Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games

There will be 58 medals awarded to athletes from 40 nations. It is expected that over 500 athletes will compete. One thousand journalists will cover the events and 200,000 spectators are expected to attend. The Torino 2006 Paralympic Games are expected to be the third largest sporting event held in 2006 after the Olympic Games and the Football World Championships.

Tiziana Nasi, President of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Committee says "The Paralympic Games are a sporting, social and cultural event of major importance in the calendar of today's world sport and they are the natural continuation and completion of the Olympic Games."

There are four competitions in the alpine events: downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom. Athletes compete based on their functional ability which allows athletes with different disabilities to compete against each other.  Athletes from 35 countries are expected to compete.

Ice sledge hockey is the Paralympic equivalent of ice hockey. The sport is played by male athletes with a physical disability in the lower part of the body. Ice sledge hockey is played by athletes in 10 countries.

The Paralympic competition includes Cross-Country and Biathlon. Nordic skiing competitions are open to athletes with a physical disability or visual impairment. Athletes with a physical disability compete in sit-ski and standing classes while those with a visual impairment compete with a sighted guide.

Wheelchair curling will debut at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games. Each team will be comprised on male and female athletes. Athletes from 16countries have competitive wheelchair curling teams.

The opening ceremony for the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games will be held at the Stadio Comunale in Torino, this is also the site of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. The closing ceremony will be held at the Piazza Castello.

The Paralympics represent all the values that we would like to see in sports. Take a break from watching football (both soccer and American style football) to watch athletes that will inspire you and your children.