Disabled people can still be better represented at Olympics, says Rutland Youth Group
The Winter Paralympics start on Friday 4th March
Last updated 28th Feb 2022
It's the Winter Paralympics this Friday (4th March), but members of Rutland's Disabled Youth Forum think there's opportunity for greater representation of disability.
It's after Channel 4 announced that their full presenting team for the Winter Paralympics will be disabled in some way or other.
Where it's undoubtedly a step in the right direction for more inclusive on-screen representation, the RDYF says representation of disabled people shouldn't just stop at disabled sports.
One member, Ellie, said: "People with disabilities, it feels odd for them to be in a different channel to the normal Olympics. It's just a bit weird and a bit unfair for people with special needs."
Alex, from the RDYF said: "You might want to mix it up, so maybe a disabled person doing the main one and then an able-bodied person doing the disabled one, showing connection."
Joint awards and ceremonies
RDYF's Alex added that there's no reason why some elements of the two events couldn't be brought together, like the opening and closing ceremonies, or the awards.
"You can't put the Olympics together. You can't have the Paralympics with the Olympics because it's too difficult.
"But if you were to do the awards on one day you can fuse them both together and then people in a wheelchair or missing a leg won't feel left out or discriminated because they're part of the main event."
"I understand the different shows because, of course, it's different skillsets. But the awards, they can easily just be put together."