In our age of inclusion, is holding two separate events – the Olympics and the Paralympics – outdated? Could combining them give world-class Paralympians the widespread exposure they deserve? I spoke to Ellie Robinson, Team GB Paralympic swimmer and one of the presenting team for the Paralympic Games on Channel 4.
Hi Ellie! How’s today going?
Today’s been fun – I was on Lorraine earlier! But I had an assignment due yesterday as I’m still in university.
That blows my mind. Both Games are just ordinary people doing extraordinary things. So why not put them in the same competition?
I’m all for integration, rather than segregation, but logistically it’s too challenging. The competition would need to be a month long. And can you imagine the size of the Olympic village?
But there must be an audience for it. Nearly 3m tickets were sold for the London 2012 Paralympics, and more than 11 million people watched the broadcast of the opening ceremony, making it one of the most successful ever. That’s something to be proud of.
London woke everybody else up, showing that the Paralympic Games are a very credible sporting competition. It was sports first, disability second. It showed people the level of competition, the rivalries; it became an elite sporting competition, not just the one that goes after the Olympics.
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I went to the 2012 Paralympics and the atmosphere was incredible. Although the race I saw was won by Oscar Pistorius, which leaves a strange taste.
I wasn’t in London 2012, but some of the British athletes were talking about it in Rio. They were like: “What the hell?”
What about scheduling the Paralympics before the Olympics?
I’m not so sure. Selfishly, with the Olympics before, it’s almost like a testing ground. So if anything goes wrong, it’s sorted out by the Paralympics. From an optimising-performance and logistical point of view, it’s quite nice going second.
I’m still interested in this idea of one Games. Before the Paralympics were created in 1960 – and even since – there have been disabled athletes in Olympic teams, like New Zealand archer Neroli Fairhall who competed in a wheelchair. Though, admittedly, with the dedicated games we see far more Paralympians …
I like the idea that we’re all competing for the same nation, too. I think the more categories you start putting people in, not just in sport but in life, the less progress you’re making. And some nations focus all their funding on able-bodied athletes and don’t bring any Paralympic athletes, because the Olympics does get more exposure. So it would be interesting to see if that changed if we combined it. The Commonwealth Games is a good example of what it could be, as it is combined. But it doesn’t include as many events for para-athletes.
OK, Ellie, I think you’ve answered all my questions. Best of luck with your presenting debut!
Thanks – I’m excited! Denise Lewis told me that your first Paralympics or Olympics on the commentary side is hell, because you’re watching everybody compete and you’re not. But I think I have come to the end of my athlete chapter. And there’s no pressure on me; no consequences if I don’t perform well. I don’t have to worry about how well my hip holds out. It’s the most relaxed I’ve ever been going into the Games and I’m loving it.