Lessons learned from the “best ever” London to the Tokyo Paralympics

To the Tokyo Paralympics Lesson learned from London, the “highest ever” October 30 20:46

From the 30th to the 300th, the Tokyo Paralympic Games will open in August next year. The 2012 London Games are said to be the “highest ever” in the Paralympic Games. The advertisement of a local TV station that called para-athletes “super humans” attracted much attention and contributed greatly to raising awareness of para-sports. However, in London, I can see the current situation where various issues still remain. What should we aim for to make the Paralympic Games truly successful?
(Sports News Department reporter Shunsuke Shimanaka)

Legacy left by the “best tournament ever”

World Championship of Para Swimming held in London in September.
Seven years ago, the pool where the London Paralympics were held attracted more than 10,000 fans, and the audience was filled every day.

Participating Japanese players also said, “I felt a passion for parasports” or “I want to see a similar sight at the next year's Tokyo Paralympic Games,” and so on. I felt the popularity of Parasport was real.

The actual situation

On the other hand, when we proceeded with coverage in the field, problems were seen in the “most successful tournament”. One of the values ​​of the IPC = International Paralympic Committee is to create a society where everyone can live equally, including barrier-free enhancement.

However, in a survey conducted in 2017 by a British charity “SCOPE” that is investigating the impact of the Paralympic Games on society, 63% of the respondents answered that understanding of people with disabilities has not progressed.
The SCOPE representative said, “At that time, many people thought that the Paralympics had the power to improve society, but many people with disabilities did not improve. “It ’s still difficult.”

In addition, Ian Britain, an associate professor at the University of Coventry, studying the Paralympic, said, “If you hold the Paralympic, everything will be better overnight. “There is little improvement in the social environment,” he said. “The London Paralympics had a limited impact on society.

People with disabilities who feel difficult to live after Para

Will Pike, who lives in London, has a hard understanding of people with disabilities and feels hard to live. Pike was involved in a terrorist incident at a travel destination 11 years ago and has a disability in his lower body.

In the local area of ​​Pike, who uses wheelchairs, there are steps that exceed 10 centimeters at the entrances of many stores, and I feel that there are still issues in accessing the stores after the London Paralympics.

Pike said, “I have a disability in my lower body, but I think society is actually depriving me of my ability.”

On the other hand, Sophie Christiansen feels that there is not enough soft support for people with disabilities.
Christiansen is a British athlete who has won eight gold medals in the Paralympic Equestrian.
In August, a video posted on Twitter became a hot topic.
The video was taken when getting off the train, and the station staff who was supposed to have a slope at the platform did not arrive, and another passenger was holding the door close.

The station staff finally arrived after a while, so I was able to get off the train safely, but there was a great response in the UK because the public broadcast BBC reported this post as news.

Christiansen said, “I won the gold medal at the Paralympics and I was called“ Super Human ”, but I could n’t get off the train myself. Talking

Discussions that start with the Tokyo Games

In Japan, there is a local government that is trying to create a city where people with disabilities can live in the wake of the Tokyo Paralympics.

It is Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, a host town that accepts American camps.
On October 21, Setagaya Ward invited American representatives of wheelchair rugby players who had come to Japan to participate in international competitions to a shopping street that had been promoting barrier-free initiatives. I was trying to find tips for town development.

From the players who cooperated,
“There is a place to improve. I want to create a space where I can move around in the store.”
“The desire to do well is the most important.”
Such an opinion was sent.

After that, the staff in charge of Setagaya argued to reflect the players' opinions on the town planning.
What I was conscious of here was not only “Parathlete” but also the position of “Generally disabled”.

One staff member said, “The Paralympians were able to overcome even a small step and did not have much trouble, but I think it is a power issue. When entering a railroad crossing, it is common to have to cross the rail diagonally. I thought it would be difficult for people in wheelchairs. "

Ichiro Ota, head of the Disability Policy Promotion Section of Setagaya Ward, said, “It ’s not just the Olympic and Paralympic events that end, but what can you do after that? I want to do my best to be told that it has changed. "

The question is “After” in Tokyo

300 days until the opening of the Tokyo Paralympics.
“The success of the tournament is only asked after the tournament is over”
In order to realize a society where everyone, including people with disabilities, can live comfortably, I felt that there was a need for a long-term approach that was not limited to the Tokyo Paralympic Games.