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I don't know how I feel about the Special Olympics being hosted in Athens. I'm pretty sure I should be feeling positive, but instead I'm feeling somewhat confused and slightly irritated.Irritated? Yes irritated, and occasionally out-right angry. Not because I think the Special Olympics are bad, in fact the philosophy seems ok:
The Philosophy of the Special Olympics
Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports. Special Olympics believe that consistent training is essential to the development of sports skills, and that competition among those of equal abilities is the most appropriate means of testing these skills, measuring progress and providing incentives for personal growth.
Special Olympics believes, that through sports, training and competition, people with intellectual disabilites benefit physically, mentally, socially and spiritually; families are strengthened; and the community at large, both through participation and observation is united in understanding people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, respect and acceptance.
The irritation stems from the knowledge that Greek politicians are going to being doing their photo opportunities and making their postive statements about inclusion and acceptance and the progress that Greece has made etc, etc, etc, when in fact they are doing pretty much.....nothing towards inclusion and acceptance or anything else regarding disability.
And while I'm sure that every country which participates in the Special Olympics also have incidents of discrimination, neglect and abuse towards people with disabilites, I can't help but wonder where Nikos, a boy with Down Syndrome who is currently living in an institution in appalling conditions, will be in 2011.
Add to that a comment I read on facebook group Mental Disability - Eimai diaforetikos... e, kai? about children with autism being excuded from the local Special Olympics in Kastoria because "the children with autism are particularly aggressive and have the tendency to be distant", I'm left asking myself whether Greece is ready to host the Special Olympics?
I hope...I hope many things. I hope the Special Olympics will help to dispell some of the myths and stigma which still surround intellectual disability, I hope that people will be encouraged to take more of an interest in what is going on around them, to people in the their own country. And of course I hope that the athletes participating in the Special Olympics have a great time.
I hope my feelings of confusion and irritation is misplaced.
8 comments:
I share your irritation and confusion! We have had a very mixed experience with Special Olympics, I am sorry to say; I am hopeful it will change but the comment from Special Olympics in Kastoria rings in my ears. It's precisely what has been communicated as reasons for Charlie not being able to participate. I remain an optimist that he can one day participate, but we'll have to see.
Would you mind if I referenced this post in a Change.org post?
Hi Kristina - I didn't realise you had faced the same attitude with regards to Charlie,it's hard to accept this kind of attitude.
I've been thinking about the Special Olympics for some time but I have so many thoughts it's hard to get them down in a way that makes sense (my brain seems to go in circles).
You are of course welcome to reference the post - I've been editing the spelling mistakes that I spotted:-) no time recently to write as my husband is away, late night spelling and grammar errors are a given:-)
Look for a mention later today.......
It's been very frustrating about Special Olympics for Charlie. I do worry that some sort of (bad) attitude on my part might be affecting things.
We tried swimming and were told that Charlie had to "know how to do strokes."
We tried basketball: I met the wife of the coach and she assured me, it's all about participation and doing what you can. We emphasized to the coach that Charlie was a total beginner---this was quite apparent during the practices and led to some painful moments (sigh). When we noted that we ascertained that Charlie was not ready, the message communicated was "why are you leaving, it's all about doing what you can do, just wait and see"---but that wasn't what was happening on the court during practice!
I do want to keep trying Charlie at Special Olympics. I've heard so many good things and success stories. But even more important, we think, is that Charlie enjoy being active and keeping fit and no pressure to win or any of that.
Just been reading about MATP (motor activities training program - I hadn't heard of it before today)for people who reqire more support, the idea being that everyone can be included. Maybe there is something missing that bridges the gap between MATP and those who participate more competitively?
Dimitri would be in a similar situation to Charlie, he likes physical activity but is not competitive and would struggle with rules of the game - it has no meaning for him at this point.
As his new school has phys ed it may offer opportunities he has never had before. But I understand what you are talking about, there seem to be some discrepencies between the idea and the practice - it may purely depend on the group you join? I need to check more for what sort of activities Dimitri could participate in.
Just wanted to say ... this blog is fascinating. I used to live in Greece (Nea Smyrni) back in the '90s, long before I was married and had a child with a disability (autism). Your writing makes me look at my memories of Greece from a very different angle.
I have myself contacted special olympics (for everyday exercising, not the games) for kids when I was thinking of a way (apart from swimming) for Rikos to get exhausted :-). They would only admit kids older than 12 due to lack of personnel. Great article, Emma, thx a lot for the reference regarding Greece, Kristina.
netiimvzaviyos - Hi there, when I first came to Greece it just never occured to me how what at first appear as quirky cultural differences (crazy drivers and impassable pavements etc)would impact the lives of people with disabilites.
Obviously it was a big eye opener after my son arrived, but still for about 2 years I thought my inability to locate services was due to my not knowing the language....I thought, well there have to be schools - there can't not be - Greece is part of the EU after all.
You live and learn!!!!
Marilena - well maybe if things go well for the Special Olympics they may get more volunteers and staff so more children can take part (ah, the optimism is back - where does that come from?)
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