Access Magazine Issue 9 September 2013 edition, published 20th August 2013
This month, Brad Francis laments what he sees as a missed opportunity…
It’s now a year since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Combined with the Silver Jubilee celebrations, those weeks were a watershed so far as British sport and our national confidence were concerned. More importantly, however, this ‘feel-good-factor’ was extended to people with disabilities. We all watched in awe as the ‘superhumans’ took centrestage and disabled sports men and women became national heroes. The Games exceeded expectations for sure, with able-bodied people wanting to ‘highfive’ people in wheelchairs up and down the land. Brilliant – not only were we visible in public life, but we were also observed and even admired. The usual overwhelming looks of pity were replaced by beaming, cheesy smiles.
One year on
But 12 months later, in July 2013, it’s a very different story. Disabled people are being perceived as a burden on the state and portrayed as scroungers and benefit cheats. There have been reports of disabled people being shouted at and abused, even spat at in their local high street. Current government policy surrounding hot topics like the much maligned ‘bedroom tax’ have turned people with disabilities into capegoats. A cardboard box containing some 1852 personal letters written by disabled people, friends and family members was recently delivered to Downing Street by way of protest to highlight the truly devastating effects that the bedroom tax will have on where disabled people live.
Isn’t it somewhat ironic that disabled people now find themselves under severe distress and even subject to attack not only from Westminster, but also caught up in a raging Welfare-related war involving members of the public? What about the working disabled person who contributes to society and is not the recipient of benefits? Is this person to be tarnished with the same brush as a benefit vagabond, just because he or she is disabled? Speaking to The Mirror earlier this month, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson commented, “There is suddenly a massive mismatch between how Paralympians and everyone else with disabilities are viewed. The irony is that of course there are Paralympians who are losing benefits under welfare reforms.”
There are lots of disabled people paying taxes, planning careers and looking for jobs and other opportunities. But rather annoyingly, we are seen to be welfare scroungers hell-bent on cheating the system. In reality, we need help to live and work with our disability. There are real costs involved, and someone has to meet that cost.
Proper representation?
I was dumbfounded to learn whilst researching this piece that the men in grey suits at the British Paralympic Association (BPA) have recently admitted that only one of their directors is actually disabled! In an astonishing admission, the nine-man executive board – who are responsible for promoting the Paralympic movement in our country, as well as preparing and managing our disabled sporting heroes
– came clean after the appointment of three non-executive directors.
It just goes to show that all this talk of ‘legacy’ is just a load of lip service-paying gobbledegook! How is the London 2012 legacy being
reflected in their own internal structure? In effect, the BPA are saying that they do not consider disabled people to possess the right
skill set, professionalism and background to really build upon the success of 12 months ago, when it was disabled athletes that made the games what they were.
The power of the Paralympic games was there for everyone to witness and enjoy. But just one year on,many disabled people are feeling just as victimised and vulnerable as ever.
