Ever since 1948, post-war period, contests for disabled athletes have taken place and known as the National Games of England. In 1951 this practice had extended to the rest of Europe and the United States, thus an annual celebration of these was officially instituted, The World Games on Wheelchair in the grounds of the Stoke Mandeville Hospital , during the month of July. In Mexico the first national games took place in 1973. Today, the handicapped practice six basic sports: athletics, swimming, table tennis, weight lifting, basketball and bow and arrow. It is important to mention the 3 main causes for physical impairment: a medular lesion, the results of polio or of an amputation. Mexican sportsmen are outstanding in the different categories in which the events are divided into according to the type of lesion. The Mexican teams return from international events with a great many medals which overshadow the performance of their "normal" fellow countrymen.