On Wednesday 28th August 2024 the Paralympic Games open in Paris. Since its inception in 1948 as a small event for war veterans, the Paralympics has grown to be a major force in promoting and highlighting disability inclusion. The first competitors only had archery and netball to choose from. In 2024, athletes will compete in 549 events across 22 different sporting disciplines.
In Paris, the ParalympicsGB squad will be made up of more than two hundred athletes, between them aiming to beat the Tokyo total of 124 medals. But the Paralympics represents far more than simply a desire to ‘go for gold.’ ParalympicsGB has three aims: to provide equitable access to sport, to champion disability inclusion, and to transform understanding of disability.
To this end over the last year more than forty thousand young disabled people have been helped to be physically active with over ten thousand people each month being helped to find inclusive sport opportunities near them. Perhaps most importantly ParalympicsGB promotes the Social Model of Disability, which says that “disability is caused by barriers in society, not by a person’s medical condition.”
Removing those barriers requires input and awareness from society as a whole with every aspect from infrastructure to communication potentially having an impact on inclusivity. However, it is also true that helping disabled individuals to optimise their talents can also require a strong input from health professionals and others in related disciplines. And we should also remember that individuals may require a multi-disciplinary approach. For example, those with physical disabilities may also require mental health support; particularly if they are facing inclusivity battles.
The publicity surrounding the Paralympics may also encourage those who would not normally see themselves as disabled but might be struggling with some aspect of their lives to pick up the phone and seek help. Whether that is something as simple as a sprained ankle or something far more complex, the positive impact of seeing those with disabilities competing on the world stage can act as a catalyst for individual change.
Admittedly, in the same way that not all individuals across society can look to participate in the Olympic games, not all disabled individuals will be able to, or want to, take part in Paralympic competitions. But as one South African Paralympic physiotherapist commented in 2021: “The Paralympic Games is an exciting opportunity for rehabilitation professionals to get knowledgeable about different sports in their area and how their patients can get involved. While there are avenues to get classified and participate at a national and international level most people only need help to get past the barriers keeping them from participating locally.”
Research has also shown that the success of Paralympic athletes can have an impact across society. One survey by ComRes revealed that 84% of UK adults saw the achievement of ParalympicsGB athletes as having a positive impact on society with 74% seeing the team as inspirational.
Commenting on this research Nick Webborn, Chair of the British Paralympic Association, said: “This research is the strongest proof yet of the direct link between the success of our talented Paralympic athletes and its wider social benefit.” He went on to say that: “We believe that the success our Paralympic stars achieve on the field of play can be turned into meaningful, long-term action – turning the nation’s cheers into change and those medals into a movement.”