The Paralympic movement will be observing its 44th anniversary at the 2004 Games in Athens by holding its competitions for the physically handicapped. (The 1st Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960.) Some 4,000 athletes from 130 countries are expected to compete at the Games of the XII Paralympiad, to be held in Athens from September 17 to 28. Although not drawing anywhere near the crowds as those attending the Olympics in August, there will be a significant demand placed on accommodations in Athens during this event.

Athletes will compete in 19 major sports at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, 15 of which are also part of the regular 2004 Olympics. The full medal sports at the Paralympics are: archery, athletics (track, throwing, jumping, pentathlon, marathon), basketball (wheelchair), boccia (the Italian bowling game played by athletes with cerebral palsy because the object is to roll balls along a earthen "alley" and place the balls closest to a white target ball), cycling, equestrian, fencing (wheelchair), football (soccer), goalball (played by blind competitors who try to throw balls equipped with bells into the opponents' goal), judo, lawn bowls (like boccia except played on open grass field), powerlifting, rugby (wheelchair), sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis (wheelchair), and volleyball. The Paralympic Games include some 700 medal events -- more than twice the number of Olympic events because Paralympic athletes compete according to degree of disability and functional level, creating additional categories. Events will utilize most of the Olympic venues as well as some other locations around Athens.