Do you think that the Paralympics and the Olympics should be combined into one event? — Scope | Disability forum
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Do you think that the Paralympics and the Olympics should be combined into one event?

Chris_Alumni
Chris_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 689 Pioneering
There's currently a discussion going on in our online community debating whether the Paralympics and Olympics should be integrated in future. Let us know what you think by voting in our anonymous poll.

Do you think that the Paralympics and the Olympics should be combined into one event? 28 votes

Yes
46% 13 votes
No
42% 12 votes
Not sure
10% 3 votes

Comments

  • AmarjitSinghAnand
    AmarjitSinghAnand Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    Separate platform is 100% More beneficial than clubbed. But with equal rights.
  • quinrah
    quinrah Community member Posts: 22 Courageous

    This is such a tricky one! I can see the benefits of both together and separate. I think right now with there still being so much work to do in terms of attitudes to disability a separate but equal platform would just tip it for me right now too.

  • cpchris
    cpchris Community member Posts: 5 Connected
    Absolutely not!
    Too costly
    Too complex to run together 
    There would be bottlenecks at the track, velodrome and pool
    The media would totally ignore the Paralympics 
    i could go on but I haven't the time or energy
  • Wingcom
    Wingcom Community member Posts: 3 Connected
    It would mean that the programme of events would have to be cut or the olympics/paralympics would be too big and too costly for most countries to stage. Can you imagine how big the athletes village would need to be?! If the events were cut, which sports don't go to the olympics? All swimming or cycling??
  • nickp
    nickp Community member Posts: 18 Listener

    Yes why should it be separate from the Olympics surely it will save money as well.


  • Footloose
    Footloose Community member Posts: 34 Courageous
    I would have thought running them separately (as in NOT one following immediately after the other) would be considerably more expensive from running them as completely different entities. I'm also guessing that by running them back-to-back, the professional coaches get the chance to share their expertise between each other.  
  • cpchris
    cpchris Community member Posts: 5 Connected
    I'm afraid this is a pointless discussion  - both events are similar with similar sounding names but that's where the similarities end. 
    As a former Paralympiian, I used to have the same thought. 
    However, having looked at this in greater detail I'm now of the opinion that it would just not be affordable or practicable.
    it would be like asking the FA to run the World Cup - it's all football -! but at different levels of competition and organisation. 
    Both the IPC and the IOC have agreed to look at this but nothing will change in the foreseeable future.
    For a combined games to succeed there would  need to be a monumental change in the way in which disabled people are treated globally - and that, I'm afraid, still some way off. 
  • Denny
    Denny Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    I agree with cpchris, but think that were there where the discrimination shows is with the media!  The able bodied Olympics are on the BBC, the Paralympics on Channel 4 and they have been advertising it all year, so it must cost them a terrific amount of money.  The BBC get the money through TV Licenses which we have to pay anyway, poor old Channel 4 has to find the  money on it's own!  The BBC should cover both!
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