The Paralympics: Why they are important and how they impact society
Sivarajan Solaimalai 21-13, 18-21, 21-15 in a group game on Friday, Hong Kong’s Chu Man Kai went across the net and bowed to appreciate the efforts of his opponent. The two embraced each other before walking off the court while holding each other’s hand. It was sport at its best.
Although they had given their all on the court, the moment the match was over, it was all about spirit and values.
The Paralympics is not just about winning or losing. The essence of Olympism (or Paralympism, if we can call it that) is not in the medals won, records broken or television rights sold.
The Paralympics, and its records and statistics, are important for the way they can impact society. Thus, when the para-athletes march in the opening ceremony even when some of them are competing under the refugee flag, or when Chu crosses over to the other side of the net to embrace Sivarajan, or when two armless archers, USA’s Matt Stutzman and Mexico’s Victor Sardina, do a ‘feet five’ after a hard-fought contest, the significance of such acts stretches far beyond the narrow confines of sport.
Stutzman, who was the first armless archer ever to make the Paralympics in 2012, has since inspired others to take to the sport. On Friday, when Stutzman played Sardina, who he inspired and sort of mentored, there was more to it than just a win or a loss. It was about a legend and his disciple trying to outdo each other. And it was all being done with highest regard to the values of sport. Maybe that’s why at the end of the match both players bowed
