Good afternoon all,
I think there is reason to be grateful for this decision: it certainly
throws the paraolympics, and intellectual disability into the public arena.
It will create much awarenes and outrage with large numbers of people, and
posturing of politicians who now are starting to become aware that there are
votes in disability.
Sadly this will be at the cost of further marginalization of those
marginalized already.
However, as that happened anyway, without our consent, let's make hay while
the sun shines and maintain the rage!
Have a good time, rgds John
----- Original Message -----
From: Frank Hall-Bentick <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 7:56 PM
Subject: [Fwd: [OZADV] Paralympics Ban Outrage]
> FYI and action.
>
> Frank HB
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [OZADV] Paralympics Ban Outrage
> Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 15:33:16 +1030
> From: David Morrell <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: OZADVOCACY-- Disability rights in
> Australia<[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Hello all,
>
> The SA Minister for Disability Services, in a commendable venturing
> outside his portfolio area, sends a strong message to the International
> Paralympic Committee about a recent decision they've made. Disability
> Action has added some background information after the Minister's media
> release, including an email address to which you can send your thoughts
> if this matter annoys you as much as it annoyed the Minister.
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> MEDIA RELEASE
> Hon Robert Lawson MLC
> Minister for Disability Services
> 4th Floor Mercantile Mutual Centre
> 45 Pirie Street ADELAIDE SA 5000
>
> Tuesday, 30 January 2001
>
> PARALYMPIC BAN A GROSS OVER-REACTION
>
> Disability Services Minister Robert Lawson says the decision to
> suspend all athletes with intellectual disabilities from
> Paralympic competition is a devastating blow for these athletes
> and their families.
>
> The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in Germany has
> decided to exclude all athletes with intellectual disabilities
> following an incident at the Sydney Games last year when it was
> found that most of the gold-medal winning Spanish basketball team
> did not have a disability.
>
> "This decision is a gross over-reaction. It is like banning a
> whole sport because of a few drug cheats."
>
> The IPC justified its decision because of problems regarding the
> determination of eligibility to compete as an athlete with an
> intellectual disability. However unlike Australia, Spain does not
> subject its athletes to eligibility criteria.
>
> Mr Lawson says this decision will have a huge impact on many
> athletes with intellectual disabilities and their families.
>
> "Most of these athletes are dedicated and hard-working and
> deserve their chance to compete at the highest level possible and
> represent Australia on a world stage," he says.
>
> "It must come as a bitter disappointment to people with
> disabilities to realise that because of the unscrupulous actions
> of some that they will be the ones punished."
>
> Mr Lawson has written to the IPC urging it to resolve eligibility
> concerns and reconsider its ban.
>
> "The IPC's decision could well end the dreams of many hundreds of
> athletes with intellectual disabilities. 750 Australian athletes
> with intellectual disabilities registered for the Sydney
> Paralympic Games.
>
> "I hope that within a short time this decision will be reversed
> and such deserving athletes will once more be given the
> opportunity to strive to be the best."
>
> END OF MEDIA RELEASE
>
>
> To find out what's got the Hon. Robert Lawson so irate, visit these
> links.
>
> General news stories:
>
>
http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/sportsView.cgi?/news/2001/01/29/Sports/parao
lympics010128
>
> http://www.napcosa.co.za/articles.asp?ArtId=85&sponsor=
>
> For the International Paralympic Committee's side of the story go to
> their thoroughly inaccessible web site at;
>
> http://www.paralympic.org/
>
> and look under Media for Press Releases.
>
> If you would like to join the Minister in expressing your outrage at
> what has happened, here's who to contact.
>
> Dr. Susanne Reiff, International Paralympic Committee Director of Media
> and Communication,
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Get your emails flying!
>
> David Morrell
> Disability Action Inc.
> Rights, equity and empowerment for people with disabilities
>
> ****************************************************************
>
> Web site: www.ozemail.com.au/~disactn
> Phone: +61 8 8346 8288
> Freecall: 1800 805 495
> TTY: +61 8 8346 3964
> Fax: +61 8 8346 9288
> Postal: 295 Torrens Rd., West Croydon SA 5008, Australia
> Disability Action is funded by the Commonwealth government's Department
> of Family and Community Services, Disability Services Program. Views
> expressed by Disability Action are not necessarily endorsed by the
> Commonwealth government.
>
> =============================================Interested in psychiatric
> disability issues?
> The Australian mental health consumer movement
> has its own discussion list, OZMAD:
> http://www.madnation.org/ozmad.htm
> =============================================
>
> ________________End of message______________________
>
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