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Lack of coverage of the paralympics
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t.w.
Women's football gets almost no coverage whatsoever. Probably even less than the paralympics. Terrible example.
Okay then. Women's tennis. Is it as great as the 'jackpot' justifies? Andy Murray doesn't think so. To be honest they could just merge the sexes for singles, not like it's contact or anything.
jeh_jeh
I'd say that they're more devalued by the fact that no one really cares
Nor should we care.
It is just more marketing.
I agree that there isn't enough coverage of the Paralympics, and that the running of it seems to be exceptionally poor (fine example is of the official running on to the track right in front of the race leaders who were about to cross the finish line).
I think that it is great that these people have not let their disabilities stop them from doing what they want to do, and their efforts should at least be appreciated in the form of watching them.
However, after watching some of the paralympics, especially the interviews with the athletes, I do have a question. How does the standard of the Paralympics athletes compare to that of those in the Olympics?
Take a sport such as target shooting. Being wheelchair bound doesn't have a HUGE effect on your performance there, but an interview with one of the GBR team members (I *refuse* to say "Team GB") shocked me. He was taking part in one of the target shooting events, and in his post-performance interview, he mentioned that he still "needed to get the hang of things". He said that he is fine once he fired off the first few bullets, but just needs to get used to breathing properly.
I'm sorry, but that response sounds like it is coming from a complete amateur. Someone who has only been shooting for a matter of weeks. Is that all it takes to get into the Paralympics? This is a genuine question, not an attempt at putting down the Paralympics what so ever. I was always under the impression that these people dedicated their lives to becomming the best in their sport, but this interview made me think that perhaps some of them have only practiced a few times, and still managed to qualify.
Can someone please clarify this for me? I will happily take time to watch and support those who have put blood, sweat, dedication into their sport, and who see the Paralympics as one of the most important events of their lives. I refuse to watch someone who has just "given it a lash", practiced for a month and managed to qualify due to extreme low standards of competition, and who couldn't really give a toss whether they win or lose.
Once again I must reiterate that I am not slating the Paralympics what-so-ever. I just need some clarification here.
I think that it is great that these people have not let their disabilities stop them from doing what they want to do, and their efforts should at least be appreciated in the form of watching them.
However, after watching some of the paralympics, especially the interviews with the athletes, I do have a question. How does the standard of the Paralympics athletes compare to that of those in the Olympics?
Take a sport such as target shooting. Being wheelchair bound doesn't have a HUGE effect on your performance there, but an interview with one of the GBR team members (I *refuse* to say "Team GB") shocked me. He was taking part in one of the target shooting events, and in his post-performance interview, he mentioned that he still "needed to get the hang of things". He said that he is fine once he fired off the first few bullets, but just needs to get used to breathing properly.
I'm sorry, but that response sounds like it is coming from a complete amateur. Someone who has only been shooting for a matter of weeks. Is that all it takes to get into the Paralympics? This is a genuine question, not an attempt at putting down the Paralympics what so ever. I was always under the impression that these people dedicated their lives to becomming the best in their sport, but this interview made me think that perhaps some of them have only practiced a few times, and still managed to qualify.
Can someone please clarify this for me? I will happily take time to watch and support those who have put blood, sweat, dedication into their sport, and who see the Paralympics as one of the most important events of their lives. I refuse to watch someone who has just "given it a lash", practiced for a month and managed to qualify due to extreme low standards of competition, and who couldn't really give a toss whether they win or lose.
Once again I must reiterate that I am not slating the Paralympics what-so-ever. I just need some clarification here.
In reality, the main reason that people think there should be any coverage of it whatsoever on national television is because the name and venue automatically associate the games with the Olympics.
If the same event was called the International Disabled Sports Championships, and not held in Beijing, very few people would even know of it, and nobody but the extreme zealots would expect it to be held in as high regard as the Olympic games.
If the same event was called the International Disabled Sports Championships, and not held in Beijing, very few people would even know of it, and nobody but the extreme zealots would expect it to be held in as high regard as the Olympic games.
you're right. they work harder and get much less media attention.
jdgirl
I've tried a search on this and couldn't really find anything....
