The Olympic Games is a modern international revival of athletic and sports contests on the model of an ancient games. In 1996, on the 100th anniversary of the revival, Atlanta was given the honour of hosting the XXVI Olympic Games. After 108 years, the Games return to their birthplace as Athens will once again be the hosts of the Olympic Games in 2004. The concept of the Paralympics, to honour war veterans suffering from spinal injuries, was the brainchild of neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttman, who set up a Spinal Injury Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England. The first Stoke Mandeville Games were held in 1948 to coincide with the 1948 London Olympic Games. The first summer Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960 and they have been held every four years parallel to the Olympic Games. Physically disabled, including those with cerebral palsy, compete in a range of sports. The summer events include track, football, swimming, basketball, volley ball, weightlifting, table tennis and archery. The first winter Paralympic Games were held in 1976 in Sweden. A famous Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila took part in the paralympic games after he became paralytic due to a car accident. The first stamp dedicated to the Paralympic Games was published in the Argentine in 1964, the year Tokyo hosted the Games. Slovakia is publishing a first paralympic issue this year to coincide with the Games in Athens. Slovak parathletes will have the opportunity to enlarge their medal collection from Summer and Winter Paraolympic Games. Dr. Peter Osuský