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CHAPTER 35
magnitude as spinal paraplegia can become true sportsmen and sportswomen in their
own right. After the Games, the late Pope John XXIII addressed the 400 competitors
and 300 escorts during a special audience, held in the Vatican City. His appraisal of the
philosophy of the Stoke Mandeville Games, which the reader will find at the opening of
this book, can hardly be better expressed. It may also be mentioned in this connection,
that during the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, the Fearnley Cup was awarded to
the organization of the Stoke Mandeville Games by the Olympic Committee, an award
given for outstanding achievement in the service of the Olympic ideals.
In 1964, the Games were held in the Olympic stadium at Tokyo, following immediately
upon the Olympic Games, where 335 competitors representing 23 nations came together
to compete in friendly rivalry. The Games were opened by the Crown Prince of Japan.
The interest of the Japanese Government, the municipal authorities of the metropolis
and the public as a whole was overwhelming. During the course of these Games, more
than 100,000 spectators were counted, and members of the Imperial family and other
leading personalities attended daily. These Tokyo Games had far-reaching social conse
quences. The Japanese Government, having recognized the accomplishment of para
plegics in sport, set up within six months of the Games a factory for employment of
paraplegics and other severely disabled, which is run on purely business lines, something
hitherto unknown in that country. At present, there are four such factories, called
Japan Sun Industries under the directorship of Dr Nakamura, a former pupil of Stoke
Mandeville.
The 1968 Games took place in Israel, as the Mexican authorities were not able to
organize these Games in connection with the Olympic Games. Seven hundred and fifty
competitors and over 300 escorts came to the Holy Land, representing 28 countries. It
was significant for the spirit of the people of that country, being themselves engaged in a
struggle for their own survival, that they opened their doors for this event in the field of
sport and humanity, which involved the organizing Israeli Committee and the Govern
ment in great financial efforts. The opening ceremony took place in the sports stadium
of the University in Jerusalem attended by 25,000 people. It was opened by the Deputy
Prime Minister, Mr. Ygal Allon, as the Prime Minister was ill. In the evening, delegations
of all nations taking part were received by the President of the State of Israel. One of the
highlights of these Games was a pilgrimage of all competitors and escorts to Nazareth,
where they were welcomed by the Arabic Mayor of Nazareth and the Jewish Mayor of
Upper Nazareth, and where Archbishop Isidores of the Greek Orthodox Church gave
the blessing on behalf of all religious denominations—indeed a unique event of unity of
mankind.
The XXI International Stoke Mandeville Games in the Olympic year of 1972 were
held in Heidelberg, Germany, before the Olympic Games in Munich, and 1,000 para
plegics and 400 escorts represented 45 nations. The number of competitors could have
been doubled had more accommodation been available. The City and University of
Heidelberg, the German and American Army Authorities and, in particular, the Industrial
Rehabilitation Centre (Berufsforderungswerk), where all the participants were accom
modated, really competed with each other to make this Olympiade of the Paralysed a
resounding success. The Games were opened by the President of the German Federal
