Hi everyone
I am not sure that having the Paralympics compare with the Olympics for
number of awards, air time, heroisation of athletes, general support or
whatever, is a good idea anyway. A more powerful way forward would be to
divorce itself completely from the heirarchy and declare itself to be
outside an Olympic paradigm - to say "we are nothing like you [Olympics]nor
aspire to be". Demand not to be an "also ran", but a winner in a completely
different race.
Best regards
Laurence Bathurst
School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Sydney
PO Box 170
Lidcombe NSW 1825
Australia
Ph: 61 2 9351 9509
Fax: 61 2 9351 9509
Email: [log in to unmask]
Home Ph: 61 2 9818 2050
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Lost : - My leisure. If found please return it to me -
it has great sentimental value and holds many fond memories.
Lost : - My self. Last seen within my leisure
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Judith M. Irving" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 12:11 AM
Subject: Sports awards
> Hello list,
>
> I know I don't participate much on the list, but I'm a big sports fan (not
> just because My husband is a top British Disabled Powerlifter) and I must
> comment on the BBC sports program.
>
> I agree with Mairian, but first add that I was so extremely disgusted that
> Tanni was not able to get on the stage or even participate equally or at
the
> same height as others for the interview segment. It's like we are just
> supposed to except it and be glad disability even got a mention. The BBC
> could easily afford to have access provided on such programs. I must also
> say that despite how much I admire Tanni other elite disabled athletes get
> over looked and once again the focus is on wheelchair users, which brings
up
> another issue. Why does the media always have to have a "toucan"
disabled
> person to focus on and then can never seem to get on to others who have
> achieve just as equally?
>
> Take care,
> Jude
>
> >>I agree with the sentiments about Tanni Grey-Thompson's treatment by the
> BBC. I'm interested that no-one has referred to the other award that she
> got - a 'special award' for achievement in the face of adversity (though
> probably not the kind of adversity most of us mean). I think the
recognition
> of Tanni's achievements in sport per se is long overdue, and we must
support
> her. However I don't think we can make direct comparisons between the
> Olympics and the Paralympics in terms of numbers of awards. It is my
> understanding that the number of events and the number of heats for each
> event differs in the two (there are less events/heats in the latter) and
> also that quite a lot of events are divided up on the basis of impairment,
> which gives potentially more events.
>
> Best wishes
> Mairian<<
>
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