Where Are All The Paralympic Sports Threads?

[Lee]

Noticed at the start of the Paralympics that there was an absence of Paralympic sport related threads. Have been unwell so unable to come online for a while and am really shocked to still see no Paralympic threads.

I remember having soem great chats 4 years ago regarding Paralympic sport.

What's going on, why so little interest?

[Olympian2004]

I'm quite busy currently and don't have much time to watch the Paralympic competition. That's the big disadvantage of sports events with such a big time difference in relation to Europe: If you have to work, you're hardly able to take notice of the events. And unlike for the Olympics, there are no prime time summaries of the day's Paralympic events on German TV (besides the short reports in the evening news, of course).

Maybe that also explains the silence of the other members.

[Mainad]

I share your puzzlement.I did not expect there to be anything like the attention we give to the Olympics but I too am a bit baffled by the complete lack of interest shown here! (I guess I could have started a thread instead of waiting for others to do so)!

I have been following the coverage whenever I can but it is usually recorded highlights as there has been very little live coverage.It seems strange to me that the BBC (for instance) covered the entire Opening Ceremony live and then restricted itself to edited highlights of the actual events in the evening on BBC2! They are not alone.I read somewhere that NBC had over 2,500 reporters covering the Olympics but left only 5 to cover the Paralympics!! Speaks volumes.I guess there are still too many people about who just don't like looking at disabled athletes performing amazing feats on the track and in the pool!!!

And they are truly remarkable people.It's been a real eye-opener for me to see what paralympic sportsmen and women are capable of.I've seen swimmers and riders with no arms and runners with no legs.It really puts into perspective the magnitude of their accomplishments compared to their able-bodied colleagues!!

I will say that the Chinese seem to have done the Parlympics proud (just like the Olympics) and have probably helped raise them in the public consciousness more than ever before.But there is clearly still a long way to go. Hopefully London 2012 will build on this and finally get them the coverage they deserve!

It seems fitting therefore that the Chinese paralympians have been overwhelmingly dominant (far more so than even in the Olympics).They have racked up almost as many medals as the rest of the world combined! Yet another impressive demonstration of China's arrival as a true superpower on the sporting scene.Who is going to be able to challenge their dominance in years to come??

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Lack of coverage = lack of interest. Luckily we are getting between 10-12 hours of coverage (live and prefilmed) on ABC2 here in Australia. I've been watching as much as I can - but I guess the issue is there are so many classification it is hard to keep track of who is winning what and what is a their disability etc. I was watching the track running and there were what looked like able bodied runners - doing great times. Turns out they had cerebral palsy. Amazing stuff - but sadly it pales in comparison to the Olympics - even thogh I personally believe the Paralympians are truer (is that a word?) examples of the Olympic ideal and overcoming adversity.

Personally I cant get enough wheelchair rugby and really wish I was still over in Beijing. The crowds and the atmosphere looks far better than what I experienced during the Olympics.

I do strongly believe the Paralympics should be staged before the Olympics though.

Edited September 15, 2008 by thatsnotmypuppy

[jiejie]

Lack of coverage = lack of interest. Luckily we are getting between 10-12 hours of coverage (live and prefilmed) on ABC2 here in Australia. I've been watching as much as I can - but I guess the issue is there are so many classification it is hard to keep track of who is winning what and what is a their disability etc. I was watching the track running and there were what looked like able bodied runners - doing great times. Turns out they had cerebral palsy. Amazing stuff - but sadly it pales in comparison to the Olympics - even thogh I personally believe the Paralympians are truer (is that a word?) examples of the Olympic ideal and overcoming adversity.

Personally I cant get enough wheelchair rugby and really wish I was still over in Beijing. The crowds and the atmosphere looks far better than what I experienced during the Olympics.

I do strongly believe the Paralympics should be staged before the Olympics though.

Agree with everything you say here. Since I live in Beijing, I've had the opportunity to go to anything, but have only attended in person the wheelchair rugby (which is fantastic, by the way). Watched a few things on local Chinese TV here. But mostly, I'm just sort of mentally exhausted dealing with sports right now, and need to focus attention on other aspects of life that got short shrift during July and August. Not to take away from anything the Para-athletes are accomplishing, but staging this after the main Games is a real anti-climax, I think switching the order would be a great idea.

