Paralympians aren’t playing games at Paris 2024.
They’re here to compete, not just participate.
Why does language matter?
The language and narratives used in the media to cover the Paralympic Games shapes perceptions of disability. The right language can empower people with disabilities and create opportunities, whilst the wrong language can perpetuate stereotypes and misconceptions.
What to avoid:
Disability is not something to ‘overcome’
A common narrative is the idea that Paralympians must ‘overcome’ their disability and ‘fight against impairment’ in order to achieve success. This reinforces negative stereotypes of disability as a problem that needs to be fixed and emphasises feelings of pity towards Paralympic athletes instead of admiration.
-Avoid words and phrases like ‘superhuman’ or ‘despite their disability’.
Paralympians don’t get a medal just for showing up
When disability is seen as something to overcome, Paralympians are seen as heroic and inspirational just for getting out of bed in the morning and showing up, regardless of their sporting achievements.
This perpetuates society’s low expectations for people with disabilities and “presents the Paralympic Games as a therapeutic technique, as opposed to elite sport competition”.2
-Avoid words and phrases like ‘participating’ and ‘inspirational for making it to the Games’
Their story doesn’t stop at the start line
When the Paralympic Games is framed as a participatory event instead of a high performance sporting competition, coverage tends to focus on Paralympians’ journey to the start line, sidelining their athletic achievements and centering disability instead of sport.
As one Paralympian put it…
“I don’t want it to be focused on my disability. I want it to be focused on my ability.” 1
-Avoid narratives that focus solely on the journey of the Paralympian without acknowledging their sporting achievements.
What is the right way to cover the Paralympics?
Paralympic coverage should focus on the competitiveness of athletes, medal counts, world records, performance, training, dedication and performance results. This provides “legitimacy to Paralympic athletes and their accomplishments by mirroring elements of traditional sports journalism.”3
Through this frame, athletes are positioned as inspirational for their athletic achievements, instead of inspirational for overcoming their disability in order to simply participate in the Paralympic Games.
For a full guide on the appropriate language to use when reporting on Paralympic sport, please click here.
Sources:
- Pearson, Erin, and Laura Misener. "Informing future Paralympic media approaches: The perspective of Canadian Paralympic athletes." Communication & Sport 12.2 (2022): 254-276. https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795221103410
- Pearson, E., and L. Misener. "Canadian media representations of Para-athletes at the 2016 Paralympic Games." Olympika: The International Journal of Olympic Studies 28 (2019): 1-28.
- Maika, Melinda Anne. The “Other” athletes: Representations of disability in Canadian print media during the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The University of Western Ontario (Canada), 2014.