Objective This study investigated whether the origin (acquired or congenital) and type of impairment affect the participation and likelihood of winning a medal in different sports at the Paralympic Games. Design We analyzed competition data and athlete biographies web scraped from the International Paralympic Committee`s website (www.Paralympic.org). Results In some sports, athletes with one origin or type of impairment were overrepresented. E.g., 76% of Para-snowboarders had an acquired impairment. Further, mixed-effects logistic regression analyses showed that the origin of impairment had no effect on the likelihood of winning a medal in most sports. However, athletes with a congenital impairment had a significantly higher likelihood of winning a medal compared to those with an acquired impairment in Para-athletics, Para-alpine skiing, and Para-biathlon (OR: 1.71, p < 0.01, OR: 3.69, p = 0.002, and OR: 3.70, p = 0.016, respectively). Athletes with a given origin-type of impairment combination also may have an advantage or disadvantage in some sports. E.g., athletes with an acquired spinal cord injury win proportionally fewer medals in Para-powerlifting. Conclusion Understanding potential effects of the origin and type of impairment on participation and medaling chances in Paralympic sports can help shape the development of Para-sports, and support talent identification.
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