" We Are Abled By Our Abilities Not Disabled By Our Disabilities." - Anon.
Did you know that Australia is competing for gold in swimming, basketball, cycling and more? Did you know that we’ve scored 17 gold, 24 silver and 21 bronze medals so far? Yes, I know the 2008 Beijing Olympics have expired but the 2008 Beijing Paralympics are underway and I bet some of you weren’t even aware of it. Worse still, many Australians aren’t aware that Paralympians have scored more than double the gold medals for Australia compared to the 6 in the Olympics.
This ignorance makes my stomach churn with guilt.
Why the hell aren’t paralympians given the media coverage and public accolade they deserve? Why the hell is there 24-hour TV, print and online coverage of the Olympics but close to nothing of the Paralympics? If anything, paralympians should be accredited with greater recognition considering some are swimming with one arm, playing basketball in wheelchairs, or sprinting with a prosthetic leg.
The more I compare the support given to the Australian Olympic Team to that of Paralympic team makes my blood boil to the point where I just punched the air followed by a bitter grunt.
During the Olympics, SMH online had a micro-site dedicated to the Olympic team, documenting every triumph and defeat. Er, where’s a micro-site for the Paralympians? Why is it that the paralympic aren’t mention on the Official site of the 2008 Olympic team? Why is it that there are 17 sponsors of the Paralympics and at least 40 sponsors for the Olympic team (from what is shown in their sites)?
What is even more ridiculous is that previous years, Paralympians had to pay for their own airfares and frankly, not much has changed considering that “Australia’s top musical theatre stars - such as Ana Marina, Tamsin Carroll, Rhonda Burchmore, Amanda Muggleton, Peter Cousens, John Paul Young - held a special concert to help raise $150,000 to pay the airfares of the Paralympics Team for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Meanwhile it’s been rumoured that taxpayers funded Olympic atheletes’ training, accommodation and flights. Oh, and that some travelled first class back home.
This is bloody disgusting and the ironic thing is that yesterday thousands of cheering people honoured the Aussie Olympic team as they paraded down Sydney’s bustling George Street to the tunes of Australian songs such as Land Down Under and I Am, You Are, We Are Australian. What a load of shit!
I’ve been scoping news.com and SMH online and the only coverage, if any, they offer is a minor heading under Sport which is hidden below the fold. Luckily, the ABC recognises the efforts of our Paralympians with its micro-site. But I wonder if it gets page impressions? Perhaps it does but the numbers are nowhere near as many as the official site of the Australian Olympic team.
With genuine sentiment, awe and pride, let me just say this -
To all the past, present and future Paralympians : You. Kick. Arse.
