The Paralympics.

dreamdaisy

Well surprise surprise: according to the press today money has run out, general indigenous public interest is not there so as a result cuts are being made left, right and centre. Apparently some venues will be closed thus concentrating events into fewer venues, administration (and those who provide it) is being reduced, and the services transporting the disabled to and from the events likewise. :shock: Around 12% of seats have been sold (I presume this means over the entire fortnight) but, given the large number of empty seats at every event so far (lack of general indigenous interest or lack of general indigenous luxury spending money?) this is hardly surprising.

To be honest I have found the past fortnight to be a non-event: I'm not that interested in sport (rugby and tennis excepted), the time difference has been a factor plus complete saturation of coverage by Auntie. I engaged with London 2012 but that was four years ago and I was four years better. Channel 4 will be 'doing' the Paralympics (have you been humming that wonderful tune that accompanies the Allianz adverts? 'Yes I can' - and I have ) and I will be watching but . . . The Paralympics will always be the also-ran competition because the respect that these athletes truly deserve will never been there. I wonder if the likes of Bolt, Kenny, Trott, Murray, Daley etc. will be glued to their screens. Somehow I doubt it. DD

frogmorton

Wouldn't it be lovely if the Olympic champions were there to support our Paralympians ? They could take up some of the spare seats

I shall be watching it for definite - channel 4 you say? I will be there.

I loved the Olympics this year despite the red button playing me up grrr!!!!

I don't watch everything of course ,who does? The gymnastics have enthralled Lucy this year male and female. We also enjoy the track events in our house

mig

I've listened with growing dismay to the news that some of the money meant for the Paralympics has been used to finance the able bodied olympics I hope that these contestants give their wholehearted support to their fellow athletes,they don't want sympathy they want to be treated as equals with a fair crack of the whip,my family and I will be cheering them on to greater achievements than four years ago. Mig

barbara12

I am disgusted at this , these people have trained for 4 years, against all odd they have got there..and now they are being let down..a lot of the people of Rio are very poor and apparently couldn't afford to pay the seat price..they were warned...I like Toni's idea that the Olympic squad could stay on to support them..must say I have thoroughly enjoyed the games and always do ..

dreamdaisy

It would be nice if the some of the current champions stayed but I think it very unlikely. You don't reach the top of your chosen career by thinking of others, you reach it by thinking only of yourself, your wants and needs. Yes, they work hard, yes, they make 'sacrifices' and yes, they deserve their triumphs but it's based on 'me me me'. Those who are home won't be venturing back and those who are still there probably can't wait to get home to have a decent cuppa.

The disabled, whether they be paralympians or not, have long been regarded as second-class citizens probably because we may look different, we may sound different, we do things differently; to be honest I think we frighten the healthy and able-bodied. In us they see what might have happened to them or what they might become. Twerps. We're no different inside to how they are, we too have our dreams, our fears, our joys and sadness, we're human.

If you haven't seen the Allianz advert please google it, it is inspiring (especially the musicians!) Disabled people from all over the world were involved in its making, it takes your breath away, it makes you think and it makes you realise that the likes of Bolt, Phelps, Murray etc. actually have it rather easy.

BTW, am I alone in thinking that Tom Daley has morphed from being a very good diver into being just a pretty face? DD

:splash:

theresak

Sadly, it has been known for a while that the organisers of this year's Olympic Games have been ' robbing Peter to pay Paul,' and it is the Paralympians who are paying the price. Unfortunately, the Games are sometimes handed to countries who simply can't afford to host them - largely because they have become a production, from the lavish opening ceremony to the close. More and more money is being spent, as each host country tries to out-do the other. More sports are being added, therefore the whole event 'mushrooms.'

I feel desperately sorry for the disabled athletes who will be unable to go and compete, after four years of hard work and training. I'm not sure how it works in other countries, but here we have the likes of Dame Tanni to put the case for disabled athletes, and hers is a strong voice - she is a true champion.

