The Paralympics need more coverage

[SkiFreak]

With the big event now over, it seems a lot of people forget about the Paralympics and they seem to be hidden in the shadow of their big brother.

Who else thinks the Paralympics need more coverage?

Will the Paralympics be broadcast at all?

[cormiermax]

CTV plans to broadcast them to an extent.

[micheal_warren]

We are getting coverage in New Zealand but just not sure how much.

[LuigiVercotti]

ABC TV had nightly highlights I believe here in Aus

[AmaniS]

Looks like ZDF, in Germany, will be showing the opening ceremony live and then switching with ARD, highlights each day.

ORF 1 will be showing highlights daily.

[gotosy]

Olympic Order for Steadward

International Paralympic Committee founder recognized with prestigious award

Steadward, the founding president of the International Paralympic Committee who served three terms as the head of the organization, was recognized for his efforts when he was included among a group of 12 individuals who were presented with the International Olympic Committee's highest honour at the Westin Bayshore.

"I guess the honour means the Paralympic movement, which began as a medical model in hospitals, is a sign the work of so many people has paid off," said Steadward. "Athletes with disabilities are now on the same level as Olympic athletes."

The retired University of Alberta professor acknowledged that the award was "pretty special," said on Monday that he would put it in "the same light as receiving the Order of Canada."

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Olympic+Order+Steadward/2630036/story.html

[baron-pierreIV]

It would get more coverage if they staged them BEFORE the regular Olympic Games rather than after. As it is, they are an after-thought now (using the left-overs of the regular Games in other words), rather than serving as a warm-up or appetizer to the regular Games. Why the IOC hasn't figured this out yet, I don't know. I mean it took them 106 years to realize that the right way to award the medals are bronze first, silver second and gold last!! Will it take them another 106 years to fix the Olympics-Paralympics order?

[Olympian2004]

Looks like ZDF, in Germany, will be showing the opening ceremony live and then switching with ARD, highlights each day.

I just checked the TV schedules for the next weeks, and it seems as if ARD and ZDF will broadcast both the opening and the closing ceremony in full length and live. As far as I know, this is the first time they've ever done so for any edition of the Paralympic Games. And they'll show at least one or mostly even two hours of competition highlights each day. The Paralympics gain more and more prominence!

[SkiFreak]

Good article:

Paralympic Games see sponsorship, expanded TV coverage as keys to growth

http://vancouver2010.sympatico.ca/Home/ContentPosting_2010?newsitemid=2518969&feedname=CP_EN_OGAMES&show=False&number=0&showbyline=False&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=False

[SkiFreak]

It would get more coverage if they staged them BEFORE the regular Olympic Games rather than after. As it is, they are an after-thought now (using the left-overs of the regular Games in other words), rather than serving as a warm-up or appetizer to the regular Games. Why the IOC hasn't figured this out yet, I don't know. I mean it took them 106 years to realize that the right way to award the medals are bronze first, silver second and gold last!! Will it take them another 106 years to fix the Olympics-Paralympics order?

I agree. I'd make the Olympics a one month long event. Hold the Paralympic events first, however, under the Olympics banner. To me these athletes are more inspirational than the able-bodied athletes in the Olympics. They deserve to be called Olympians too.

[gotosy]

Combine the Paralympics and Olympics: founder of IPC

The founder of the International Paralympic Committee wants to see the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games combined to take advantage of the kind of public support Canadians showed at the 2010 Olympics.

Dr. Robert Steadward, a retired Edmonton-based sports medicine doctor, said Wednesday that operating the Paralympics at the same time as the Olympics would also create efficiencies for the host organizing committee and help further integrate people with disabilities into society.

"I believe what we need to do is look at the full inclusion of Olympic and Paralympic [Winter] Games together. The athletes are still separate, but they can share the village, the transportation, all of the expertise that is here," he said. "Why wait 10 days and have to re-energize the spirit that was in this city and this country for two and a half weeks just last week? If we could have been incorporated in that whole situation, which I think can happen, what a wonderful presentation."

...

He doesn't think it is possible to integrate the Summer Paralympics with the Olympics because the two events would strain resources.

"Summer, when you're dealing with 15,000 athletes, would be near impossible. It would stretch accommodation and transportation, but I certainly believe it could happen within the Winter Games," he said.

The Vancouver Olympics drew 5,500 athletes and officials; the Paralympics, which open Friday, will draw 1,350. But the support and media attention is significant. More than 10,000 journalists and broadcasters were in Vancouver for the Olympics. For the Paralympics, the number is dramatically smaller.

