Let me just say before commenting on this article that to suggest the lack of passion in following the Paralympics is the same as the lack of passion for Cricket, or any other arguably boring sport, is an argument that is flawed – and missing the point.
First of all, who said anything about forcing anybody to care about the Paralympics? I don’t believe any Paralympian, or anybody else for that matter, is trying to guilt sports fans into cheering for disabled athletes. I think Rick Hansen is probably just at a loss as to why people have not caught on to what he believes to be obvious. These athletes are truly athletes and deserve to be recognized. After all, this is not the Special Olympics where the competition is not all that important.
Even though it may be true that there is not the following of the Paralympics as there is for the Olympics, the reasoning cannot be that people don’t care. I would argue that people are just not educated on the ins and outs of the Paralympics and no one is going to be enthusiastic about something they know nothing about. I mean, heck, most people I talk to believe that the Paralympics are really the Special Olympics.
The fact that “These Games do not have the same worldwide involvement as the Olympics in numbers of countries and participants” does not in any way diminish the scope of the event. If you look at the numbers (486 athletes from 39 countries for the Paralympics as compared to 2,500 athletes from 84 countries for the Olympics), they tell a different story. For one thing, in the Olympics, out of the 2500 athletes that participate, how many of them do we actually see or hear about? Not many. Even so, that doesn’t diminish the “international scope” of the Olympics. You have to look at it in relative terms. If you compare the population of the world with the population of people with disabilities in the world, then extract the athletes who actually get to participate in the Paralympics, 486 athletes from 39 countries is pretty staggering. Diminish? I don’t think so. In Great Britain, and in other countries, the Paralympic Games have become somewhat of a phenomenon. I believe it is more about perception than anything else.
In terms of the problem with layering the competition (blind skiers, stand up skiers and sit down skiers), a little bit of editing by a major network could easily go a long way towards keeping each event separate. I don’t believe the layered approach really matters to the spectator witnessing the events firsthand. Furthermore, to try and compare the phenomenal records set by Petitclerc in contrast to a recordholder in the world of able-bodied sports doesn’t really make sense in this discussion. You must remember, just like in the Olympics, each Paralympic sporting event is set up to match the abilities of the athletes. That is why these Games should be called the “Parallel Olympics” because although the Paralympics are not the same as the Olympics, in relative terms, the amazing achievements of each athlete are on par with the achievements of the Olympians. Nobody diminishes what Wilt Chamberlain accomplished when he was the only seven foot center in basketball. He once scored 100 points in one game. That is an amazing record no matter who he was playing against.
When I look at Olympians, what is amazing to me is what the athletes can actually do with their bodies as they challenge the elements. The Paralympians are no different. Again, it is all relative. I’m also sure that the future will bring more athletes which will push these athletes to new levels of competition. If you watch Ice Sledge Hockey, no one can make the claim that the competition is shallow.
In closing, it is not an illusion to say that the Paralympics are on par with the Olympics just because there is no passion, or that people would rather watch mainstream sports. Once again, most people don’t know anything about the Paralympics in the first place. No attention is paid partly because of misconceptions and partly because it is unknown to many people. Again, if in Great Britain and other parts of the world there is a strong passion for the Paralympic Games, there is no reason why it couldn’t be that way in North America.
What is needed is what I have been saying all along. One of the major networks in television must lead the way by taking a chance that people will watch. Remember, all the sponsors for the Olympics also sponsor the Paralympics. What would be so difficult in taking the necessary steps to show The Paralympic Games on the tube for everyone to see? Of course, not everyone will be watching, but not everyone is interested in watching the Olympics either. I believe that once North America gets a taste of people skiing down the mountain with one leg, one arm – cross-country skiers with no arms, blind skiers, etc. -- people will start talking about it and before long it will be like I say: If You Show It, They Will Watch! I guess only time will tell.
By the way, maybe you didn’t notice, but we posted a story yesterday about how the Paralympics official web site is down because of too much traffic. I take that as a sign that what I’m saying is true. It tells me there is very much interest in the Paralympics.
As a side note, at the Games in Torino, the Americans won a bronze medal in Ice Sledge Hockey which is the second time they have medaled in as many Winter Games. They won the gold in Salt Lake City in 2002 which was the first time they ever medaled in Ice Sledge Hockey. This time, Canada took the gold as they beat Norway 3 – 0.
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