I think it's too late to save these Games with regard to the Paralympics, but lessons must be learned for the future. The optimum solution is not to separate the Olympics from the Paralympics - they should be run alongside each other, but no doubt this would be totally impractical, & I suppose, make the whole thing far too lengthy.

I have enjoyed the Games, I always do.

stickywicket

Tezz, I so agree with your first paragraph.

I think the London Paralympics did a lot for Paralympic athletes but there's where it ends. Market forces rule. The Olympics themselves normally attract bigger crowds but people whose slum dwellings have been destroyed in oder to create superstadia that may never again be used are hardly in a position to pay to get in and watch. Nor will non-Brazilians be overkeen on travelling to an area where the Zika virus is wreaking havoc.

I used to raise money from my local Riding for the Disabled group and county. Without it, hardly any of our riders would have got to the National Championships and our one international rider had to raise virtually all her funds herself and always had to buy her own horses. She had hemiplaegia and learning disabilities but the learning disabilities were ignored in assessing her levels of disability as only physical ones counted. Learning difficulties could, and had been, simulated.

My point is that there never was and never will be any parity. Rich nations and / or rich competitors from poor nations win because they can put more money into training, equipment etc. That applies to able-bodied and disabled alike.

Of course the 'regular' Olympians can't stay to cheer on their disabled colleagues. Most came home immediately after their own event finished. They are on taxpayers' money. Who would pay for them to stay? Medals might bring momentary fame but, for the vast majority, don't bring wealth.

GraceB

I found the Paralympics in 2012 inspiring. This is such a shame. I hope the people responsible for this hang their heads in shame but I doubt it somehow as people like that don't have consciences!

GraceB

bubbadog

Me and the OH where discussing the amount of empty seats when the Olympics where on, as was mentioned several times by Clare Balding and other due to the fact poverty is high in Brazil what with people living in the favela's and fighting. So no wonder over half the population in Brazil couldn't afford to pay the hiked up ticket prices.

It is sad the that money has been taken from the Paralympic fund to boost the able bodied Olympic games, shouldn't that be the other way round!! And I doubt any of the abled bodied athletes will head back to Brazil to support our disabled Athletes. It's a sad state of affairs when venues have to close and several sports will be held in the same venues for our Disabled Athletes to take part. It makes the 2012 Games look like it was a luxury games!!

I will be cheering our fellow athletes on at the top of my voice and I'm 100% sure the Paralympian's will take part in these games as if nothing was the matter with funding or the empty seats as they do all their lives because they are true hero's. Bring on the Super-humans!! #yesIcan

tkachev

I'm a massive sports fan and have loved the coverage this year. (The red button played everyone up Toni) and think I'll happily pay my licence fee due this September for the sport alone.

However it is sad that Rio is not fulfilling its obligation to host the Paralympics as it promised- this is part of the deal when awarding the games but for many it is an extra burden and they would prefer not to. The raising of the profile of RIO has already been achieved and now they want to go away and reap the benefit.

Many of our athletes are coming straight back to start training for European and World events and accommodation needs to be provided for the Paralympians so staying over would not be an option.

Elizabeth

Airwave!

I was involved with the London games and didn't get to see much, too late and too tired to watch, it was good to follow the Rio games. The Paralympics are paying the price for the hollow promises of the organisers who want to be as an advanced nation but without the money to carry it off.

Having said that, the Olympics do cost too much and could be more inclusive of other nations if their sights were lowered to more realistic costs. Listening to returning visitors all was not good in Rio and you certainly wouldn't catch me going there.

Slosh

The latest is that to try and boost ticket sales for the paralympics Brazillian Vogue did a photo shoot featuring two of their paralympic athletes.

Only they didn't, they used models and then photoshopped in the disabilities, an amputated arm for one and a prosthetic leg for the other.

The athletes are understandably angry, the models say they are "ambassadors " for the Paralympics, were "honoured" to represent disabled athletes and if it means more tickets are sold what's the problem?

I'm just looking forward to the return of "The Last Leg".