BM Disability and Sports

             I think that the Paralympic media coverage should be similar to the Olympic media coverage because the Paralympics are meant to run “ parallel ” to the Olympic games. This means that the Paralympics are just as equally important and valuable as the Olympic games are. Dr. Rob Shaw , Paralympic wheelchair tennis player, discussed in an interview that Paralympic athletes receive significantly less media coverage than Olympic athletes do. He mentions that from the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympic games, there are less in depth interviews of athletes and overall exposure, which decreases visibility for athletes and makes it hard to gain supporters, which so many athletes rely on. Dr. Shaw suggests that to help bridge this gap, the media should share more stories of Paralympians, including their backgrounds and athletic journeys, just the same as they do for Olympians.              ...

       I certainly do believe that adaptive technology should be allowed in sports since it allows athletes with disabilities to compete in a way that is accessible to them. Without adaptive technology, athletes with disabilities are unable to exercise safely, let alone compete in the sport of their choice. This is extremely harmful since exercise is very beneficial to all people, and can be especially beneficial when it comes to rehabilitation, mental health, or overall wellbeing. Adaptive technology gives all people the opportunity to redeem these benefits in ways that serve their needs.  On the other hand, adaptive technology is not always accessible. According to Shuan Butcher , the communications manager at Move United , adaptive sports equipment is on average 15 times more expensive than non adaptive equipment. This is due to the fact that adaptive equipment must almost always be entirely custom to each athlete, which raises costs and inaccessibility. Th...

       In my opinion, I certainly agree with Dr. Guttman that the Paralympic Games are a better representation of the Olympic ideal compared to the Olympic Games. I believe that the Paralympic Games include a more accurate representation of most people in the world. Approximately 1.3 billion people in the world experience a disability. This is about 1 in 6 people or 16% of the world's population . The World Health Organization reports that people with disabilities face challenges 15 times more than those who are not disabled, therefore the Paralympic Games are an opportunity for disabled athletes to represent a large portion of the world population that is constantly undermined, underserved, and underrepresented. Not only do the Paralympics provide opportunities for disabled people to showcase their athletic ability, they simply are able to showcase ability . Disability is largely focused on what people cannot do, but the Paralympic Games give a chance for people t...