Steadward thinks running both Games simultaneously would work.

"We want to take advantage of their structure and success and it is also a way for us to become integrated and a part of the whole superstructure of sport in the world. I mean, why reinvent the wheel? They've got good sponsors, good media support, good rules and regulations and technical elements."

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Combine+Paralympics+Olympics+founder/2671786/story.html

[Sir Rols]

No need to combine Games, chief insists

'When something works, why change it?' International Paralympic Committee president Sir Phil Craven asks

The president of the International Paralympic Committee has rejected the idea of combining the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games into one mega-event, saying the Paralympic movement is doing just fine as it is.

Sir Phil Craven said Thursday he disagrees with his predecessor, Robert Steadward, the founder of the IPC, who suggested to The Vancouver Sun that putting the two events together would create efficiencies and let the Paralympics take advantage of public support for the Olympics.

Craven, who took over from Steadward in 2001, said the Paralympics have become a force of their own over the last decade and would be diminished if they were melded with the Olympics.

"Firstly, when something works, why change it?" he asked during an interview in Whistler.

"Any coming together would, I think, by its very nature, be restrictive from a logistics point of view. We have it as we like it at the moment, and we don't see any need to change.

"We believe by having the Paralympics and the Olympics separate, we're able to have our own identity while coming together in a festival of sport that gives a wonderful face to the world of what sport can do."

Craven isn't the only person who supports that view. Gilbert Felli, the executive director of Olympic Games for the International Olympic Committee, said the two groups have worked out an agreement that allows the IOC to assist the IPC.

Putting the two events together would only hamstring the events, resulting in fewer Paralympic athletes attending a Games.

"We are doing very well together. We are able to help the Paralympics as it is," Felli said. "Adding the Paralympics to the Olympics would mean ... problems with the size. It wouldn't work."

On Wednesday, Steadward, who served as president for the first 12 years of the IPC's life, said he thought the natural evolution of the Paralympic movement would call for it to be included more in the Olympics. "I wouldn't mind seeing the 100-metre men's final, the 100-metre women's final, the 100-metre wheelchair final and the 100-metre final for blind runners."

Pointing to the intense national pride that emerged in Vancouver during the Olympics, he said it was a shame for the Paralympics to have to "re-energize" the city 10 days later.

But Craven and Felli said the two organizations have an effective working relationship that helps the Paralympic movement in ways it could not benefit from if combined with the Olympics.

In 1999, 2000 and 2003 the two organizations signed a series of agreements that set out how organizing committees would organize both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Prior to that, the Paralympic Games were put together by a different group. Vancouver, which won the right to the 2010 Games in 2003, was the first host city since the agreement was signed where both Paralympics and Olympics were fully organized under one umbrella.

Felli, who crafted the agreements with the IPC, said they arose after a "fiasco" at the 1996 Atlanta Games, when Paralympic organizers arrived after the Olympics to discover that computers had been disconnected and telephone lines ripped out. Ever since, the IOC and its organizing committees have worked hard to support the Paralympics.

Craven also dismissed the idea that the Paralympics should be held in advance of the Olympics to take advantage of the 10,000 media and broadcasters who descend on an Olympic host city. After the Games, few journalists stick around for the Paralympics.

But Craven said the Paralympics want to stand on their own merit. "I believe the Paralympic Games have to attract the media in their own right," he said.

Having the Olympics first also means the inevitable bugs are worked out by the time the Paralympics are to be held.

"One of the benefits of having the Olympics in front of us is that they are an amazing test of so many systems that we need," Craven said. "We don't want to be the ones doing the testing for the Olympics."

Craven said he is impressed with the state of preparations by the Vancouver Organizing Committee, even though he would have liked for all five events to have been held in Whistler. The plan originally called for sledge hockey and wheelchair curling to also be held in Whistler, but Vanoc moved them to the University of B.C. several years ago when it became clear that Whistler could neither afford nor would need a 7,000-seat hockey arena and an expanded curling club.

Vanoc chief executive John Furlong said the decision to break up the Paralympic Games was one of the most difficult he had to make.

Craven said he doesn't hold it against Vanoc.

"You know, it is what it is," he said. "We could not insist on Vanoc building a venue in Whistler that would not be needed after the Games."

