Controversial corner - the Paralympics

[Simster]

Why are the BBC bigging up this relatively trivial event? I was listening to 5 live last weekend and the normally reliable and informative John Inverdale was sort of mocking the fact that the USA were going to offer only 2 hours of the paralympics in total - in November.

Now clearly this is not an awful lot but does it really say what he was possibly insinuating? i.e. a certain lack of respect? Personally I don't think so. I have to say, I think the BBC is giving far too much coverage to the Paralympics and I have no interest in watching disabled athletes to be honest, much as I respect them as much as any other athlete.

Call me cynical but if I didn't know better I'd think the BBC were only promoting this event because they are so feeble at bidding for rights in virtually every other sport except horse racing.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

i love it. well done tani grey tompson for her great gold today. these are proffesionals that deserve the coverage abled bodied athletes do and events like wheelchair basketball are brilliant

 

[Lush]

What other sport these days leaves you open-mouthed? Like the guys in the 100m Butterfly final earlier this week who only had ONE arm.

 

[CHAPPERS]

What other sport these days leaves you open-mouthed? Like the guys in the 100m Butterfly final earlier this week who only had ONE arm.

(Alright Safeway, I'll ask)


Wouldn't they just go round in circles?

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

to be fair i did have to laugh(even though it is VERY HARSH) in the blind swimming. first of all in blind swimming when they are about to finish they get a little tap on the head with a big stick to tell them they are near but there was also a guy with no arms so he had to headbut the wall aswell ( not laughing at all )

 

[The Large One]

Uterly cynical 'self, self, self' society we live in these days.

'I already buy a season ticket to the Albion, so they're not getting any more from me...'
'Why can't season ticket holders get priority for Cardiff...'
'f***ing Mr Brown and his budget putting up taxes...'
'Why can't I park where I want to, especially when cyclists can...'
'BBC can't get normal people with no disabilities doing sport on the telly...'

FFS, you've got an OFF switch - go and do something worthwhile if you're that bothered by watching people battling against a huge amount of adversity and prejudice, fighting off their physical disabilities and doing something which makes them feel proud that they have achieved something great.

They have done a damn sight more than anyone on here could ever have achieved.

 

[Incredigull]

Who threw their hand in during the poker ??











Stop it !!

 

[chez]

Has anyone seen the Wheelchair rugby? That looks a right laugh (to play not to laugh at BTW)

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Has anyone seen the Wheelchair rugby? That looks a right laugh (to play not to laugh at BTW)

saw highlights today!!1 jesus this japanese blke was like lightning!

 

[Lush]

(Alright Safeway, I'll ask)


Wouldn't they just go round in circles?

They kick EXTRA HARD with the opposite leg?

Possibly.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

The guy involved in the swimming today in the team that won the relay amazingly had no arms.

These athletes should be an inspiration to us all and deserve there moments on tele far more then the able bodied athletes. The paralympics still completely retains the fledgling charm of a developing sport and all the competitors are true to the original olympic spirit, something which has long been forgotten by many of their able bodied counterparts.


Good on every single one of them in my book!

 

[Beach Hut]

I find it very good viewing and also shows how much people can achieve whatever the prejudices they may have suffered.

 

[chips and gravy]

I haven't been able to watch it as I've had too many other things to do. But I have followed it on the radio every day and I say well done to the BBC for giving it such excellent coverage. Why shouldn't these people get their moment in the spotlight for all the hours of dedication and hard work they put in? I'd far rather watch this than Champions League football, with all the pomposity, gamesmanship and utterly boring negative tactics that goes along with it...

 

[Simster]

FFS, you've got an OFF switch - go and do something worthwhile if you're that bothered by watching people battling against a huge amount of adversity and prejudice, fighting off their physical disabilities and doing something which makes them feel proud that they have achieved something great.

I do use my off switch as I probably suggested in my initial post. I just get annoyed that the BBC doesn't offer enough coverage for some fairly mainstream sports, so what makes them think we're all interested in the Paralympics? Because it's CHEAP telly, that's my suspicion.

They have done a damn sight more than anyone on here could ever have achieved.

Bit of a sweeping statement, that. As I said, I do have respect for these athletes and they have achieve great things, but I think that is a crappy popularist Sun-speak argument. I just don't think the relevance is in line with the TV coverage.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

My main gripe is that in many events it is just not an equal playing field when you see a swimming race where everyone's disabilities are different i.e. one guy with part of right leg missing and nothing else, guy in next lane has stumps for arms and what looks like below knee amputation on both legs.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The paralympics have achieved amazing things. Not the least of which is the success in changing the attitude of the Greek government and the Greek people to disabilty.

But the effect is worldwide. Hardly anyone now thinks that people with disabilities can achieve nothing - what a contrast to the working assumptions that prevailed throughout society a generation ago, when all that happened was that "we" were supposed to feel sorry for "them" and be grateful that "we" hadn't been "afflicted".

 

[Brighton Breezy]

My main gripe is that in many events it is just not an equal playing field when you see a swimming race where everyone's disabilities are different i.e. one guy with part of right leg missing and nothing else, guy in next lane has stumps for arms and what looks like below knee amputation on both legs.

They are graded on disability. In relays the team have to have a total number of points to make it all fair.This means each team has to have members of similar disability in their foursomes but they do not have to all go in the same leg. Because of this you can get one bloke with no arms racing against a guy with one leg. It doe even itself out at the end as our gold medal winning relay team showed who were miles in last place after the first leg.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I find it very good viewing and also shows how much people can achieve whatever the prejudices they may have suffered.

well said sir


it could teach a few footballers a thing or to

 

[goldstone]

I have no interest in watching disabled athletes to be honest, much as I respect them as much as any other athlete.

Agree entirely. It's a complete waste of tv time ... just like so much else on the box.

 

[Albion Rob]

Listening to 5 Live yesterday an American punter said the reason there is so little coverage in the US is because they are all private broadcasters as opposed to the BBC which is funded by you and I. Therefore the decision was clearly taken that not enough people over there gave a toss so there will be a short highlights package in November.

As far as the Paralympics themselves are concerned, there was a massive debate yesterday as to whether they are patronising to disabled people. As was pointed out, not every disabled person wants to play whelchair basketball....

However, the most impressive piece of sporting endeavour I have seen this year was the double amputee bloke in the 200 metres running it in 21.97 seconds.