Google Doodle honours father of Paralympic Game Sir Ludwig Guttmann on birth anniversary

German-born British neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann's birth anniversary was remembered and honoured with a Google Doodle on its homepage. Although a Jewish doctor by practice, he, unfortunately, had to flee his homeland as tension grew during the second world war and later found refuge in England. The doodle was illustrated by Baltimore-based artist Ashanti Fortson, who cherished Guttmann and his contribution. 

Born on July 3, 1899, Guttman instituted the Paralympic Games in England and is recognised to be one of the founding fathers of organised physical activities for people with disabilities. It is as a result of his efforts that right now, that the achievements of Paralympic athletes are acknowledged. 

Establishment of the Paralympics 

Sport for athletes with an impairment has existed for more than 100 years, and the first sports clubs for the deaf were already in existence in 1888 in Berlin. It was not until after World War II, however, that it was widely introduced. The purpose of it at that time was to assist the large number of war veterans and civilians who had been injured during wartime.

At the request of the British Government, in 1944, Dr Ludwig Guttmann opened a spinal injuries centre at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Great Britain, and in time, rehabilitation sport evolved to recreational sport and then to competitive sport.

On 29 July 1948, the day of the opening ceremony of the London 1948 Olympic Games, Dr. Guttmann organised the first competition for wheelchair athletes which he named the Stoke Mandeville Games, a milestone in Paralympics history. They involved 16 injured servicemen and women who took part in archery. In 1952, Dutch ex-servicemen joined the Movement and the International Stoke Mandeville Games were founded.

These Games later became the Paralympic Games which first took place in Rome, Italy in 1960 featuring 400 athletes from 23 countries. Since then they have taken place every four years. Paralympic athletes are acknowledged for their skills and achievements. The Paralympic Games remain to be a driving force for supporting the rights and independence of people with disabilities, with a perpetual impression on fair treatment and opportunity.

Guttmann and his various contributions

In England, Guttmann improved his research in paraplegia. In 1944, he put his innovative approach into clientele as the national Spinal Injuries Center director at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. He coordinated a 16-person archery contest, one of the first official competitive sporting events for wheelchair users in 1948. Later termed the 'Stoke Mandeville Games' or the “Olympics for the Disabled,” the competition demonstrated the power of elite sport to break down barriers for disability and garnered the attention of global medical and sporting communities.

In 1961, Guttmann founded the International Medical Society of Paraplegia, now the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS); he was the inaugural president of the society, a position that he held until 1970. He became the first editor of the journal, Paraplegia (now named Spinal Cord). He retired from clinical work in 1966 but continued his involvement with the sport.

Unfortunately, Guttmann suffered a heart attack in October 1979 and passed away on March 18, 1980 at the age of 80.

Image Courtesy - Facebook