by Verica Peacock
‘By restoring activity of mind and body – by instilling self-respect, self-discipline, a competitive spirit and comradeship – sport develops mental attitudes that are essential for social reintegration.'
Ludwig Guttmann
Not that many years ago, if you were born with a severe disability, were disabled due to accident or illness, were blind, an amputee or confined to a wheelchair, any sporting ambition would have only been possible in your dreams. But thankfully, that's not the case today. For where there's a will there's usually a way for everyone to take part in the sport of their choice – and right up to the highest level possible. To ‘Paralympic' standards.
Every four years an elite team of able-bodied sportsmen and women takes part in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Everyone knows that. What they might not know is that, as the games close and the athletes depart, another Olympics is about to begin. Using the same facilities, disabled athletes from around the world gather to compete in the ‘Paralympic Games'. These are so-called not, as some people mistakenly think because it's of an abbreviation for Paraplegic Olympics, but because it's an abbreviation for ‘Parallel Olympics'.
War veterans
The Paralympic Games were formed when a visionary neurologist, Sir Ludwig Guttmann , organized a sports competition in 1948, which became known as the Stoke Mandeville Games. And these ‘games' were initially established to involve World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. Based on this Ludwig's ‘model', the first Olympic-style games for athletes with a disability were held in Rome in 1960. They were officially called the ‘9th Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games,' and are considered to be the first Paralympic Games. Sixteen years later the first Winter Paralympics were held in Örmsköldsvik, Sweden in 1976. Currently, the Winter Games are held two years after each of the Summer Games. To help equip and send athletes to the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games the British Paralympic Association (BPA), was established in 1987
In my role as Publicity Officer for the National Handicapped Skiers' Association (NHSA) – who used to manage the British team – I have attended most of the Winter Paralympics since 1992. In Tignes/Albertville (France), I also had the opportunity of working for the French organisers, translating weather forecasts for the teams, whilst my husband was Manager of the British Paralympic Alpine Ski Team. On other occasions I had the privilege of attending Lillehammer (Norway) in 1994 and Salt Lake City (Utah) in 2002 as well as many other international events.
No one who has seen a blind person ski to victory, having been talked down by his guide, or witnessed a double amputee competitively skiing in a sit-ski with outriggers (miniature skis on short poles), can help but marvel at the faith and courage these brave athletes exhibit. Many a prayer has been uttered at the starting gate!
‘Men marvel at mountains, at the mighty waves of the sea and the eternal circuits of the stars, but we do not marvel at ourselves – ourselves we pass by,' according to St Augustine. But nobody could fail to marvel at the courage of Graham Nugent, who looked every inch a star on snow at every Winter Paralympics in which he took part. Born with spina bifida, hydrocephalus and one leg shorter than the other, his mother was told by doctors at Great Ormond Street that Graham would never walk! He was typical of our athletes, whether ambulant or in wheelchairs, with or without limbs, full of courage, attempting the almost impossible and miraculously achieving it. The psychological difference made to the lives of Graham and many others who have achieved so much has to be seen to be believed.
A home from home
At every Paralympic Games there is a Paralympic Village, where the athletes, coaches, doctors and staff live during the Games. There is a strict ratio of accredited support staff, based on the number of athletes competing for each country. There is also a huge restaurant where excellent international cuisine, often with the host country's specialities, is served throughout 24 hours. The host country recruits thousands of volunteers to deal with everything from cooking and security to administration and personnel. Volunteer teams also drive the athletes to and from venues. Within the secure confines of the village, everything is provided for the teams from shops and service centres to hairdressers.
A Religious Centre is also part of the Paralympic Village. This is a multi-denominational retreat for the use of athletes and staff, often with a chaplain, who is accredited by the organisers to support visitors to the Centre, which is open both day and night. The London 2012 Paralympic Games will have multi-faith centres in the Paralympic Village, with a team of staff appointed by the five faiths represented: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.
The number of athletes, countries and categories both for Summer and Winter Paralympic Games has steadily increased. In Rome, in 1960, at the first Summer Games, there were just 400 athletes from 23 countries, taking part in eight sporting categories and five other events. These included the Pentathlon (Archery, Swimming, Javelin, Shot put and Club throwing). Italy won the most medals (57), but Great Britain weren't far behind. In Sydney in 2000 we won 131 medals.
The 2004 Games in Athens saw a huge increase in participants – 3,806 athletes from 136 countries taking part. Great Britain won a total of 94 medals, including 35 Gold. Unfound fears
Although there are always daily live televised programmes during the Olympics, previously the Paralympics usually only got two hours' exposure two weeks after the event. But times are changing, with much more coverage planned for Beijing.
As long as I live I'll remember the wonderful friendliness and comradeship which reigns everywhere at the Paralympic Games, despite healthy competition. Taking part makes disabled athletes feel on a par with the able-bodied and benefits them psychologically almost more than physically. The Paralympics symbolise all that is best in human nature and live up to the vision of empowerment, achievement and inspiration.
British Paralympic Association: www.paralympics.org.uk
British Disabled Ski Team: www.britishdisabledskiteam.co.uk
Dates of Paralympics for 2008
Planning and staging the 2008 Paralympic Games, which will be held from September 6 to 17, 2008, will be a major priority of Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games (BOCOG).
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