Colonial master Great Britain speaks of Paralympic medallists in the same breath as Olympic heroes:
A Sri Lankan war veteran has called for a sea change in public attitude, culture and media hypocrisy to elevate the recognition granted to Para sports as they silently soldier on to bring glory to the nation just as they had put their lives and limbs on the line fearlessly during a debilitating three decades old civil war.
“The reason Para or sports for the differently able are not popular at the moment at grass roots level is not due to inefficiency (of athletes or officials) but general attitude of the public. The overall attitude problem is to do with our culture,” said an official of the para Olympics set-up who wanted his name withheld fearing he himself could become a victim for speaking the truth.
“The (Sports) Ministry hierarchy is supportive but corporates are influenced because of public attitude. When they do not get what we expect (mileage) they know that and even we know that’s the problem. We have to change this attitude through the media,” he appealed.
“Sponsors come out of empathy giving out doles as part of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). They don’t say it though they are tagging it as CSR. There are more high profile CSR projects on their plate,” he pointed out.
Sri Lanka’s Paralympians are trying not only for gold but aiming for world records but nobody comes running after them with fat sponsorship cheques.
“They (corporate companies) don’t volunteer to sponsor. That is the reality. There is not enough value in return,” said the official acknowledging that the cost of devices, artificial limbs and competition expenses are spiralling. Cost of training is even more according to the disability.”
But the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Sri Lanka is prudent when it comes to spending not only because it’s linked to their financial capacity. Their total contingent for Tokyo comprises 17.
“We have selected those (officials) support staff who can stay in the Paralympic Village. In the Olympics, the president and secretary are accommodated at hotels outside the village. Whether we have money or not, we stay inside the village to support the athletes. We do have a problem with capable (technical) officials. Whoever can contribute maximum only are selected. We don’t go on joy rides,” he reiterated.
PARALYMPIC HISTORY
Sport for athletes with an impairment has existed for more than 100 years and the first sports clubs for the deaf were already in existence in 1888 in Berlin.
It was not until after World War II however, that it was widely introduced. The purpose of it at that time was to assist the large number of war veterans and civilians who had been injured during wartime.
In 1944, at the request of the British Government, Dr. Ludwig Guttmann opened a spinal injuries centre at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Great Britain and in time rehabilitation sport evolved to recreational sport and then to competitive sport.
On July 29, 1948, the day of the Opening Ceremony of the London 1948 Olympic Games, Dr. Guttmann organised the first competition for wheelchair athletes which he named the Stoke Mandeville Games, a milestone in Paralympic history. They involved 16 injured servicemen and women who took part in archery.
In 1952, Dutch ex-servicemen joined the Movement and the International Stoke Mandeville Games were founded.
FIRST PARALYMPIC GAMES
The Stoke Mandeville Games later became the Paralympic Games which first took place in Rome, Italy, in 1960 featuring 400 athletes from 23 countries. Since then they have taken place every four years.
Finally, on 22 September 1989, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was founded as an international non-profit organisation in Dusseldorf, Germany, to act as the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement.
The word “Paralympic” derives from the Greek preposition “para” (beside or alongside) and the word “Olympic”.
Its meaning is that Paralympics are the parallel Games to the Olympics and illustrates how the two movements exist side-by-side.
London 2012 did more to propagate than any other Games in Paralympic history.
“There was a bigger audience for the Paralympics. London did a good show. There were many spectators for the Para Games with thousands watching on large screens outside. Japan wanted to put on a big show but because of the Covid had to scale it down,” he said.
Asked why the same importance is not given to Paralympic medals vis-à-vis Olympics, he said: “Once again it depends on attitudes. If the same value is given to Olympic medals, just as we speak about Duncan White and Susanthika Jayasinghe, they will speak about Pradeep Sanjaya and Dinesh Herath who won bronze medals in 2012 and 2016 (respectively). It does not happen in Sri Lanka. But in England they talk about their Paralympic medallists in the same breath as Olympians,” he said.
It all boils down to public attitude. “In Dubai Para sports has become a world hub not just because of government patronage. In Sri Lanka any government which comes cannot change our culture easily unless the media lead an effective campaign,” he said.
However, Para athletes get at least some recognition largely because they are respected as war heroes.
“Otherwise even that won’t be there. That gratitude is there. Otherwise, we have to beg (for sponsors) and they give us CSR support. Unless public attitudes change, corporates cannot be influenced. We have to accept that fact. Mileage is important. Fair enough. Sponsors are reluctant. In a country like this we have to accept it. If we have developed Para sports to this level of public interest, it is because people assume 100% they are war heroes,” he said.
“It is not new in our culture for officials and athletes. Nothing to be disappointed about. It’s the reality. That itself is a motivation to push them forward. Our motto is ‘comparatively the attention is less for us, you show by winning medals’,” he said.
“That is self motivation. We have achieved it gradually. The war ended before 2012 but we did not achieve it because we had limited resources and a limited number of people involved in Para sports. On top of that we have understood there is a self motivated group (volunteers) doing it,” he said.
“The pandemic has affected Para sports as well. The Tokyo Paralympics could be the turning point, an eye opener for all when they return home with medals that are worth their weight in gold.”