The Paralympic Games have always been held in the same year as the Olympic Games. Since the Seoul Summer Games （1988） and the Albertville Winter Games （1992）， they have also taken place at the same venues as the Olympic Games. On 19 June 2001， an agreement was signed between the International Olympic Committee and the IPC aiming to secure and protect the organisation of the Paralympic Games. The agreement reaffirmed that the Paralympic Games， from 2008 on， will always take place shortly after the Olympic Games， using the same sports venues and facilities. From the 2012 bid process onwards， the host city chosen to host the Olympic Games will be obliged to host the Paralympics as well.
残奥会是为6类不同的残疾人士共同举办的高水平体育运动会。参加残奥会的运动员残疾类别有：视力残疾、截肢、脊髓损伤、脑瘫、其它肢体残疾和智力残疾。残奥会一直与奥运会同年举办，而自从1988年汉城夏奥会和1992年阿尔贝维尔冬奥会以来，残奥会的举办场馆也与奥运会相同。
2000年10月，国际奥委会与国际残疾人奥委会在悉尼奥运会上签署协议，确定了两个组织之间未来关系的基本原则。2001年6月，双方进一步签署协议，以保障残奥会的组织形式，并确立奥运会和残奥会"同时申办，同城举行"的实践模式，即当一个城市申办奥运会同时申办残奥会。该协议涉及残奥会的总体范畴和组织工作，旨在为奥运会和残奥会的组织举办建立类似的原则。