Disability world in motion
- 12 Oct 05, 12:00 AM
Greetings from Liverpool, the most sports mad city in the world! (after those in Sydney).
During a quick jog on the information superhighway, I came across a couple of sporting nuggets on a site called .
I discovered there that the England Amputee football team came third in the World Cup in Rio - they did better than Becks, Rooney and Co. Maybe they could get some footy tips from our amputee side?
Also, the former Commonwealth middleweight boxing champion Michael Watson praised the improvement in sports/leisure facilities for disabled people. He also hoped that disabled people would follow his inspiration and show that we are equal to the able-bodied.
It got me thinking. Why don't we see many more of us mutants at the gym or participating in various sports at the grassroots level? In Liverpool and its environs, facilities and opportunities have improved. Over the last few years, the sports and leisure centres have become more inclusive and accessible to all. . In fact, have the biggest disability football programme in the country (come on you Toffees!!!). So what's going on? Where are we?
I know that Tanni Grey-Thompson has touched on this subject a couple of times, and I can see what she's getting at. For a section of young (and not so young) mutants, the problem isn't lack of opportunity, but motivation and to extent a bad dose of self-consciousness. Let's face it, going to the gym can be daunting for anyone - mutant or not. It's meant to be intimidating. I mean, unless you look luscious in Lycra, it's a known medical fact that you can literally die from embarrassment. But that shouldn't put us off.
Comments
Well, I used to go to the gym and swimming pool twice a week. i had a great gym with a lift, accessible equipment and fitness instructors who would lift me on and off bikes, and work with me - but that closed and there is no similar facility within an hours drive. It's a similar story with the pool. I need the water temperature to be at least 34 degrees because I cannot tolerate cold. I need a pool hoist and accessible changing and showering facilities. The only pool near me that had all these and was open to the public closed down a year ago. I've asked my consultant to refer me for hydrotherapy but that will mean taking time off work. So - I'm motivated alright. I just need facilities that are right for me.
I used to regularly attend British Blind Sport events and the yearly five-a-side football in Swindon, but over time I have just gotten lazy I guess, and therefore the only sporting thing I do is try to hurry to the library to get a free internet session before theyre full!