Australian Paralympic Committee CEO Jason Hellwig believes the Olympic and Paralympic Games must remain separate entities to preserve their places in history.

Since 1992 in Albertville, France, the Olympics and Paralympics for both the Summer and Winter Games have been staged in the same city.

In Sydney in 2000, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) based in Lausanne and the IPC (International Paralympic Committee) based in Bonn signed an agreement that host cities had to hold both Games

The planning and cost of all the infrastructure and venues meant a host city could get two bites of the elite sports `cherry’, so to speak.

In Australia, 11 sports are main-streamed with able-bodied sports. This means the Australian Swimming and Athletics Championships, for example, also have national titles for disability events in their scheduling.

January’s Australian Open in Melbourne, also had the Australian Open for wheelchair tennis as part of its two-week program.

Several reports in Canadian media recently, said Vancouver was suffering a post-Olympics hangover where there had been so much excitement surrounding the February 12-28 Olympics that it was hard for locals to ramp up their energy levels again for the March 12-21 Paralympics.

There have been suggestions and commentary in Vancouver that the two multi-sport events should be combined.

``I disagree. I think the Olympics and Paralympics are separate, great events in their own right,’’ Hellwig said.

``The Paralympics has grown into its own space. It represents a whole lot of different things in addition to the pursuit of sporting excellence.

``There’s also some practical viewpoints for us. We love the `test event’. The Olympics prepares everything nicely for us.

``In a more serious sense, it’s not the first time this issue has been raised. It’s been discussed many times. But logisitically, practicially and technically it doesn’t overlap as people would like it to.’’

He said the people of Sydney felt a similar hangover after the 2000 Olympics but wanted more. The 2000 Paralympics were a sell-out.

``In terms of the local community here in Canada, I’d challenge that view that people aren’t energized. We’ve been walking around Whistler village and talking to people and there’s a sense of excitement and anticipation.

``Once the Opening Ceremony ticks over, it’s just going to go up again. People will have two celebrations. The people of Canada, British Columbia and Vancouver will love Paralympic sport.

``Most people haven’t seen Paralympic sport.  But once you see it you get excited and stay excited.’’