The Los Angeles 2028 Organising Committee has officially started the countdown to its first ever Paralympic Games. To mark this moment, they revealed two new symbols that tell a story of strength, change and looking ahead.
Although the city hosted the Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984, this will be the first time the Paralympics are held in Los Angeles. The Paralympic Games have shared the stage with the Summer Olympics since 1960 in Rome and have been part of the same venue since 1988 in Seoul. That was just after the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. Now, LA will welcome 4,480 athletes from 23 sports and has promised to leave a lasting impact for people with disabilities.
The new symbols were shown to the public over the weekend and mark the start of the lead-up to the Games. LA28 Chief Executive Reynold Hoover said, “The Paralympic Games are a great chance to change how the world sees disability, both in sport and in everyday life. These Games can push for change, inclusion and global recognition.”
The visual identity of LA28 focuses on the letter A, which changes form to tell different stories. Two new versions were added. One is called the Relentless Reinvention A, which uses moving pixels to represent the athletes’ ability to change and adjust. The other is called the Moonshot Innovation A, inspired by Los Angeles’ forward-thinking spirit and its role in developing new ideas.
These designs are not just about how things look. They are meant to tell a story. The emblems represent diversity and change. Over 50 designs have been released since 2020, and they can all be viewed on the official LA28 website. Together, they reflect the wide range of cultures and voices that make up the city.
Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass spoke about how important these Games will be for younger people. She said it is vital that young residents, especially those with disabilities, see these top-level athletes showing what is possible when everyone is given the same chance. She promised that the city will make sure the Games are fully accessible and that the changes made will benefit local people long after the Games are over.
Work on LA28 is moving quickly. One exciting update is the official inclusion of paraclimbing in the Paralympics for the first time. This sport will include 80 athletes taking part in eight events, with four for men and four for women. These events will take place at a new climbing venue in Long Beach. The organisers have also shared early plans for where each sport will be held. The aim is to match each sport with the best setting for both athletes and spectators.
The 2028 Paralympics are expected to break records. There will be more medals awarded than ever before and more women competing. Women will make up 45 percent of the athletes, which is 107 more female places than at the last Games. These numbers show a strong push for gender balance.
On 26 July, LA28 and the City of Los Angeles held an event to mark the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. During this event, the city confirmed its plans to make the Games as inclusive as possible. New Braille information boards were placed at City Hall near the Olympic and Paralympic flags. These boards include raised parts and detailed explanations, showing that true accessibility is not just a promise but something that is built into the design.
The impact of the 2028 Paralympics will go beyond the Games themselves. In three years, Los Angeles will become the only city to have hosted the Olympic Games three times. And it will host the Paralympics for the first time. This combination brings both a big responsibility and a great chance to set new standards for making sport open to all. In early August, President Donald Trump said he wants the LA Games to be the best ever. He also said he will lead a special team to make sure they are safe, well run and a success.
Casey Wasserman, who leads the LA28 Organising Committee, has also shared his hopes for a new kind of Games. One big change is that the Games will be privately funded, which is a first for the Olympics and Paralympics. A special naming agreement has been approved, which allows companies to be official partners. “This announcement keeps our promise,” Wasserman said. “It creates the first naming rights deal in Olympic and Paralympic history and supports our goal of holding Games without building new permanent venues.”
The Games will be run by a not for profit group, supported by sponsorships, ticket sales, the International Olympic Committee and more. The focus is on reusing existing places, such as the Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Bowl Stadium. These are the only two stadiums that will have hosted the Olympics three times.
What makes LA28 truly special is not just how it is paid for or how high tech it is. What really matters is the story it tells about the city. The Games aim to link the past and the future, combining tradition with fresh ideas. From the old Olympic flame at the Coliseum to the modern symbols created for LA28, everything is designed to honour the past while looking forward.
