2012 Paralympics,your take.

[Tooting Gull]

I do believe there was a danger at the start of the Paralympics it could become an orgy of over-sentimentality, and patronising and even pitying coverage.

Happily that hasn't happened at all, mainly because it is clear it is above all a sporting event with performances you want to see. A lot of the heroic back stories helped introduce the Games, but after that you just wanted to see the athletes do what they do best. Having been, the atmosphere in the stadium was every bit as good as for the Olympics.

I firmly believe that the Paralympics has changed attitudes about disability and disability sport in this country for good, and for the better. Not sure about the rest of the world, because along with a few other countries we are a bit ahead in this regard anyway. We'll have to wait and see.

As for what the OP is on about, I haven't got a clue.

 

[Hillian1]

I have a concern about the paralympics, I fear that some of the more "special" among us will have watched the games and seen disabled people achieve things that quite frankly they themselves could not achieve and somehow assume that ALL people with disabilities are capable of these feats.

 

[Titus]

INCOMING!!! Take to the moral high ground.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

The Olympic motto is "Faster, Higher, Stronger". They are meeting all of those criteria.

 

[Triggaaar]

Picture from yesterday:

 

[W.C.]

My overriding thought is that sitting on the sofa watching the Paralympics will be a huge number of people who's disabilities are far less, but they have been signed off from doing any meaningful work and are being kept by the State.

This does not of course apply to most disabled people.

You're a glass half full kind of guy aren't you?

 

[leigull]

Well worth a couple of minutes of your time to read:

‘She makes £2 a day from begging. She is a Paralympian and embodies why the Paralympics matter’ Sporting Intelligence

 

[Silk]

My overriding thought is that sitting on the sofa watching the Paralympics will be a huge number of people who's disabilities are far less, but they have been signed off from doing any meaningful work and are being kept by the State.

This does not of course apply to most disabled people.

I doubt that, having seen the appalling way some disabled people have been treated by the current benefits regime.

 

[martyn20]

Pathetic and almost sickening point of view from the OP, either living in a different century or on another planet.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Ok,and as the OP,maybe i am wrong (and by the posts i am) wonderful event,superb effort. Full respect. I watched the blind runners at Manchester Games and like the crowd roared them on. Sporting Achievement YES. Sporting Excellent, No.

 

[martyn20]

Ok,and as the OP,maybe i am wrong (and by the posts i am) wonderful event,superb effort. Full respect. I watched the blind runners at Manchester Games and like the crowd roared them on. Sporting Achievement YES. Sporting Excellent, No.

So the fact they are best in the world at their chosen sport and classification is not 'excellent', only perfect people can achieve sporting excellence?

 

[blue2]

It's been a fantastic sporting spectical

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Its the broadcasters I feel sorry for. They're on a hiding to nothing. They either patronise the competitors or they over-compensate by keep calling them 'these athletes' which is a phrase they never used during the Olympics.

 

[bravohotelalpha]

Ok,and as the OP,maybe i am wrong (and by the posts i am) wonderful event,superb effort. Full respect. I watched the blind runners at Manchester Games and like the crowd roared them on. Sporting Achievement YES. Sporting Excellent, No.

Oh dear me .....

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Oh dear me .....

But could Jonny Peacock beat Bolt ?

 

[goldstone]

Everyone in country is enveloped the spirit of the Paralympics.

Don't spout such utter drivel. "Everyone in the country" is NOT enveloped in the spirit of the paralympics. I am not, and dozens of my friends and relatives feel the same way.

You've got to admire these people for competing when they're disabled, but is it a spectator sport? Not in my opinion. Do I give a damn who wins or loses? No. Have I watched any of it? No.

Stop making such sweeping statements.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Oh dear me .....

Why 'oh dear me' ?

 

[martyn20]

Don't spout such utter drivel. "Everyone in the country" is NOT enveloped in the spirit of the paralympics. I am not, and dozens of my friends and relatives feel the same way.

You've got to admire these people for competing when they're disabled, but is it a spectator sport? Not in my opinion. Do I give a damn who wins or loses? No. Have I watched any of it? No.

Stop making such sweeping statements.

You are totally right it's not a spectator sport, only over a million people have sat in the Olympic Stadium during the Paralympics, and when they were cheering and clapping people from around the world running and jumping and throwing they were only going through the motions. Watching people who have trained for years achieve their sporting goals and beat everyone else is not a spectator sport because they are disabled!

 

[martyn20]

But could Jonny Peacock beat Bolt ?

So disabled sport should not be allowed because they cannot compete with the able bodied. Jonny Peacock can beat the best in the world with similar disabilities as him but it's worthless and not excellence because he can't beat the fastest man in the world

 

[Barrel of Fun]

But could Jonny Peacock beat Bolt ?

Could Weir beat Bolt running? No

Could Bolt beat Weir in a chair? He'd had to change his training regime somewhat to have a crack, at the very least.

The OP is coming from someone without a disability and clearly any sort of knowledge on disabilities. I can see where he Is comIng from. However, Ignorance breeds contempt.