Beijing itself is very much more relaxed now, and back to an almost normal atmosphere--the Beijingers have come out of hiding and are back on the streets again, restaurants and sidewalk cafes are full-up, the overbearing security has backed off a bit, lots of other activities going on. In short, a Beijing September like those we known and loved in the past, except with even better air quality than normal. And of course, the weather is now much more comfortable than even 3 weeks ago.

[micheal_warren]

yes I am surprised at how quiet the boards are but for me I am busy at University completing final work for my Honours Degree in Political Science and trying to catch up after I have a quiet couple of weeks over the Olympics!

So far New Zealand have won 12 medals which is two more than four years ago! A pretty good effort so far

why should the paralympics be held before the olympics?

[Olympian2004]

why should the paralympics be held before the olympics?

Because it would increase the attention for Paralympic sports. The Paralympics would take place in a time when the whole world is anticipating the Olympic Games and is interested in what they have to expect from the future Olympic hosts. The Paralympics would also be a very useful test for the organisers so that they could eliminate the last weak spots just in time for the Olympic Games. All in all, the Paralympics would be a great "appetizer" for the "big ones", the Olympic Games.

[Athan]

Lack of coverage = lack of interest

Sadly, that's right. In Spain, TVE has only aired live the athletics evening sessions (even with no Spaniards taking part) and the swimming finals (live only twice). In the news, they spent over 20/30 seconds to talk about the Paralympics. I followed them via the Beijing 2008 website and paralympicsport.tv. It's been a bit confusing though

I think that the Paralympics should take place before the Olympics too as well as that there should be a medals table with the medals of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

[Mainad]

I do strongly believe the Paralympics should be staged before the Olympics though.

I take your point but on the other hand I suspect that that the IOC and host cities would be reluctant to allow the elaborate opening ceremonies and associated fanfare for the Paralympics to be shown ahead of the main Olympics ceremonies for fear they would steal the thunder away from the Olympics ceremonies to some extent.And the Olympics are always going to be the main event and attraction for both hosts and spectators!!

Maybe they could allow a greater amount of time to elapse between Olympics and Paralympics so that one will not necessarily overshadow or be treated as a sideshow to the other?

[NYCD 2012]

Here is Singapore, there isn't much about the Paralympics. It would have been lesser if it weren't for Singapore's 4 medals.

The irony here in Singapore is an Olympic Gold medalist would be given $1 million while our Paralympic Gold Medalist Yip Pin Xiu who is local born will only be getting one-tenth of that for her Gold, $100 000.

Just a comparison, our silver medalist for the Woman Table Tennis who are all for China was given $750 000 in total for their medal.

[masada]

Sorry questions and comments like

"why should the paralympics be held before the olympics?"

"Maybe they could allow a greater amount of time to elapse between Olympics and Paralympics so that one will not necessarily overshadow or be treated as a sideshow to the other?"

just reinforce for me the fact that most people do not recognise the the abilities of people with 'different abilities' whether it be in normal daily life or in the life of an Olympian.

Thatsnotmypuppy and Jiejie are correct in their observations and we all should be demanding that the IOC reschedule the Paralympics as a lead in to the summer Olympic games.

[baron-pierreIV]

Thatsnotmypuppy and Jiejie are correct in their observations and we all should be demanding that the IOC reschedule the Paralympics as a lead in to the summer Olympic games.

I totally, totally concur. I've always wondered -- well over a decade ago -- as to why the IOC and the IPC never worked this out. Maybe Samaranch's mindset at the time: OK, we let you in...you give some people an inch, and...

Perhaps after Beijing; and when the IOC gets thru its Youth Games B/S shakedown; they might think...yeah, it'd make more sense.

I think Chicago should propose it...if only from a logistical sense. All those planks and handicapped accommodations will be:

(1) Built in already in anticipation of the regular Games; and

(2) Extra handicapped accommodations can then come down after the regular Olympics.

Plus, if anything, the Paralympics would really be a warm-up/testrun for the whole system: transport, broadcast, the venues, the volunteers, the performers, etc., etc.

The anticipation would just be electric!!