Disabled sports
Wednesday 28 October 2009
A disability never stopped anybody in the sporting world.
Disabled people
There are over eight million disabled people in Britain today. A disabled person is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that affects their day-to-day life.
If you're disabled you're protected by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which makes it easier for you to get an education, go to work and receive many other rights that able-bodied people get. Find out more here.
You can also take part in many different sports, both for fun and for competition.
Adapted games
Many of today’s sports like tennis, track and field games, swimming events and cricket have been adapted for disabled sports.
For example, in standard tennis, a player can only let the ball bounce once before they hit it. In wheelchair tennis however, the ball can bounce twice.
However, just because some rules have been adapted, doesn’t mean disabled sports aren’t as challenging as the able-bodied versions. Wheelchair basketball players for instance, mostly follow the same rules as able-bodied basketball players, plus they're not allowed to push on the wheels of their chair more than twice before dribbling.
There are also some sports specifically made for disabled players. Boccia is a game that involves throwing or kicking a ball into a court or field. The player who gets their ball closest to the white 'Jack' ball wins! Players can take part individually, as a team or in pairs. Check out the rules here.
Equipment
Other sports have been adapted so that disabled aids can be used. A footie player is allowed to use a crutch, and a track sports person can use a wheelchair.
Equipment like skis, hockey sledges, handbikes and water skis have also been adapted.
The Paralympics
The Paralympic Games is a sporting event that caters specifically for athletes with physical and mental disabilities. It takes place every four years and begins just after the Olympic Games come to an end.
The Paralympics is governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Their motto is, “To enable Paralympic Athletes to Achieve Sporting Excellence and Inspire and Excite the World.”
Around 4,000 disabled athletes take part in the Paralympics. At last year’s games in Beijing, 206 members of Team GB took part in 18 of the events including tennis, archery, cycling, football, judo, basketball and swimming.
The games were a massive success. Team GB came in 2nd place with a total of 42 gold medals. Say hello to some of last year’s athletes.
Become a Paralympian
Think you could take part in the 2012 Paralympics? Paralympic Potential Days (PPDs) are talent days aimed at finding the next big Paralympian to compete in the games.
It’ll be quite tough, so be prepared – you’ll have to train long and hard so that you’re fit enough to compete by the time the Paralympics come round. Visit this page for more info. You’ve got to be at least 13 years old to apply (11 years old if you want to compete in a swimming event). Good luck!
