British Olympian calls for parity in honoring Paralympians

From Wales Online:

Olympic legend Lynn Davies has backed calls for Paralympic athletes to be recognised in the same way as their able-bodied counterparts.

His call comes after Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Britain’s most decorated Paralympian, criticised the “lack of parity” between Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the New Year honours list. While all the Olympic medal winners were given honours, 17 of the 35 medal-winning Paralympians missed out on any recognition.

There is also a significant difference in the level of honours awarded – triple gold medallist Chris Hoy was awarded a knighthood but swimmer David Roberts, from Pontypridd, was given a CBE, despite coming home from Beijing with four gold medals.

Dame Tanni, who comes from Cardiff, won 11 gold medals during her glittering career, and said in The Telegraph: “The reality – and it is surely not right – at the moment is that you have to multi-medal at the Paralympic Games to get a New Year honours list award.

“By the time 2012 comes around, we need to get this in order. There is a lack of parity, and we are playing catch-up. When I got my MBE after 1992 [three gold and one silver medal at the Paralympic Games in Barcelona] there were hardly any Paralympians who ever received honours.”

UK Athletics president Lynn Davies – who won gold at the 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo – was made a CBE in 2006 for his services to the sport, having previously been made an MBE. He said Dame Tanni was right to draw the public’s attention to the difference.

The Welsh Olympian said: “Tanni is right, I would support her 100%. In many ways the efforts of our Paralympic competitors are even greater than the able-bodied Olympians because of the barriers they have to overcome to compete.

“They are a huge inspiration to so many people, in particular disabled people who can feel held back by their conditions.”

Dame Tanni later said she was highly supportive of the honours process and there was “no right or wrong” when it comes to the current honours system.

Swansea’s Eleanor Simmonds, who won gold at 13, was one of the Welsh Paralympians to be made an MBE for her two swimming gold medals.

Rebecca Adlington, who also won two gold medals but at the Olympic games, was rewarded with an OBE in the New Year Honours list – a rank higher than the MBE.

Gold medallist Liz Johnson from Swansea, who came first in the 100m breaststroke final at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, (pictured) was overlooked completely as was cycling’s Rachel Morris.

John Morgan, executive director of Disability Sport Wales, said: “The system needs to be reviewed in the light of what seems to be a different way of thinking towards the two successes.

“We feel extremely disappointed for Liz Johnson and Rachel Morris who have not been recognised at all.”