeville Stadium opens One of the largest tasks taken on by the Paraplegic Sports Endowment Fund was to raise £350,000 to build the world’s first ever sports facility dedicated to sport for disabled people. Having successfully secured the funding and a 99-year lease from the Ministry of Health for land at the rear of the Stoke Mandeville Hospital at a peppercorn rent of £1 per year, a turf -turning ceremony was held in July 1968. Just over a year later, on 2nd August 1969, the new facilities were officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Stadium acted as home for many disability sports bodies over the following years and is still home to and owned by WheelPower. Following the successful opening of the Stadium Mr Faure, who had been Chairman of the Board of Management of the PSEF since its inception in 1955 decided to retire and the Board asked Dr Guttmann to take over the role alongside his many other leadership roles. 1972 – ISMGC becomes the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation At what is recognised today as the fourth Paralympic Games held in Heidelberg, Germany and the last Paralympic Games to be held solely under the aegis of ISMGC it was agreed at the Council meeting to amend the constitution and name of the organisation to the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation. 1972 – The British Paraplegic Sports Society Ltd formed With the great success of the new facilities at Stoke Mandeville it was decided in 1972 that a managing company limited by guarantee be formed to take over from the Paraplegic Sports Endowment Fund to run the Stadium operations and so the British Paraplegic Sports Society Limited was born and was duly incorporated on 16th June 1972, taking over from the PSEF. As with the PSEF in its latter years the BPSS had a dual role: (a) functioning as the national governing body of sport for spinal cord paralysed, sending teams to international events, running the national and international Stoke Mandeville Games and (b) developing and running Stoke Mandeville Stadium as a national and international home of sport for the disabled. 1980s to 1990s 1980 – Dr Guttmann dies In the autumn of 1979 Sir Ludwig suffered a coronary thrombosis and despite a brief recovery died on the 18th March 1980. Given his many high-level roles with a wide variety of national and international organisations regarding sport for the disabled this left many roles to be filled as well as opportunities for changes to occur both at home and abroad. 1984 – Paralympic Games held at Stoke Mandeville Stadium Due to political issues driven mainly by the Chairman of the National Wheelchair Athletics Association in the USA, Ben Lipton, the Games in 1984 were split into two with the wheelchair athletes competing at the University of Illinois and all the other impairment groups in Nassau County, New York State. However, due to the last minute cancellation of the Wheelchair Games bought on by funding issues, ISMGF and BPSS combined forces last minute to host the Games for wheelchair athletes at Stoke Mandeville Stadium from 22nd July to 1st August. These fractures between the organisations responsible for the various impairment groups are potentially part of the reason that led to the setting up of the International Paralympic Committee five years later. 1989 – International Paralympic Committee formed One of those major changes occurred nine years later when the International Paralympic Committee was formed at a meeting held in Dusseldorf, Germany from 21st to 22nd September 1989. This fundamentally changed the role of organisations such as ISMGF who from the Winter Paralympic Games of Lillehammer 1994 (contracts had already been signed for the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Madrid and Tignes) would no longer have any direct responsibilities with regard to the organisation of the summer or winter Paralympic Games. 1990 – The International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation is formed Following circulation of an amended constitution to the members of ISMGF it was voted on and agreed that the organisation should be incorporated as a limited company and renamed the International Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Sports Federation (ISMWSF). Incorporation was finally completed in 1991. 1991 – BPSS becomes WheelPower: British Wheelchair Sports Foundation In February 1991, BPSS became what it is today - WheelPower: British Wheelchair Sports Foundation – reflecting the desire prevalent at the time to move away from medical terminology in organisational titles and to focus more on the sport that was at the heart of their existence. 1993 – Joan Scruton retires In 1993, after nearly fifty years of dedicated service to sports for the disabled, Joan Scruton retired from her role as Secretary General of ISMWSF. She previously retired from her role with BPSS five years earlier in 1988, ending a 44-year involvement with wheelchair sport in Britain. She was the last of the original founders of the Stoke Mandeville Games and the end of an era. Joan passed away after a long period in hospital on 1st November 2007. 2000s to 2020s 2004 – The International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation is formed In 2004 the ISMWSF merged with ISOD, then representing Amputee and Les Autres athletes, to form the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, who were responsible for the development internationally of Wheelchair and Amputee and Les Autres athletes. 2015 – IWAS moves away from Stoke Mandeville Stadium In November 2015, IWAS moved its operation to the nearby Aylesbury College in order to build its own independent identity, finally ending a seventy-year association with the site. 2023 – World Abilitysport is formed In January 2023 IWAS merged with Cerebral Palsy – International Sports and Recreation Association to form World Abilitysport, a single body representing all athletes with physical impairments who compete and the Paralympic Games. 2024 – 80th anniversary of the opening of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital World Abilitysport and WheelPower Today World Abilitysport https://worldabilitysport.org/ Today World Abilitysport has a dual role as an International Federation and a major event organiser. They are the international federation for the Paralympic sport of Wheelchair Fencing, as well as non-Paralympic sports, Powerchair Hockey and Para Dance Sport. In addition, they continue their legacy of the International Stoke Mandeville Games by hosting the World Abilitysport Games every non-Paralympic year and the World Abilitysport Youth Games in the Paralympic years around the world. WheelPower https://www.wheelpower.org.uk/ Today WheelPower is the national organisation for wheelchair sport in the UK. From first timers to Paralympic medallists, WheelPower supports and promotes participation at all levels. Based upon their understanding of how playing sport can enrich lives, offering tremendous physical and psychological benefits, whatever your age or ability, which are based in the philosophies of their founder, Sir Ludwig Guttmann. In 2022 WheelPower introduced their new strategy ‘Moving Forward Together’, which covers the period 2022-2027. WheelPower states that the strategy will drive everything they do and provide more opportunities for more disabled people to move more, play sport and lead active lives. Selected Sources Bailey, S. (2008). Athlete First: A history of the Paralympic Movement, Wiley & Sons Ltd; U.K. Brittain, I. (2016). The Paralympic Games Explained (2nd Edition). Routledge; U.K. Brittain, I. (2012). From Stoke Mandeville to Sochi: A history of the summer and winter Paralympic Games. Common Ground Publishing; USA. Goodman, S. (1986). Spirit of Stoke Mandeville: The Story of Sir Ludwig Guttmann, Collins; U.K. Scruton, J. (1998). Stoke Mandeville: Road to the Paralympics. Peterhouse Press; U.K. Manage Cookie Preferences