War veterans become Paralympians?
Considering that I, even as a Crippled Monkey, have managed to successfully avoid any attempts at getting me involved in disability sport, I'm a bit uncertain what to make of the news that are being specifically recruited by Olympic coaches in an attempt to increase the nation's medal haul at the 2012 Paralympic Games, which is of course will be taking place in London.
The plan, such as it is, is to retrain soldiers returning from the battlefield with disabling injuries in various Paralympic sports. It's based on a scheme first tried out in the US, and there's a potential 7,000 service personnel who are thought to have been injured in the Iraq conflict alone. Potential medallists will be 'spotted' by the British Paralympic Association from those servicemen and women who have lost limbs in bomb blasts, been paralysed or blinded.
Of course, it's not all about medals, medals, medals. Oh no, perish the thought. This scheme has also been started "as a means of preventing injured and disabled soldiers from becoming socially excluded".
I don't know, Ouchers. Maybe it's just me, but something about this whole thing makes me feel rather uncomfortable. Sure, let's promote disability sport to newly-disabled people, whether they're ex-soldiers or not, in an attempt to get them involved. It's just that this seems rather like a press-gang form of recruitment. What do you think?
• You can read another viewpoint on this story from Christina Patterson, writing in Friday's edition of The Independent: .
Comments
The fact is that we're lacking in emerging Paralympic talent - this move should be welcomed.
God what a great idea quality, for god sake how could anyone gripe at this idea for heavens sake. I am ex-forces I had my major accident two years ago I broke T1-T4, now have you any idea what it feels like to now look and see a bit of a gut swinging on the belt line, here is man who has run marthons, did a London to Paris cycle ride for the Royal British Legion. I was outstanding fit. So think he is a man or woman who has given for their country everything, now they can do something more pleasent like olympic winning medals rather than having to stop geezer blowing his or her head off, in some dusty dirty country. They need to wind down and this is one top class way. O please for once lets back this wonderful idea
Well talking about allowing soldiers to take part how about funding disability sport for the disabled kids.
I was asked last year to become the disability football coach, although I am disabled they actually said to me better you then nobody, which made me feel great. Anyway I said if they keep me in mind for any employment which comes up I do it, sadly they employed people left right and center but after all I do have a disability.
Anyway on my first interview they told me this was unpaid, and I need to go through a number of courses including coaching, welfare for the disabled , and first aid, all these courses cost me �90, then after starting I was told do not forget to insure yourself, in all well over �120.
My first coaching was at a Special education school it went well, my second was another special education school, they had no equipment no footballs no kit of any kind, so I asked for the kit from the Federation of disabled sports and the FAW, nothing. SO I bought a few footballs myself, then bits of other equipment and soon it was well over �200.
I did not want to finish coaching because me and the kids had won two big competitions and are now through to a national five a side finals, but my costs are going up and up. I have asked and begged for help.
Now they have been looking for a disability coach for five years each time the person has left or refused to go any further and I can understand.
I asked for funding and was refused, I asked for equipment always promised never delivered.
Now these kids are all from a deprived area, so longs comes the government and decided to cut my funding which is already zero, on the ground they need this funding to pay for the Olympic games, and for people taking part in the Olympic games. So my questions why is it alright to take soldiers who fought in a war I did not ask for, and not ask my kids to take part.
Yes these soldiers have a right to take part, but the should have the same rights as the kids in the special educations needs schools. Perhaps if the join up the army they might have a chance of playing in these games.
How sad we are told sport is not about winning it is about taking part, and now it is about getting medals.
Or is it Blair keeping the soldiers happy.
I played football rugby and cricket yet I am not being asked to join in the these so called London games.
How dare they take funding away from kids who were born disabled, soldiers joined the army and can expect to become disabled or killed, my kids do not have a dam choice.
Give us funding.