A Worthy Cause:
Despite being crowned UEFA's Forward of the Year with a margin more than twice that of his nearest rival, the most expensive footballer of all time Cristiano Ronaldo, there was little that the dimunitive Argentine Lionel Messi could do to turn a drab match into the spectacle of attacking football that both Mircir Lucescu and Josep Guardiola had promised before fick-off. It was a pity as these matches highlight the work of UEFA's charity of the year. This year's recipient of the one million Swiss Francs cheque from UEFA's President Michel Platini was the National Association of Disabled Supporters (NADS).1 Joyce Cook, NADS' Chair accepted the cheque along with NADS ambassador Danny Wallace – the former Manchester United and Southampton winger.2
Wallace was an exciting winger in his heyday. He was forced to quit football as the effects of multiple sclerosis took their toll. He works with NADS to highlight issues of disability and what football can do to help. He received a good ovation at the Grimaldi Forum when he accompanied Cook onto the stage to receive the cheque from Platini. There is still a lot of work to be done to make football stadiums accessible to the disabled. UEFA's recognition of their work will help greatly. “We are delighted to offer continuing support to NADS,” said Empower-Sport Magazine editor Derek Miller. “We have published articles on their work and we hope that UEFA's award will help to publicise the excellent work that they do throughout Europe.” Sadly the football on display did not live up to the occasion.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
With facilities for disabled athletes in Britain needing improving those with an Intellectual Disability seek re-entry to the Olympic Field.
With eight gold, nine silver and eight bronze medals Britain came 5th in the medals table at the second Global Games in Prague organised by the International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability [INAS-FID] at the beginning of July.
The Global Games are the largest international multi-sport competition for athletes with an intellectual disability and had over 1,300 athletes from 34 countries participating.
A successful competition was considered vital if athletes with an intellectual [learning] disability are to be allowed back into the Paralympic field. They were banned after the majority of the gold winning Spanish basketball squad at the 2000 Sydney games were found not to have an intellectual disability and doubts were cast on other athlete’s participation rights.
Since then the International Paralympic Committee [IPC] Games has been working with INAS-FID on finding a solution to prevent further cheating and is expected to make a decision on whether athletes with an intellectual disability may be included alongside athletes with physical disabilities in the London 2012 Paralympic Games in November.
One of the people competing in Prague was 17-year-old James Simpson from Ulverston, Cumbria. It’s the birthplace of comic actor Stan Laurel but the youngster won’t be laughing if the IPC refuse to allow him to compete at the 2012 Games as he “is desperate to compete in London in order to help achieve my main goal from athletics which is to win an Olympic medal for team GB and myself.”
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
From Strength to Strength |
 |
 |
 |
|
The Olympic Games ended months ago, followed by the most successful Paralympic Games, but while Manchester United prepare for a date in Rome against possibly the best Barcelona team ever next week, they should spare a thought for athletes who have suffered far more for sport. Paralympic athletes have centre stage in Manchester for six days in May as disabled competitors show both talent and determination in abundance in athletics, cycling, swimming and wheelchair basketball.
The Paralympic World Cup takes place every year in Manchester. It has grown steadily since its inception four years ago. The fifth World Cup is set to be the best ever – just under 400 participants have come from 31 countries and 174 of the medallists from Beijing have travelled to Manchester. The event is sponsored by BT and the BBC is televising it. The idea was developed by ParalympicsGB and the International Paralympic Committee late in 2004. It has become the biggest event in the Paralympic calendar after the Olympic Games itself.
ParalympicsGB took over 200 athletes to China and they excelled, winning 102 medals, 42 of which were gold. They had set high standards as the welcome paralympic athletes to Britain. While London prepares for 2012, Manchester can boast an exceptionally important event, which will continue to grow. 357 medals will be handed out for 119 events, which is the biggest multi-sport event since Beijing bade farewell to the Olympic Games. UK Sport, Manchester City Council and the North-west Regional Development Agency are important backers as well, without whom this event could not take place The tournament was opened by South African athlete and Paralympic legend Oscar Pistorius, who wants to test himself against able-bodied athletes, along with Jody Cundy, Natalie Jones and Joe Bestwick.
The PWC has the full support of able-bodied Olympic icons Lord Sebastian Coe and Sir Chris Hoy. For further information on Paralympic sport in Britain see www.paralympics.org.uk the website of ParalympicsGB – The British Paralympics Association. We hope to see the prestigious sports events incorporate paralympic competitors into their events sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, enjoy the greatest multi-sport event since Beijing. |
 According to recent figures from the National Association of Disabled Supporters (NADS) - the only national registered charity representing all disabled football fans - only two of the North-West regions seven Premier League Clubs currently provide the number of spaces for wheelchair supporters recommended under the 2003 Accessible Stadia Guide (ASG) issued by the Football Licensing Authority (FLA). Since Empower-Sport Magazine covered the shocking treatment of disabled fans last year [1] it is sad to see how little has changed.
Meanwhile, the former chairman of NADS, Phil Downs MBE, has launched a stinging attack on clubs lack of progress in providing modern facilities for disabled supporters. “The amount of money that the Premier league have got to give away to good causes at the moment is forty-three million pounds from the Sky/Setanta deal,” said Downs. “You would think it wouldn’t be beyond their capacity to analyse what needs doing and put in place a plan to carry out the improvements over a number of years.”
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Disabling Discrimination in Football Stadia |
|
|
|
|
 Empower Sport Magazine can exclusively reveal that Arsenal, who recently took over the mantle as Britain’s richest club, are being forced to spend perhaps as much as two million pounds on bringing their facilities for disabled fans up to standard in their new ground.
It comes after the London club ignored an opportunity to receive advice from the National Association of Disabled Supporters [NADS] before the incredibly expensive Emirates Stadium was built.
Meanwhile lower down the league’s, at Shrewsbury’s new ground, the football club has failed to ensure that the facilities provided for wheelchair disabled supporters comply with Accessible Stadium Document regulations that govern the locations of viewing areas.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
|
|
