Para archery will make its European Para Youth Games debut at Istanbul 2025. Athletes between the ages of 12-23 will compete with recurve and compound bows in wheelchair and vision impaired categories.

The inclusion of vision impairment categories is part of World Archery’s development of the programme for athletes with disabilities. 

At the Paralympic Games, Para archery is one of the original sports having featured at Rome 1960.

Introduced by Sir Ludwig Guttmann as part of rehabilitation for injured veterans, the first archery tournament for persons with disabilities, the Stoke Mandeville Games, took place in 1948 with 16 wheelchair participants.

The sport has grown significantly over the years. At the Rome 1960 Paralympics, 83 athletes from 15 countries competed in eight medal events. By the Paris 2024 Paralympics, participation had expanded to 137 athletes (75 men, 62 women) from 47 countries, competing in nine medal events.

Great Britain and France are amongst the most prolific European countries in Para archery having competed in the sport at all 17 Paralympic Games.