Participating athletes have a variety of disabilities ranging from spastic, cerebral palsy, mobility disabilities, visual disabilities, amputated to intellectual disabilities. The ASEAN Para Games is under the regulation of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) with supervision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Asian Paralympic Committee and is traditionally hosted by the country where the Southeast Asian Games took place.

In May 2000, delegates from the countries in Southeast Asia attending the Malaysian Paralympiad in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia had a meeting and agreed to establish a disabled sports organization. The ASEAN Para Games was conceptualized by Zainal Abu Zarin, the founding president of the Malaysian Paralympic Council. The proposed rationale was that a regional sports event will be held after the Southeast Asian Games and help to promote friendship and solidarity among persons with disabilities in the ASEAN region and rehabilitate and integrate persons with disabilities into mainstream society.

Ten countries, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam were the founding members. These countries agreed to hold the Games biennially on 28 April 2001 and ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) was formed on 23 October 2001 with Pisal Wattanawongkiri, president of the Paralympic Committee of Thailand who proposed the games’ name, being elected as its first president.

The first ASEAN Para Games was held in Kuala Lumpur from 26 to 29 October 2001 comprising more than 700 athletes and officials from Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam participating in 2 sports.

At the 2nd ASEAN Para Games in Vietnam, East Timor was admitted into the federation as a provisional member.

Nineteen different sports have been part of the ASEAN Para Games at one point or another. Sixteen of which comprised the schedule of the recent 2017 ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur. The games saw the return of sailing as a full medal sport once again after its debut at the 2009 ASEAN Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Main sports

  • Athletics (2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017)
  • Powerlifting (2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
  • Judo (2005, 2008)
  • Chess (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)

Target sports

  • Archery (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
  • Cycling (2017)
  • Target shooting (2008, 2015)
  • Wheelchair fencing (2005, 2008)

Water sports

  • Sailing (2009, 2015)
  • Swimming (2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)

Ball and Racquet sports

  • Badminton (2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017)
  • Boccia (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017)
  • Ten-pin bowling (2009, 2011, 2015, 2017)
  • Five-a-side football (2014, 2015, 2017)
  • CP football (2014, 2015, 2017)
  • Goalball (2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
  • Table tennis (2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017)
  • Wheelchair basketball (2005, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2017)
  • Wheelchair tennis (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017)
  • Sitting volleyball (2009, 2011, 2014, 2017)

Boccia, ten-pin bowling, sailing and wheelchair fencing were demonstrated at the 2005 ASEAN Para Games.

According to en.wikipedia.org

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