The Vancouver Sun

[Bob]

Personally I am disappointed in the scheduled coverage of the Paralympics by CTV/TSN/Sportsnet. They are treating the Paralympians as second class athletes! Taped delay of the Opening Ceremonies and only live coverage of sledge hockey. Most other events are only being given taped highlight packages. Shame on CTV and its affiliates! These fine athletes deserve much more.

[Brekkie Boy]

BBC is shockingly poor - just one-hour of highlights the week after the games from the broadcaster who've pretty much been a leader when it comes to the Summer Paralympics, giving that daily live coverage and highlights programmes.

They're blaming budgets and timezones for the lack of coverage - ridiculous really. The rights are bought, so bigger waste of money not to exploit them, and with a 55-minute show produced by the host broadcaster each day all they need to do is stick that on the interactive service. As for time zone - well all the skiing events are in primetime - suits UK TV even more than a games held in Europe.

I suspect the real reason is more down to losing the rights to the 2012 Paralympics to Channel 4, who are pledging 150 hours of coverage.

[Brekkie Boy]

P.S. EU members can again watch online at http://www.eurovisionsports.tv - up to three live streams (without commentary) and a daily highlights show.

[Rob2012]

I suspect the real reason is more down to losing the rights to the 2012 Paralympics to Channel 4, who are pledging 150 hours of coverage.

No. Channel 4 won the rights battle on 8th January; less than a month before Vancouver 2010 started. Schedules and plans for an event on the other side of the world would have to be drawn up a long, long time in advance. If the BBC had planned to cover it, they wouldn't suddenly decide not to because they lost the rights to 2012!

The lack of coverage is hardly surprising anyway. I don't remember ever seeing Paralympic Winter coverage before. And looking up what we got four years ago, it's exactly the same.

[Sir Rols]

Yes, the Paralympics are a noble endeavour, and disabled sports is an inspiring outlet for sections of the world community.

But, and I really don't want to sound callous about this, broadcasters aren't about to give them blanket, or even extended, coverage purely as a goodwill gesture. They want ratings, and Paralymics just don't rate. They don't command the widespread attention that able-bodied sports own at all times.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but as far as I'm aware, no disabled sporting leagues get prime time coverage of their events at any other times of the four year cycle. I sure can't remember seeing coverage of any disabled world championship of any sport outside of the paralympics. In sports and entertainment, it's senior sports that have the economic leverage. And able-bodies sports are what we aspire to participate in - most of us probably engage in activities that culminate in the Olympics - be it just cycling to work, swimming at a pool in summer, working out at the gym or social football on the weekends. It's great that, god forbid, there are activities we can take up if we ever become disabled, but most all of us hope we stay healthy and don't have to.

I probably do agree though that it would perhaps be better for their profile for the Paralympics to be staged in the lead-up to a games. Maybe a month or even two before. They would be able to feed on the anticipation leading up to a senior Olympics, they would act as teasers for the main games for the broadcasters who are already in place for the bigger event, they would help to test out facilities and structures. I can see a lot of positives for them in being the appetiser for the main event, rather than the night-cap afterthought after mostly everyone has left.

Logistically, it's probably too difficult to stage them concurrently as part of the main Olympics. For a start, it would mean a huge expansion of what's required for an Olympic village beyond the point where it is viable for potential hosts. Even if spread over a month, they would all require expanded facilities for the hugely swelled "Olympic Family" pool.

BTW - are their going to be Paralympic Youth Games as well?

[gdodds]

Those in the UK - If you recieve eurosport they do have coverage of the games, all the sports you'd expect and all in prime time. Whilst their scheduling can be dodgy, i think you'll be fine there, they've been advertising over the last few days (under the olympic rings too!). Lots of Alpine Skiing, most of Biathlon. Large chunks of Cross Country skiing and the Ice sledge hockey final.

Whilst i agree that the BBC coverage is poor (and have even wrote and suggested the 55 minute show on the red button - it could start on the hour, every hour. Simple!), there are still ways to watch live coverage, we should at least be thankful to Eurosport, no ceremonys mind.

[SkiFreak]

Personally I am disappointed in the scheduled coverage of the Paralympics by CTV/TSN/Sportsnet. They are treating the Paralympians as second class athletes! Taped delay of the Opening Ceremonies and only live coverage of sledge hockey. Most other events are only being given taped highlight packages. Shame on CTV and its affiliates! These fine athletes deserve much more.

Here's the latest on CTV's coverage of tonight's opening ceremonies:

CTV to broadcast Paralympic opening ceremony in B.C.

