Sporting glory deserves equal recognition

NT OPINION

The Asian Games celebrate sporting excellence, bringing together athletes who have spent years honing their skills and pushing the limits of human performance. Yet, when the main competition ends and the Asian Para Games follow, the attention often dwindles. In India, this disparity is particularly noticeable.

Para-athletes may win medals, break records and make the country proud, but their achievements rarely command the same headlines, television coverage or public recognition as those of their counterparts. Why should a special ability determine the value we attach to sporting excellence? The problem is not a lack of achievement.

At the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, India won a record 111 medals, including 29 golds. This was a remarkable performance that deserved sustained national attention. Yet, how many of these champions became household names? How many of their victories received the prominence routinely accorded to successful athletes at the Asian Games?

Part of the answer lies in the priorities of sports media, sponsors and audiences. Established sporting stars attract viewers, and commercial interests follow visibility. Para-sport, receiving less exposure, struggles to attract sponsorship and public interest.

This creates a vicious cycle in which limited coverage reinforces the perception that these competitions matter less. Scheduling the Para Games after the main event can compound the problem. By then, the sporting spotlight has moved on, public attention has waned, and newsrooms are occupied with other developments.

Although separate scheduling may have practical reasons, the result is that para-athletes appear to occupy a secondary place in the same sporting celebration. A deeper social prejudice also needs confronting. Paraathletes are often presented as inspirational figures who have overcome adversity, rather than as elite competitors whose training, technique, discipline and tactical ability deserve scrutiny.

Their personal journeys are worth telling, but reducing their achievements to stories of courage does them a disservice. They compete to win, just like every other athlete. Moving forward requires a shift in priorities. Newspapers and broadcasters must give para-sport meaningful coverage, including live updates, prominent results and profiles of emerging talent.

Sponsors should invest in athletes beyond major competitions, while governments and sporting bodies must ensure accessible facilities, quality coaching and fair rewards for achievement.

Schools, too, should encourage children with different abilities to participate in sport and help identify talent early. Most importantly, audiences must recognise that a edal earned by a para-athlete represents the same national sporting pride as one won at the main Games. Recognition should follow achievement, not physical ability.