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From
The Telegraph in the UK:
The legacy from the Paralympic Games should be one of "education and awareness" according to Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson (pictured), the nation's most decorated Paralympic athlete.
However, leading academic researchers, and influential figures within the disability sport movement, remain highly critical of the lack of a concrete policy for clear social change.
Telegraph Sport can reveal that research commissioned by London 2012 found that, on average, 69 per cent of those surveyed could not name a Paralympian, whereas 94 per cent of the UK public have heard of the Paralympic Games. Britain have finished second in the medals table at the past two Games, and in the top four at the past five Games.
However, the 2012 research also indicates that 69 per cent of the public would like to see more media coverage of Paralympic events.
Grey-Thompson believes the public's lack of understanding may be holding back not just the sport, but the disability aspects of the Games.
The Paralympics are a sporting – and political – movement for those living with disabilities. Grey-Thompson said: "Awareness and education, and a move towards social change and widespread acceptance have to be the key aims, along with developing a sporting structure for the future. But one size does not fit all in Paralympic terms as we are looking at several disability groups, and a postcode lottery in the UK when it comes to development."
The former Paralympic wheelchair sprinter, winner of 11 gold medals, has found herself ensconced in committees and working parties with Government and Games organisers for more than two years, along with Phil Lane, chief executive of ParalympicsGB, and Mike Brace, former president of the British Paralympic Association.
Brace believes the key legacy point in sports development must be a national pathway ladder from playground to podium.
However, Professor Mike Weed, and Suzanne Dowse from the Centre for Sport, Physical Education and Activity Research, remain highly critical – aside from an aspirant elite sports legacy – of concrete plans for a social legacy.
In 2004, the 'London 2012 Candidate File' handed to International Olympic Committee delegates suggested that the Paralympic Games in London would "build respect for disabled people by changing society's perceptions" in its bidding process.
Yet Weed cites "general rhetoric" and "illusory" legacy plans for the Paralympic Games of London, saying there is a need for a seismic change both politically and in the way disability sport is covered in the mainstream media.
Lane said: "There is a need for legacy planners to overtly consider potential Paralympic legacies in their own right and a need to extend Paralympic legacy thinking beyond sport development.
"Because of the nature of Paralympic sport, and disability sport, the legacy we are looking at is both sporting and social. On the sporting front, access has improved and sports are being taken up and aligned by national governing bodies."
Yet it is at grass-roots level where the most problematic issues of legacy creation lie. Most children with disabilities are now in mainstream schools, as opposed to 'special schools', which can preclude them from mainstream sport.
"What we need is lateral thinking within phys ed for kids with disabilities. You often just have to come up with a different model," Lane said. "It's a real challenge."
One suggestion is a number of specialist sports colleges being nominated across the country to each create a sporting unit for talented young athletes with disabilities.
"We are looking to change people's minds and attitudes to disability sport through the Games," Lane said.
From The Telegraph in the UK:
