It is a pity
that more attention is not given to the Paralympics. This is likely a
combination of fatigue after the Cyborg Games, combined
with some preconceptions and prejudices about “disabled” sport. However, if we
are (just for a moment) to think that the Olympics really possess positive,
mystical, transformational powers then it is surely in the Paralympics that we see
this most clearly manifested (though clearly with some Cyborg
elements as well).
The Paralympics is
full of eye-watering tales of human perseverance. The difficulties of training
and high-level achievement are augmented by the daily rigors of “disability” (an
admittedly terrible word to use for world-class athletes). The Brazilian
athletes are to be doubly commended as they live and train in cities that are
almost wholly inadequate for their daily needs: low levels of investment in
sport, grave difficulties in social assistance and cities poorly structured for
wheelchairs, the blind and the deaf.
It may be that one
way to solve the problem of making the Olympic Games actually useful for a city
is to host the Paralympics first. That way, we will have to ensure that the
public transportation, sidewalks, restaurants, elevators, crosswalks, museum
access, beach accesses, stadiums and hotels will attend to the needs and rights
of the disabled before they meet the desires and demands of the International
Overlords. We would also focus more attention on the real “human interest” stories
found within sport, perhaps giving Bob Costas something meaningful to talk
about. By making the Paralympics prelude, we can direct our attention to the people
and projects that currently exist as afterthoughts.
This is all to
say that the Paralympic flag arrives in Rio
de Janeiro
(Vejam esse artigo no BBC Brasil sobre o projeto de transportes no Rio)
(Vejam esse artigo no BBC Brasil sobre o projeto de transportes no Rio)
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