The Public Campaign of the Paralympics

China has a history of public campaigns: good and bad, successful and not. But the ending of the 2008 Paralympics must be seen as one of China's most successful campaigns to date, namely, that of raising understanding and respect not only for itself internationally, but also for the disabled within its borders.

(Fans fill the Bird's Nest stadium for Paralympics Athletics)

As has been noted by press, China's commitment to treat the Paralympics and Olympics equally was achieved in various ways: by the lavish and moving opening and closing ceremonies, by the keeping in place of anti-pollution measures such as car bans and factory closings, by the hundreds of volunteers and people actively involved in the athletes' stay in Beijing, and, unlike in many Western countries, by its tireless reporting of the Paralympics in various news media.

Like many places around the world, those with disabilities in China were most often hidden or set aside and were not given useful roles or respect in society. At the beginning of the Games, a story was reported in the China Daily about a wheelchair-bound person shopping in a store and a shop clerk heard to say, "Poor man. No one is at home to help take care of him. He has to shop for himself." This attitude is now beginning to change.

The Paralympic events that I attended had the same security, professionalism, fans and venues as the Olympics. But there was a BIG difference in accessability, and I'm talking about the personal kind. Unlike the prima donna athletes of the Olympics who were hidden away until event time or news conference, Paralympians could be seen wheeling around or roaming halls in the various sports venues. Fans approached them. At the Bird's Nest one evening, crowds swarmed one Japanese Paralympian racer to ask for autographs. (see photo) Fans included both able-bodied AND disabled, more so than at the Olympics. The decision to sell Paralympics tickets at a lower rate than the Olympic tickets ensured crowds, and let me tell you the cheering and excitement was still high! Fans at the Bird's Nest exhorted blind triple jump atheletes and those racing in the T-54 200 meter race and more. At the wheelchair rugby games, locals filled seats and were more informed of the rules regarding the game than we Americans were! At the rugby venue, we also met a Belgian son-mother duo from Norway who had planned their trip to the Paralympics solely based on the son's love of the sport derived from watching the 2004 documentary Murderball, a movie chronicling the extreme competition between the US and Canadian teams. In fact, this man recognized the U.S. Quad Rugby team's statistician during a break; the statistician stated it was the first time he'd ever been approached by a fan! (New Zealand vs. China quad rugby)

Chinese newspapers were filled with photos and articles about the winners (China again topped the charts with 89 gold medals, 211 total medals) and the sports. Television always had Paralympic events on. In the days leading up to the Paralympics, the campaign to inform and teach the public was at its most intense. The hour prior to the opening ceremony on TV was devoted to introducing the history of the Paralympics and sports to the public. I'm in Sweden right now (more on that later!) and here in Stockholm I've witnessed an interview with young US quad rugby player Joel Wilmoth (18 years old) on national television. Sadly, I missed the closing ceremony, but Swedish friends say that Paralympic coverage and interest has been high, despite the low medal count of Sweden (a total of 12 medals: 5 gold-4 silver-3 bronze). The news from home is less heartening. Tell me it isn't true! Minimal coverage of Paralympics in US news print or television? A lawsuit by Paralympians suing the U.S. Olympic Committee over unfair support between Olympians and Paralympians? (See http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/sports/othersports/06paralympics.html for complete story).

About two years in Beijing we met with two professors from the US working with Chinese deaf NGOs. Together they had invested and made a series of public service announcement tapes for television. In each clip, a disabled person was featured doing something, and then saying, "The only thing I cannot do is hear/walk/see," etc. The clips were beautifully moving, but unfortunately, at that time the government was not interested in them. I think times have changed. The only thing the Chinese government cannot do now for its disabled, is nothing.