Let Olympians come together
I CAN’T be the only one wondering why the world’s best athletes compete in two separate Olympic entities, the Olympics and the follow-on Paralympics. The former is for those whose bodies are considered physically/medically 100 per cent and the latter for those whose bodies are considered less than 100 per cent ... and yet they are all serious, talented, dedicated athletes.
I am not suggesting that an athlete with one leg should compete against an athlete with two, but why in this day and age of inclusion, integration, acceptance, and appreciation of difference can’t we have one Olympics which showcases the abilities of all athletes in one occasion? Why shouldn’t Clare Balding take us from an interview with Chris Mears gold medal winner) to one with Paul Blake (gold medal winner who has cerebral palsy) as part of the one Olympic event? We already have understandable and acceptable segregation which recognises physical difference within the Olympics – for example, weight divisions in boxing/ weight lifting, and of course the most obvious one being that women and men don’t compete against each other. Bt they all still take part in the same sporting occasion as serious athletes.
In the efforts to include “disabled athletes”, the International Olympic Committee is surely actively segregating wonderfully dedicated athletes on the basis of disability rather than ability by holding another, separate Games for the other athletes.
Why can’t all athletes at the top of their sport compete at the same Olympic Games within their own categories of competition? Graham Haddow, 23 Church Road, Liff, Dundee.