DESPITE the hype and the millions being spent on the London Paralympics, disabled people remain sceptical about the impact the Games will have on improving attitudes towards disability.
Only one-third of disabled people plan to watch all or most of the events – and one-fifth say that the Paralympic Games make them feel second class.
And while the wider public is enthusiastic about the potential impact of the Paralympics only 18% are excited enough that they intend to watch most or all of the Games.
The findings come from a Scope-commissioned ComRes poll, and suggest that the Paralympics has a crucial role to play at a time when attitudes towards disabled people are getting worse.
Between April and September last year the number of disabled people claiming they experienced aggression, hostility or name-calling saw a dramatic hike from 41% to 66%.
Alice Maynard, Chair of disability charity Scope, said: “The games need to be about more than just the athletes – they need to engage all disabled people.
“Changing attitudes is about visibility and increased familiarity in everyday life.
“But if the only disabled people to get any profile out of the games are Paralympians – and their feats of sporting success – then it is unlikely that the games will do much to change people’s perceptions of ordinary disabled people.
“The challenge for London 2012 is to make sure disabled people are involved not just on track and field but throughout the games and the celebrations before and afterwards.”
Tim Hollingsworth, chief executive at the British Paralympic Association, said:
“No one disputes that the Paralympic Games has a crucial role to play in changing perceptions of disability.
“The Paralympics is already the second largest sporting event in the world, and London will see it take another huge leap forward in terms of awareness and understanding.
“We are working hard, along with Channel 4, the BBC and the London 2012 Organising Committee, to raise the profile of the Games, our sports and athletes.
“The brilliant success of ticket sales and the increase in media coverage indicates to me that, contrary to the survey’s sample, there is a big public appetite for Paralympic sport.
“While there is an agenda in terms of attitudes and perceptions of disability, the BPA wants as many people as possible, both disabled and non-disabled, to watch the Paralympics because first and foremost it is a world class sporting event in its own right.”
The Paralympics run from August 29 to September 9 next year in London and feature around 4,200 athletes in 20 sports.
The Olympics take place from July 27 to August 12.
The survey is the fifth in a series of attitude polls that Scope has commissioned to build a clearer picture of the reality of disabled people’s lives in Britain today.