Does anyone here think it's pretty unfair that the paralympics get virtually no coverage? I just saw the news and we're doing really well, 2nd in the medal table and all that it got was a 3 minute slot just before the regional news. And that was only on because there's been a crash in one of the races...
The olympics were headline news practically every day and these athletes work just as hard as the olympic athletes, probably harder
Anyone agree?
Does anyone here think it's pretty unfair that the paralympics get virtually no coverage? I just saw the news and we're doing really well, 2nd in the medal table and all that it got was a 3 minute slot just before the regional news. And that was only on because there's been a crash in one of the races...
The olympics were headline news practically every day and these athletes work just as hard as the olympic athletes, probably harder
Anyone agree?
No.
To be blunt, they do put in a lot of effort (yes, as much as olympic atheletes), but they are not the best at what they do (except things that require a disability like wheelchair racing). For example, one legged high jumpers will never reach as high as a fully functional person.
It is the same reason that junior racing or womens football is not on TV every night, people want to see the best. I would say it is almost patronising to say that they should get the same coverage, they aren't as good. Not to mention, it is easier to get to a paralymics than an Olympics (as they have less competitiors for places (I'm not saying it's easy, it's a phenominal acheivement), and technology has a larger influence (with running blades etc).
While is a nice idea that people are rewarded for effort rather than achievement, in practise it will not work.
NDGAARONDI
Okay then. Women's tennis. Is it as great as the 'jackpot' justifies? Andy Murray doesn't think so. To be honest they could just merge the sexes for singles, not like it's contact or anything.
It is a bit strange, if we have competions for women and for men, merging the sexes=no women will ever win wimbledon. The serve speed is so much faster in the mes game. If they were playing the same number of sets, I could understand it a little, but they don't.
Adampolar
Haha so are you suggesting olympics fans should be forced to watch it?
A ticket system, maybe. If you want to watch the Olympic 100m, you have to endure at least two Paralympic races first.
2 5 +
If you want to watch the Olympic 100m, you have to endure at least two Paralympic races first.
And two Bible Studies and a week of vegetarianism.
The simple fact is that unlike in the Olympics, in the Paralympics we do not get to see the world's finest athletes pushing the human body to the limit of its capabilities. Certainly paralympians are extremely dedicated and push themselves as far as they can, but the reason they are paralympians and not olympians is that they have bodies which are in some way compromised by problems, and thus they cannot acheive as much.
As hard as Paralympians work - and I respect them just as much as any athlete who gives everything to their sport, because as someone who takes sport seriously I know how tough their training must be - they don't acheive the feats that Olympians do. The vast majority of people could not become Olympians with any amount of work because they don't have the physical potential - Paralympians also can't and they are fortunate to have an event for themselves, but should not expect the same sort of coverage as the able-bodied Olympics.
As hard as Paralympians work - and I respect them just as much as any athlete who gives everything to their sport, because as someone who takes sport seriously I know how tough their training must be - they don't acheive the feats that Olympians do. The vast majority of people could not become Olympians with any amount of work because they don't have the physical potential - Paralympians also can't and they are fortunate to have an event for themselves, but should not expect the same sort of coverage as the able-bodied Olympics.
jdgirl
I've tried a search on this and couldn't really find anything....
Does anyone here think it's pretty unfair that the paralympics get virtually no coverage? I just saw the news and we're doing really well, 2nd in the medal table and all that it got was a 3 minute slot just before the regional news. And that was only on because there's been a crash in one of the races...
The olympics were headline news practically every day and these athletes work just as hard as the olympic athletes, probably harder
Anyone agree?
Does anyone here think it's pretty unfair that the paralympics get virtually no coverage? I just saw the news and we're doing really well, 2nd in the medal table and all that it got was a 3 minute slot just before the regional news. And that was only on because there's been a crash in one of the races...
The olympics were headline news practically every day and these athletes work just as hard as the olympic athletes, probably harder
Anyone agree?
Just Press the Red Button.
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