Why "The Politics of Disability and Access" Matters

Here's hoping that copies of Simon Darcy's work "The politics of disability and access: the Sydney 2000 Games experience" are flying off the (virtual) shelves.

Darcy's study on the impact of sports on the disability community is all the more timely.

There is a major worldwide push toward leaving an accessible architectural legacy and a positive social intervention of inclusion though major international sporting events. South Africa is abuzz with accessibility planning for the World Cup 2010; Brazil for 2014. London is making plans for the 2012 Olympics while India works toward the Commonwealth Games with infrastructure improvements.

Legacy 2010 in British Columbia and the envelope-pushing initiatives of Whistler for the 2010 Winter Olympics are the impetus for in stories like the following by Clare Ogilvie of Pique newsmagazine

In many ways sit skier Rob Gosse is the new face of disabled sport in Canada.

A strong self-advocate, well educated and well spoken, he is training to compete at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi. And thanks to the legacies in place from hosting the 2010 Paralympics, which mark their one-year countdown to Games time today (March 12), his dream is that much closer to reality.

A permanent and affordable accessible training and housing facility now exists in Whistler at the athletes' village, the facilities at the alpine and nordic venues are accessible, and so is the resort. It is hoped Whistler will become a training ground for summer and winter disabled sport.

For the full Pique story:

http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/pique/index.php?cat=C_Frontpage&content=Feature+1611

To read an installment in the Whistler Question series of "countdown to 2010" stories on Inclusive Tourism see "Access for All Effort Still Ramping Up."

Whistler Question Editor's note: Each year starting in 2006, The Question has marked the countdown date to the start of the 2010 Paralympic Games by examining the issue of accessibility in Whistler. With the Games set to begin a year from today -- March 12, 2010 -- we again present a report that looks at what's been achieved and the challenges that lie ahead in the effort to make Whistler accessible to all.

For the full Question story:
http://www.whistlerquestion.com/article/20090312/WHISTLER01/303129940/1030/whistler/-access-for-all-effort-still-ramping-up

To read Simon Darcy's paper:
 "The politics of disability and access: the Sydney 2000 Games experience"

For the full Paralympic 200 story see Richard Cashman and Simon Darcy's new book:

Benchmark Games: The Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games http://www.wallawallapress.com/benchmark_paralympics.php

 This is the first study of an individual Paralympic Games. This book documents and analyses the new benchmarks that were set at the time of the successful Sydney Paralympic Games, and explores many questions about the appeal of the Games to the community and disability sport and the place of the disability community in Australia. A must read for people trying to leverage the most out of major sporting events or the disability specific sporting events.

 http://www.wallawallapress.com/benchmark_paralympics.php