During this year’s Paralympics in Tokyo truly inspirational talents were showcased on the world’s stage and made their respective countries proud to call them theirs, but founder of charity Path to Success, Anita Choudhrie, has called for more than just a four-yearly Games to highlight disability sport.
Path to Success is one of the UK’s leading charities supporting female athletes and it works to support GB Paralympians as well as encouraging and empowering disabled women to take up sport.
London 2012 was ground-breaking for disability sport and a growth in the number of those with a disability regularly taking part in sporting activity was seen, however this number has dropped again to pre-2012 levels.
Choudhrie explained why this figure has fallen, revealed what could happen if the number of people taking part in disability sport continues to decline and spoke about what needs to happen to encourage more disabled people to take part in physical activity.
After the 2012 Paralympics did you think that was a pivotal moment for disability sport and why?
Yes, I do think London 2012 was a turning point in perception about disability. With the help of Channel 4’s spectacular coverage, the Paralympics became more of a main feature that year, as opposed to the afterthought to the Olympics as it had been in the past. That summer, the games not only had the most athletes ever to compete in the Paralympics, but also the most countries to ever send athletes to the games. Two and a half million tickets were sold, making almost £10 million more than expected. In 2012, the Paralympics was changed to an incredible extent, so in my view, the games were undoubtedly a success.
How disappointed are you that this optimism didn’t fully materialise nine years down the line?
Sadly, the immediate optimism our industry felt was not long-lived. According to official figures, the number of disabled people participating regularly in sporting activity has actually fallen since the 2012 Paralympic Games. Despite the initial rise in once-a-week sports participation immediately after the Paralympics (19.1% in 2013), participation subsequently fell back to pre-2012 levels (16.8% in 2016). Of course, this is hugely disappointing to anyone working in the industry.
Why do you think that disability sport hasn’t experienced a boom over the past decade?
There are many reasons for this, such as the lack of strategic activities and initiatives by sports organisations to maximise the hosting of the Paralympics, as well as a failure to embed a culture of inclusion within sports organisations, both locally and nationally. Furthermore, many organisations were unprepared for the level of interest from disabled people and were unable to respond accordingly and for many athletes, reduced disposable income due to austerity was another barrier to participation.
What do you expect to happen if something isn’t done to encourage women with disabilities to get involved in sport?
If nothing is done, then I worry participation will continue to decline. Unfortunately, women with disabilities are among the highest-risk groups for not partaking in physically active hobbies, and participation in disability sport has fallen by 10% since the London 2012 Paralympics. For young women, the associated health risks of long-term inactivity could have irreversible effects on their quality of life, and so now we all need to work together to introduce more people to disability sport.
How much of an impact did lockdown have on disability sport and is it possible to reverse this impact if action is taken now?
Athletes with disabilities have been hugely affected by the pandemic and resultant lockdowns. With everyone forced to train at home, this left many athletes having to suspend their regimens altogether, due to not having ample space or the correct equipment. The inability to train has in turn had rippling effects, not only by preventing athletes from working towards individual goals, but also, by negatively impacting the management of their mental health.
Although for many athletes starting off in their careers this damage is reversable, for others, the time lost to the Covid-19 pandemic cannot be regained. For those living with degenerative disorders such as MS, during the 18 months of repeated lockdowns, their health may have deteriorated to a point where they could no longer train or compete. The effect on individual athletes will have had a resulting effect on disability sport altogether.
With less athletes actively training and competing as a result. Having said that, many athletes have done their best to keep their fitness levels as best as possible by taking walks, swimming in lakes or the sea and having makeshift training facilities at home, in their living room, or garage using any equipment available to stay fit.
What kind of action needs to be taken to improve disability sport?
More funding and support from the Government is needed – that is obvious. I also think visibility is key. Paralympic sport is one way to keep disability in the spotlight. But also making sure that more positive examples of disabled people and achievements are seen, in the media, in the community, such as in schools and universities, on social media and in the working world.
Why did you decide to set up Path to Success and what do you hope to achieve with it?
My grandfather was a doctor who did a lot of work for the needy, and so my family grew up with that background. It felt very natural and instinctive to give back and support others, rather than being something that was socially fashionable. I had been supporting the Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust, a school for disabled children in India, for 15 years before starting Path to Success. We were celebrating the Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust 25th anniversary with a trip to the UK and US to raise funds. It was an extremely ambitious project – 16 children and six teachers to care for them. Air India sponsored the group, and I supported them completely in the UK, from providing a five-day residency to hosting a fundraising event at
the House of Lords. But I realised, in order to support them fully I would need to register as a charity, and so I created Path to Success.
Did Tokyo 2021 help drive support of uniquely able-bodied female athletes?
This year, the Paralympics in Tokyo got record amounts of coverage on Channel 4, which showed a multi-location studio format and an all-star presenting team. Although coverage of leading disability sport events like the Paralympics can do a world of good in terms of increasing awareness and accessibility, I strongly believe an event which takes place just once every four years is not the solution to increasing awareness and participation – it should be just one component of a wider sport participation strategy.
Words by Lucy Roberts for Female First, who you can follow on Twitter, @Lucy_Roberts_72.
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