The Paralympics have grown from a small group of British World War II veterans in 1948. Today they have become one of the largest international sporting events. There are now Winter and Summer Paralympic Games;these,like the regular Olympics,take place every four years. Disabled athletes from all over the world participate in the event in a wide variety of sports for example: archery, athletics, swimming, ice hockey, basketball and tennis. In some of the sports the athletes use special equipment to help them, for example wheelchair basketball and tennis;in others,they use only their own powerful bodies, for example in the swimming events.