Olympic and Paralympic Games military connection

There is a long relationship between sports and military service in our country. Canadians serving in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War often took part in 'games days' and other official and unofficial athletic contests. This military/sport connection has continued in the post-war years. Not surprisingly, some of these ‘soldier-athletes’ have worn both a military uniform and an Olympic athlete’s uniform for our country. You can read some of their stories by exploring this website.

The origins of the Paralympic Games are closely tied with military service. In the years after the Second World War, some Allied service men and women who had been seriously injured in duty began turning to sport to help in their rehabilitation. This modest beginning has grown into the worldwide competition the Paralympic Games are today.

The peace and freedom we in Canada enjoy today is only a dream in many of the countries that compete in these international games. These privileges are ours because generations of Canadians, like the people mentioned here, have defended them over the years.