At first it was supposed to be tape delayed, but they changed it to live in BC only. Should be live across Canada. The article says they'll be showing the ceremonies again tomorrow at 2:00 pm.

[baron-pierreIV]

"We are doing very well together. We are able to help the Paralympics as it is," Felli said. "Adding the Paralympics to the Olympics would mean ... problems with the size. It wouldn't work."

On Wednesday, Steadward, who served as president for the first 12 years of the IPC's life, said he thought the natural evolution of the Paralympic movement would call for it to be included more in the Olympics. "I wouldn't mind seeing the 100-metre men's final, the 100-metre women's final, the 100-metre wheelchair final and the 100-metre final for blind runners."

Pointing to the intense national pride that emerged in Vancouver during the Olympics, he said it was a shame for the Paralympics to have to "re-energize" the city 10 days later.

But Craven and Felli said the two organizations have an effective working relationship that helps the Paralympic movement in ways it could not benefit from if combined with the Olympics.

Craven and Felli's remarks are total BS. The SOGs too big if the Paralympics are included? Well, cut down the # of events and athletes for the able-bodied sports. I mean (& I know the US and Oz take the lions shares in the medals) but why do you need all the 100s. 200s. 400s, etc., etc., in the various swimming disciplines? To me, not being a swimming enthusiast, one butterfly race is the same as the next. And when those guys are in the water, who can tell if they're from Kansas or Zimbabwe? Reduce those terribly repetitive sports and thereby room can be made for the Paralympix. Like most everything else that the IOC makes and pronoucnes, half of it is BS. And Phil Craven is also doing his organization no good by agreeing with Mr. Fellatio!!

[Brekkie Boy]

Don't be ridiculous - no reason at all the games should be combined. And looking beyond the athletes themselves, I'm sure like able bodied folk, most disabled people enjoy the Olympics more than the Paralympics anyway.

It's already bad enough that some Olympic events have been compromised due to going too PC in not being sexist (i.e. dropping cycling and boxing categories for 2012) never mind throwing Paralympians in the mix too. Merging the two events would benefit neither.

Coverage wise and a shame the BBC can't even bring themselves to show the 10 minutes highlights of the Opening Ceremony. As for coverage in news - well, I've seen nothing today and due to the Six Nations there's only one full bulletin anyway.

[baron-pierreIV]

Don't be ridiculous - no reason at all the games should be combined. And looking beyond the athletes themselves, I'm sure like able bodied folk, most disabled people enjoy the Olympics more than the Paralympics anyway.

It's already bad enough that some Olympic events have been compromised due to going too PC in not being sexist (i.e. dropping cycling and boxing categories for 2012) never mind throwing Paralympians in the mix too. Merging the two events would benefit neither.

Coverage wise and a shame the BBC can't even bring themselves to show the 10 minutes highlights of the Opening Ceremony. As for coverage in news - well, I've seen nothing today and due to the Six Nations there's only one full bulletin anyway.

Don't be IDIOTIC. The Games should be combined. No reason at all NOT to have them combined...except host cities who are willing to have thmselves go bankrupt.

[memorabilia]

No. Channel 4 won the rights battle on 8th January; less than a month before Vancouver 2010 started. Schedules and plans for an event on the other side of the world would have to be drawn up a long, long time in advance. If the BBC had planned to cover it, they wouldn't suddenly decide not to because they lost the rights to 2012!

No you could organise a coverage live of an event in less than 2 days... France Television did it often in France to broadcast finals of our handball team (for which they did not hold the right for the all tournament).

And from what seen here in Vancouver, it pretty easy to broadcast at the Paralympics. Just ask for a position at OBS (that create in less than an hour), buy your satellite connexion and that's it !!!

so BBC would have probably change its plans if they got the 2012 paralympics... But here to give a great coverage on the Paralympics would increase the interest of UK citizen for it and would promote the 2012 coverage of Channel 4 !

France Televisions changed its plans one month ago and decided to broadcast live the ceremony in addition of the daily highlights already planned!

[gdodds]

Eurosport's coverage last night was top knotch. They quickly cut alpine skiing for extended biathlon and in the breaks between races where they would have shown earlier races in their entirity, they decided to show qualifying as they already shown the events live.

Thinking on your feet eurosport -like it

[Brekkie Boy]

Do Eurosport have their own commentators there though or are they taking the feed produced for ParalympicSport.TV?