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South Africa at the
1972 Summer Paralympics
South Africa at the; 1972 Summer Paralympics
IPC code	RSA; (SAF used at these Games)
NPC	South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee
Website	www.sascoc.co.za
in Heidelberg
Competitors	25
Medals; Ranked 4th	Gold 16 Silver 12 Bronze 13 Total 41
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)
	1964; 1968; 1972; 1976; 1980–1988; 1992; 1996; 2000; 2004; 2008; 2012; 2016; 2020; 2024;

South Africa sent a team to compete at the 1972 Summer Paralympics held in Heidelberg, West Germany, from 2 to 11 August.^[1] They sent twenty five competitors, twelve male and thirteen female.^[1] The team won forty-one medals—sixteen gold, twelve silver and thirteen bronze—and finished fourth in the medal table.^[2]

Despite being banned from the Olympic Games, because of the policy of apartheid, since 1964 South Africa continued to participate in the Paralympics until 1976.^[3]

Disability classifications

Athletes at the Paralympics in 1972 were all afflicted by spinal cord injuries and required the use of a wheelchair.^[4] This is in contrast to later Paralympics that include events for participants that fit into any of five different disability categories; amputation, either congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.^[5]^[6] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing.^[7]

Archery

South Africa entered five of its twenty five competitors, two male and three female.^[8] They won four medals, two gold and two silver.^[9]

Athletics

Nineteen of the South African delegation entered athletics events, nine male and ten female.^[10] They won seventeen medals, five gold, six silver, six bronze.^[11]

Lawn Bowls

South Africa entered two of its thirty seven competitors, both female.^[12] They won two medals, one gold and one silver.^[13]

Swimming

South Africa entered nine of its thirty seven competitors, four male and five female.^[8] They won eighteen medals, eight gold, three silver, seven bronze.^[14]