Why are the Paralympics and Olympics kept apart?
You might not notice it, but tonight Wednesday, August 28, the Paralympic Games officially opens in Paris. Compared to its sister event, the Olympic Games, the Paralympics receives much less attention — but why are the two games, which in spirit are the same, separate events?
“For Andrew Parsons, President of the IPC, creating a single, shared event could diminish the importance of the Paralympics: ‘the Paralympic Games are a unique time to celebrate Paralympic athletes. It’s their moment! If the two events were merged, these athletes’ exceptional performances would be normalised or get drowned out, when they deserve our full attention. Having the Paralympic Games just after the Olympic Games is the most appropriate situation for the IPC.’”¹
This statement by Andrew Parsons, who is not disabled², makes it clear he doesn’t think the performances of Paralympians measure up to their counterpart Olympians; why else state that a shared event would ‘diminish the importance’ and ‘drown out’ the Paralympics. And taking issue with the Paralympics being ‘normalised’³; isn’t that the goal? That it is as typical to see disabled sports as abled-bodied sports?
It’s the same attitude that has held women’s sports back; they are not as strong, not as fast, not as skilled — no one will watch it. That was until the focus was more equally shared, the stars similarly celebrated by the media and then Catlin Clark pulled in 24 million viewers, at the game’s peak. “But it’s not the only sports glass ceiling that was crushed; Sunday’s game was also the most-watched basketball game, either men’s or women’s and college or professional, since 2019.”⁴ You can’t watch that which isn’t being put on, advertised, and talked about on sports broadcasting.
Advertising for the broadcast of the Paris Olympic Games started about a year in advance, during some of the most lucrative spots available; the NFL Sunday Night Football game, the most watched sports broadcast, using NFL hall of famer Peyton Manning to mega pop start Megan Thee Stallion, while I still haven’t seen a single advertisement for the broadcast of The Paralympics. Furthermore, will NBC send their star commentator Mike Tirico to be the Paralympic host? Corresponding with Snoop Dogg live from Paris throughout the games? Will Jimmy Fallon host the closing event on NBC & Peacock?⁵ You can’t watch that which isn’t being put on, advertised, and talked about on sports broadcasting.
The spatial dimension is often mentioned as a limitation for the co-coherence of the two events. “Unless the number of facilities was doubled, including two Olympic stadiums and swimming pools, the length of the Games would have to increase to a month‑long event without any breaks.”⁶
Hosting the two events back-to-back is a month-long event (actually 28 days, so a February-long)⁷, but this is ableist math, which still considers it separate, just pushed together events — where no doubt The Olympics again will be the ‘normal’ event running first. Ask yourself, will this scenario also include two separate opening ceremonies?
No, of course, it wouldn’t. Executing them simultaneously is not about having two opening ceremonies, or two pools, one for the Olympians and one for the Paralympians, that completely misses the point of integrating them. Hosting them simultaneously means at the same time, in the same space, interchangable. It means that after the Olympic 100m sprint final heat, it’s the Paralympics 100m sprint final heat. It’s the Paralympic archery final followed by the Olympic final, and watch out, you might be more impressed by someone shooting arrows using their feet to hold the bow. Hosting them simultaneously is about putting them into each other, and threatening them as equals.
The Paris Olympics was from July 26 till August 11, the swimming schedule was 10 days and ended on August 5, with some days only having 6 heats. It is not hard to imagine that all competitions Paralympics and Olympics could be fitted into the schedule, certainly since it could be expended by a full 7 days. The point is that all facilities of the Olympics are not used all the time, to argue that the two games can’t be integrated into one, is an abilist argument, which sees the Paralympics as less than fearing these lesser athletes will taint the picture-perfect of the Olympics.
“In addition, the logistics and costs created by organising the two events simultaneously without reducing the number of events or participants would be immense.”⁸ Or, there would be a lot of synergies from co-existing. Pools to be heated and arenas cooled for shorter periods of time. Knowledge exchanged between athletes, physicians, spectators.
It’s the limitations of ableist folx, that don’t consider disabled folx as fully human that is preventing this amazing event from being brought to life. Just imagine the amazing stories that will be created when all athletes are brought together to compete alongside each other, and finally live up to the updated Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communiter” — “Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together”.⁹
Architectural PostScript.
As an architect, combining the two would be an incredible opportunity to bring Disability Justice into the architectural sphere. The additional additional housing needed to be produced could be earmarked to become affordable social housing after the games, with a focus on disabled tenants. Unfortunately, architecture primarily reduces disability to a question of access, ramp, wide door, ADA bathroom and done! This can however be changed through the Disability Justice mantra of nothing about us without us, which includes that disabled issues are directed by disabled folx. And is intertwined with shoving the Paralympics to the side. If more disabled athletes are promoted in live sports, it will help to remove barriers for participation, also in the field of architecture.
Unfortunately, it seems more likely that the Olympic Village will yet again be used as a catalyst for gentrification. The games are, as Journalist Oliver Wainwright writes “an eco-vision reserved for the few. Only 30% of the flats will be affordable after the Games, with the rest sold for prices far beyond the reach of most locals — listed at around €7,500 per square metre, almost twice the local average. ‘It follows a classic pattern,’ says Justinien Tribillon, author of The Zone, an alternative history of Paris told through its suburbs. ‘The development is designed to ensure that people with more money will move here, increasing local tax revenues, instead of building very ambitious, progressive, sustainable social housing for the existing inhabitants of Seine-Saint-Denis.’”¹⁰
[1] “WHY NOT COMBINE THE OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES?” Olympics.Com. Accessed August 28, 2024.
[2] This is to the best of my knowledge. Also, I am Autistic and thus socially disabled by the neurotypical world, but not physically disabled. I do not intend at any point in this piece, to insinuate that I understand what it is like to be physically disabled, should you feel like that is the case, please reach out and explain and I will review it.
[3] I prefer to use the term typical, rather than normalised, which in Andrews’s statement is representational of his thinking of able-bodied sports being normal and while disabled is not. But for clarity I will stay with Andrew’s language and use normal.
[4] Romo, Vanessa. “Women’s NCAA Championship TV Ratings Crush the Men’s Competition.” NPR. April 10, 2024. Accessed August 28, 2024.
[5] “How the World’s Biggest Stars Are Bringing the 2024 Paris Olympics to New Audiences.” NBCUniversal. April 23, 2024. Accessed August 28, 2024.
[6] Same as footnote [1].
[7] The Olympics July 26 — Aug 11 (17 days) and The Paralympics Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 (11 days)
[8] Same as footnote [1].
[9] “FAQ: The Olympic Symbol and Other Elements of the Olympic Identity.” Olympics. Accessed August 28, 2024.
[10] Wainwright, Oliver. “Plastic-bottle Seats and Wooden Pools: Can Paris Deliver the Leanest, Greenest Olympics yet?” The Guardian. Accessed August 28, 2024.
