Really guys? Nice comment regarding the Coe article-real classy. I like to think that I have a decent sense of humor, and perhaps I'm a biased negative nancy because I know a few paraplegics- but your comment bothers me. Rant done.
Really guys? Nice comment regarding the Coe article-real classy. I like to think that I have a decent sense of humor, and perhaps I'm a biased negative nancy because I know a few paraplegics- but your comment bothers me. Rant done.
Don't turn this into a PC rant. It's just the way it is, the supreme majority of people who have volunteered want to do the Olympic Games and not the Paralympics. Don't let yourself be offended by everything.
I ignored that comment when I read it this morning. My gym is a USOC training center for able bodied and parathletes. I work out with several paralympic gold medalist. Would they rather be able bodied? Yep. Do they train hard? Yep. Are they fun to be around? Yep.
are many of them faster than you'll ever be? more than likely
Bottom line:
1) The paralympics are a great idea. If I was in a condition that entitled entry to such an event, I'd want to be there. I love that people can try and excel whatever their circumstances.
2) That said, the profile that is given to it is pure PC. A paralympic gold is worth little more than winning the local turkey trot in terms of accomplishment. You are talking about the best in a very, very small pool. That's not being negative about such people, it is just a statement of fact.
I'd love to work in the Olympics. Paralympics? I'd rather help marshall a local road race.
Get over it. Not everything has to be sugar coated.
If I were in England, I would volunteer to work the Paralympics, not the Olympics. As you know, I am not the most "PC" guy in the world, but I can tell you for a fact that one of the people who affected my life for the better was a significantly handicapped individual.
The truth is, a volunteer with the paralympics has a much greater chance of actual interaction with athletes. For the olympics, there will be more than enough professionals and delegation members around, so that the volunteers will largely be occupied with crowd management etc.
What puts me off volunteering is that the whole scheme is run by McDonalds - and I hate almost every aspect of the message this sends to kids.
OP, you just don't get it.
Only someone really slow on the uptake would take the Letsrun remark as offensive to those living with disabilities.
The obvious point is that most of the potential volunteer pool would rather not volunteer at the Paralympics, given the choice. If anything, it's the behavior of those volunteers that is offensive to those with disabilites.
The London decision to force would-be Bolt-seers to volunteer for the side of the games with all of the same underlying spirit but none of the mega-prestige is a good one. People working as volunteers should be PRECISELY those who care as much about a Para athlete as an able-bodied star.
By the way, I've volunteered with people have have disabilities my entire adult life, so don't even start with me.