It is true that the Paralympics do not get the news coverage they deserve, but many sports do not.
While I agree that paralympians deserve more exposure, your idea raises several practical issues. Most of the Paralympic events are at the same venues as Olympic sports. Many of these have to be re-configured after the Olympics in order to maximise accessibility for Paralympic athletes.
Additionally, Paralympic athletes stay in the same Athletes Village used for the Olympics. Again alot of work is done to make the rooms and facilities accessible.
Adding the Paralympics would increase the number of athletes by 40%. London is expecting 10,500 athletes for the Olympics, and 4,200 for the Paralympics. Combining the two would require organisers to provide significantly more housing and facilities.
Finally, a four week gap between the opening and closing ceremonies would likely cause many athletes to skip one or the other. If your competition is held in the first week, would you really want to hang around for another 3 weeks?
Combining them into the Olympics would likely result in them getting even less attention.
It would also mean that the athletes' village would have to be much bigger than it normally is, as they'd have to house everyone in the Olympics and Paralympics at the same time. As things are t the moment the Olympians clear out and make room for the Paralympians, so much less room is needed.
No the Paralympic athlete need a time to shine in the spot light. The media will not show any of the Paralympic if it was on at the some time. The Paralympic athlete are amazing. I watched Road to London 6 Australian Athlete 3 Olympic and 3 Paralympic athlete. A great show. I also saw inside incredible athlete that looked at English Paralympic athletes from an athlete and sciences point of view. From A cerebral palsy swimmer, who could do breaststroke but not freestyle because one side of her brain could control both side when doing the same movement, to blade runners with one blade and one normal leg, to blind soccer player and 4 player on a team wear blindfolds and the keeper is sight, to equestrain, to quad rugby player. Of how these athlete do thier sports.
In Australia we had them broadcast mostly on ABC since 1992. The hours have increased. Other countries are doing the same. This year the IPC will broadcast the Paralympic so everyone can watch them online even if their country isn't.
I went to Sydney to see the Paralympic live.
The other thing is where they stay like other have mention. Basketball, wheelchair rugby are played on the basketball course same size. Paralympic soccer is played on the hockey field, tennis on the tennis course, swimming in the same pool and track on the same track and cycling on the velodome so it it will be hard to do on a world event scale. it work having able and a few Paralympic athlete at the commonwealth games because it is smaller but even then they don't have team sport for Para athletes. Or at event where there just one sport like track cycling they also have Para cycling races.
Plus I like watching both Olympic and Paralympics
Thats a good idea
I didn't even know the Paralympics occured until 2 weeks ago
NOOOOOO
when I watch the olympics, I want to see the best of the best... not the best of the disabled.
Don't dilute awesomeness with not awesomeness..
I feel that paralympians don't really get the attention that they deserve. Once the main games have finished, the media and the spectators don't usually stick around to watch the paralympics. If we were to combine the two games into one, that would mean we would need to extend the games by two weeks (4 in total). Events would still be able-bodied athletics vs able-bodied athletics and paralympians vs paralympians. What do you think?
