Peter, Fiona, Suzanne & Others
This has been an interesting thread. With regards to feats of athleticism
what are people's thoughts about wheelchair racing being just another
Olympic medal event by admitting all comers to compete.
"Should wheelchair racing at the Olympics be open to all people & not just
people with disabilities?"
Regards
Simon
At 11:53 AM 12/10/2000 +1000, you wrote:
>I found Suzanne's comments regarding the different Olympic organisations
>very succinct and pertinent. It hadn't even occured to me until to latest
>round of e-mails concerning the Olympic rings being taken down from the
>Sydney Harbour Bridge that this was the case. Of course, as Suzanne has
>asked,why is this the case. Naturally I understand the company structure
>and trademark arguments but I must admit to being confounded by the
>perception in the 'big business Olympic company that rules all' that these
>activities cannot co-exist.
>
>Surely an elite athlete is an elite athlete whether they're undertaking
>those feats of magic in a wheelchair or in running shoes. I remember Louise
>Sauvage racing in Atlanta as vividly as Kieren Perkin's swim because both
>represented the pinacle of achievement in their sport at that time. I also
>recall her getting media attention because of her athleticism not because
>she was in a wheelchair. In reflecting on this I have also been listening
>to interviews with the Olympians on Triplej (Australian 'Youth' radio.) The
>interviews haven't been about disability and overcoming hardship etc etc.
>They've been about training, life as an athlete, who are the competitors to
>watch out for and so on. These might be really simplistic perceptions of
>something deeper that I don't understand, but I wonder if the need to keep
>the events separate exists only in the minds of the olympic business machine
>when most people outside the closed doors of the money makers are more
>interested in seeing people 'do their thing'.
>
>I guess, like Suzanne, the question becomes WHY?. Given that a contract for
>the paralympics in 2004 hasn't been signed, is this the time to ask the IOC
>why as well?
>
>Peter
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [log in to unmask]
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Susanne
>Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2000 9:58 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: paralympic as a "medical model"
>
>
>Strange how we seem to find the explanations about the different
>organisations etc. so "reassuring". Why not ask ourselves why it is two
>separate organisations? Who wants it? Who decides it? And on what grounds?
>
>As to the definition of wheelchair racing as a "demonstration" sport (or
>what the term was) in the Olympics because of the restricted group of
>participants: How does this go together with other sports in the Olympic
>games that are "restricted" into different weight cathegories.
>
>As to the Olympic symbol: I thought that the paralympics' had its own symbol
>just because the games weren't allowed to use the Olympic symbol. However I
>read that some years back and do not remember the source so I might be
>wrong.
>
>As I see it there is no reason what so ever to accept the social exclusion
>of certain athletes or sports because they happen to belong to the cathegory
>of "disability". Would we accept this in other areas of society? In Sweden
>we have a very good drama company called "silent theater" - does the fact
>that they use sign language mean that they should not be welcome to
>participate in "able-bodied" cultural festivals? We also have a very good
>movie director with a mobility impairment - would it be acceptable if his
>disability was concidered as placing him in a "restricted group" and
>therefore prevent his movies to be nominated for an Oscar?
>
>Recommended questions:
>WHY? WHO? WHAT?
>
>Susanne Berg
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