As part of the social media strategy, Paralympians including the likes of Australian Paralympic canoe champion Curtis McGrath, Italian sprint champion Amber Sabatini, and Argentinian wheelchair tennis ace Gustavo Fernandez, have posted graphics on Instagram, with the first declaring: "I won't be participating at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games". 

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be the 17th edition of the Summer Paralympic Games and will take place from 28 August to 8 September in the same venues as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which ended in the French capital on Sunday 11 August. 

Swiping left on the series of images, social media followers discover the athlete instead stating: "I will be competing" - a reminder that Paralympians have often been praised simply for taking part in sport, rather than for their athletic ability or fierce drive to win. 

The campaign was created to start a conversation about the language used to describe Paralympians, compared to athletes who compete without a disability. It builds on the IPC's 'Paralympic Dream', film which teased audiences with the idea that the Paralympic Games were an idyll of sporting harmony, only to reveal a taste of the fierce competition that will actually be on show. 

Craig Spence, IPC Chief Brand and Communications Officer, said: "Paralympians have often been described in the media as 'participants' rather than 'competitors'. For the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, it's time to set the record straight. 

"After years of training and dedication, 4,400 of the world's best Paralympians are heading to the French capital to compete at the very highest level. Across all 22 sports, we are expecting fierce competition and the biggest Paralympic Games yet. Language plays a crucial role in how people are perceived, especially when it comes to people with disabilities. It's important to get the language right and that's why we've launched this campaign to raise awareness of the issue ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games."

The social strategy was created by adam&eve DDB. Richard Brim, Global Chief Creative Officer at adam&eveDDB, said: "We have loved working with the International Paralympic Committee on this campaign and are excited about the Paralympians who are coming on board. "Language matters, not just in how we describe each other, but also in those all-important 'do words'. This is a great way to remind audiences and show them why they should follow the 2024 Paralympics." 

The Paralympians shared the messages on their social channels, as part of a wider social media push featuring eye-catching assets with the message "They're not here to play games", and information about where the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games can be viewed.