Para athletes deserve more recognition and support

Para sports don’t receive the same appreciation as other sports do,

The 100-day countdown to one of the most important international sports competitions is underway. As we approach the start of the fifth edition of the Parapan American Games, to be held in Toronto Aug. 7-15, I can’t help but reflect on the role we play as a society in supporting our up-and-coming para athletes.

Practising sports has always had undeniable benefits on one’s development. Training, learning teamwork, following the leadership of coaches, captains and teammates, learning how to cope with defeat — these all provide lifelong skills for athletes and counter insecurities that someone living with a disability may face. Today, four million Canadians report living with a disability. Yet, only a staggering 3 per cent of them are involved in sports.

As someone who fights every day to change the perception of what it means to live with a disability, to challenge what is possible with the right attitude, regardless of physical ability, I can say that it is possible to live a healthy, active life and practise sports on a regular basis.

Very often, we associate para sport with athletes suffering from serious disabilities. Yet, there are different categories that allow para athletes to measure up to those with similar physical limitations. Being a para athlete myself — I was born with club feet — I naturally started swimming with able-bodied athletes. It was only when I was 13 years old that I witnessed someone with the same disability competing as a para athlete. Had I not met him, I probably never would have gone on to compete and win in the Paralympic Games.

Renowned hometown para athletes like Chantal Petitclerc, André Viger, and Philippe Gagnon are role models for those living with disabilities. They would not have reached the podium if it was not for the support received from family, friends, neighbours, the community and country.

Even so, para sports don’t receive the same appreciation as other sports do.

Sports rely on a long-established infrastructure that includes a clear pathway for participation and a system to identify top athletes and nurture and see to their growth. For para sports, this is something that we need to work on.

A successful para sport system begins with increased awareness and recruitment of participants at the grassroots level.

Being an athlete does not come cheap, even less so for a para athlete. There are higher equipment costs, and sponsorships and funding to help with training, travel and coaching are rare. Most corporate support ends up going to professional sports and able-bodied amateur athletes, where the return on investment is perceived to be higher.

As a mentor to amateur para athletes, I hope that the next generation of para athletes will benefit from my experience. Having lived it myself, I understand their preoccupations and it’s with pride and much pleasure that I support them in their psychological preparation, their career choices and everything that can have an impact on the life of a high-level para athlete.

I hope that during this summer’s Parapan Am Games, Canadians come see our para athletes compete and follow their feats in the media. They will be amazed at the disciplines they discover and impressed by the agility of para athletes. My hope is that Canadians will help promote and contribute to raising awareness and the popularity of adapted sports. One thing is certain: our para athletes won’t disappoint!

My dream is that one day a Paralympic Gold medal can hold the same meaning as an Olympic Gold medal in the public’s eyes.

Practising sports has always had undeniable benefits on one’s development.