Media and Paralympic sports

And we co-organized this debate. Without taking action, nothing will happen on its own…

As we read on the websitewww.pelnosprawniwsporcie.pl

101 athletes – 36 medals
 
Half a year after the Paralympics, the media hype caused by the achievements of the Paralympians ended. The media clearly also lost interest in sports for people with disabilities.
 
Meanwhile, despite the promises coming from the Ministry of Sport, the conditions for practicing sports by people with disabilities have not improved at all. Year after year, fewer and fewer competitions are organized for disabled athletes. Lack of funding for the most important sporting events, such as the Polish Swimming Championships. This year, there will also be no swimming competitions organized by the Polish Sports Association for the Disabled – START.
 
Systemic and training changes should accompany the successes of Paralympic sports, including swimming. Sport, structures, and the training system should develop – this is not the case. In Krakow, there is no organized and effective system for developing the potential and training of disabled youth that would give hope for further Olympic successes.
 
We tried to answer the following questions:
 
What has been done in this matter? Where to look for the causes and where for help? What can be done, and what is actually happening?
 
We’ve been searching and continue to search for effective, promising solutions. We’re considering the future and directions for the development of sports and media coverage concerning athletes with disabilities. The starting point for the discussion was the decision of the Polish Swimming Federation, which, due to the lack of funding for swimming competitions for people with disabilities, allowed them to compete in events alongside able-bodied athletes. We discussed the effects and prospects that this regulation entails.

More on the blog.