Because Paralympians all have VERY different needs.

My experience (wife is disabled but doesn't look it) is that people have VERY little understanding of disability needs and dump everyone in the same bracket.

The paralympic events are differentiated by physical requirements also. So is that segregation too?
No, that is making 'reasonable changes' to meet individuals needs.

Sorry, but I get miffed when people start 'labelling' disabled people and treat them all the same.

They're not.

Now that would breach Equality issues!

What next? Give every one a 10 yard start on Usain Bolt?
Only kidding of course - and tomorrow's Friday.

Taking on roshqse comment of the different classes, this I accept and to Ron no to a 10 yard start, what I am getting at, we have the DDA and the Equality Act but if the disabled in any form are to participate in sport why weren't they integrated into one games with the PO's having their own classes except where there can be parity in the likes of archery, rifle shooting and the like?

Badger

They have looked at this but the size of facilities for the Olympic Village makes it prohibitive as well as the number of events would make logistics and planning very difficult to run, let alone to have TV coverage. You may have noticed how many additional channels the BBC provided for the Olympics (if you were lucky enough to have sky or a decent Internet connection which I didn't - boo) they would need almost as many again which would make it difficult. I also believe that this is the first games where there have not had to be significant alterations to the athletes village and other facilities to accommodate the paralympions. I also believe they want their own event to promote awareness, ability of those with disabilities which is vital in countries which are not so aware as the UK, Europe etc. I think it is great that there are specific games for those with disabilities so they are not overshadowed by non disabled athletes and can get their rightful recognition for fantastic performances and show casing specific sports for disabled such as Boccia.

The organising committe have however shot themselves in the foot, wheelchair users cannot have more than one seat in the wheelchair area ie their own. They have to see if there is space on the day if they can be allowed an additional space. No families allowed here then

Heres the link about the online petition

http://www.change.org/paralympictickets

Now who says cariing organisations cannot possibly discriminate - The bigger they are the more proud they are and the less they actually care about those they are intended to care for. You are welcome to circulate this link before the mods shoot me down

Bob

I have MS and experience disability. Think about it another way...If the two were combined so as not be openly discriminatory, do you think the Paralympians would get some or any attention? No, me neither. Logisitics is the obvious thing but having separate events gives each the chance to stand alone and attract the worlds attention. That is a good thing. And I'm with the poster who gets miffed when able bodied people display their ignorance or contempt for disabled people. I am not, I should add, referring to the OP who only seems to be canvassing opinion on whether both Olympic events should be held together.

Because the natives were getting restless???

Should perhaps make it clear that LOCOG have stated that even carers can be excluded if they, the organising committee or its officers decree there is no room on any one day. Thus even this concession is cancellable without warning and the original RA of a wheelchair enclosure full of users without carers will be present.

This is the INCLUSIVE games but only for the elite.

Bob

Barrie, you're just looking for politically correct issues that aren't there.

Quote=Clairel]Barrie, you're just looking for politically correct issues that aren't there.

But that is a very different debate from the one about whether the paralympics should be held at the same time as the main olympics. Obviously the whole premium rate line for booking tickets is very wrong.

Barrie, but you can't put the logistics aside. That's the reason they can't be held at the same time. I don't think they're not held at the same time for discrimination reasons and that's why I said I think you're looking for discrimnation where it isn't.

Now if your question was related to - why are the paralympics being shown on C4 instead of BBC1 etc etc then I'd have to agree that there is some discrimination on there. If the BBC generated interest in the same way as for the main olympics then there would be equal interest IMO.

Having said that the paralympics is getting more publicity than it ever used to and that is progress. Women's sports are equally not as well funded or publicised as the men's (for many sports - which is why Wiggins is calling for better funding of womens cycling). Frustrating for me as a woman but I have to accept that there has been progress and hope that progress continues until there is equality. Little steps.

It's also the outmoded nomenclature used by the IOC (which also used GBI back in the 1950's). Wouldn't we rather belong to a Nation, as opposed to an ISO Standard Code?
What's wrong with "Team UK"?

No you're right. The parolympics is actually nothing to do wiht the olympics and hence no 5 rings.

A huge amount of work has had to go into adapting the facilities for wheelchair uses etc. Rather than condeming it I'd be applauding the progress made.

I am fully in agreement with separating the Olympics and the Paralympics. They are two linked but totally different events.

The Olympics celebrates excellence in sporting achievement - we see the creme de la creme of athletes lining up to take their gongs. People who were born with talent and who have worked hard to become the best at what they do - some wonderful achievements and many many good reasons to be proud as a nation.

The Paralympics also celebrates excellence in sporting achievement and again, we see the creme de la creme of athletes lining up to take their gongs, but with the paralympic games, many of these athletes were able bodied and have had to learn to adapt to a different sort of life and then become a world champion, many were born disabled and have had to strive just to lead normal lives and then become world class sportsmen and women.

These achievements are overwhelming and I applaud them. To be world class at something because you started with talent and worked hard is excellent but to be world class at something when your world has been shattered - that's awe inspiring!

So, no, keep the paralympics separate, celebrate these most inspirational people in their own games and do not let their achievements be overshadowed by the able bodied athletes.

The TV contracts are awarded and the BBC has the monopoly on the Olympics but LOCOG awarded the paralympics to C4. C4 are excellent broadcasters, they have shipped in several BBC faces such as Jonathan Edwards, Claire Balding and the like and I am sure that they will provide excellent coverage.

Not really a H&S blog, more about diversity and the celebration of differences, but there you go.

And where did it get him? Yet the same athelete is quibbling over blade lengths of another P.O.

Badger

Should we really applaud an organisation that clearly fails to recognise that wheelchair users need carers and only a public campaign won a begrudging victory. This is not a dig at the Paralympics but at the ORGANISERS.

When being designed the organisers and designers well knew the facilities would also be used for the paralympics and thus have a potentially high demand for disabled facilities. I have no idea ofthe welfare arrangements for disabled spectators but it would seem the basic arrangements for a wheelchair viewing area are fairly clear even to the mere trained monkey let alone the so called highly competent persons in charge.

Victory can only be claimed when the following happens in society

1. Blue badge bays are not used by persons not holding a badge.
2. Disabled Unisex Toilets are not used a Baby Changing facilities also - Breach of Part M
3. Disabled Parking bays are properly designed and constructed to Part M minimum and not to fit in with client space planning
4. Doors follow the minimum width set out in Part M
5. Entrance porches are made large enough for wheelchair users

This is the minimum list and let us not forget that all of the above are covered under HASAWA section 3 wrt of visitors to premises and the Workplace Regs for employees.

Sorry for the rant but we all to often forget the very real Health, Safety and Welfare issues involved in all of this. It is one of the reasons why IOSH has been looking carefully at ALL diversity issues and as Practitioners we do need to take on board such matters instead of treating them as purely HR.

Clairel

It is not the achievements of the atheletes - This is a case for rapturous applause.

The problems I have identified recently with disabled facilities are all a failing to meet the basic, ie the minimum standards, set out in such as Part M of the building regs. Designers are aided and abetted by the Building Control system which has NO powers granted to enforce even the minimum standards. I do not see progress as even today I have been subjected to disabled facilities in a brand new fast food outlet where even the toilet is set at child height. Same things happened since 1996 when the first requirements were set out.

By the way disabled people have real fears that we will now be able to perform at the same high standards as those of the outstanding atheletes. So can any of our male readers manage a sub 10sec 100m - they should if we treat them as we treat the disabled.

I am asking that society merely changes the outright discrimination and maybe then we can believe things are getting better. The practitioner is ideally placed to bring this message into the workplace.

Bob