Paralympic Games 2012 Countdown!

Tomorrow, Saturday 11th February 2012, marks 200 days until the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. These games will see the largest ever team of British Paralympians competing for medals on the world stage.

The XIV Paralympic Games London 2012 will open on 29th August with a huge fanfare to mark the start of 11 days of intense competition that will bring together some of the world’s best disabled athletes in 20 sports across 15 different venues.

There will be 162 National Paralympic Committees overseeing 6,500 athletes and officials representing 160 countries. 1.5 million ticket holders will see 471 medal events transmitted worldwide by 6,000 media and broadcasters.

A story by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson reveals that the Paralympic Games have come a long way - in the 2000 Games in Sydney, she had to drag herself up a flight of stairs to undertake a drugs test because there was no disabled access. Unthinkable now surely.......

From the Opening Ceremony on 29th August 2012 to the Closing Ceremony on 9th September 2012, we are assured of seeing the most inclusive and accessible games ever. With the first ever fully “sold-out” games and increased television coverage both here in the UK and worldwide it is truly shaping up to be an exciting time.

Changes to Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

The proposed changes to the current disability benefit is once again in the headlines and the debate on the Welfare Reform Bill continues.

Recently the Government suffered defeats in the House of Lords and the debates have moved away from employment and support allowance (ESA - the income replacement benefit for people with work-limiting conditions) to disability living allowance (DLA).

In stark contrast to ESA, DLA is there to help with the extra costs people incur as a result of severe disability. Many of these relate to how independent a disabled person can be. As highlighted in my previous blogs, dramatic changes to DLA may well push many disabled people into poverty and hinder their independence. This action can only be seen as unjustified towards a “soft” target as disabled people do not always have a strong enough voice to challenge these changes but help may be at hand from a group of disabled activitists. Last week, they outlined in a Responsible Reform Report (Spartacus report) that the Government’s reform proposals are defined by a series of slapdash evidence and the containment of overpoweringly negative consultation.

There can be little doubt that the reforms to the DLA are instigated by the Governments’ aim to reduce the overall costs by some 20% as they have stated:-

"This measure will introduce an objective medical assessment and revised eligibility criteria for both new and existing working age claims for Disability Living Allowance to be rolled out from 2013/14. The assessment will follow a similar process to the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) used for claims to Employment and Support Allowance … Drawing on the evidence of the impact of WCA the central assumption of this policy is that it will result in a 20 per cent reduction in caseload and expenditure once fully rolled out."

Instead of trying to steamroller ahead with the reforms, the Government should consider putting the brakes on and re-assess its flawed approach to date.

It is my opinion that they need to concentrate on certain aspects:

* Look more closely at the independent review by Sir Malcolm Harrington which the Government commissioned. His report supported many of the criticisms previously voiced by disability organisations;

* Provide clear evidence that it has fully assessed the impact the reforms will make on all claimants;

* Ensure that any assessments are conducted by independent and suitably qualified experts to ensure a reasonable, just and fair system is in place;

* Conduct a full review and debate the relevant findings; and

* Somehow restore the confidence of disabled people in changes to the system.

The Government has been heavy handed in its approach so far to this reform and this has made disabled people uneasy and anxious.

As a disabled person, I am not against reform but we must ensure that the right safeguards are in place before any new system can be adopted.

Christmas Greetings

It is estimated that Santa will visit 842,000,000 homes this Christmas at a speed of 4,796,250 mph!

Hope he remembers your house and brings all your Christmas wishes!

All best wishes for the festive season.

Paralympic Games 2012- Wheelchair Basketball

Where: North Greenwich Arena; Olympic Park - Basketball Arena
When: Thursday 30 August – Saturday 8 September 2012
Medal events: 2
Athletes: 264 (144 men, 120 women; 12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams)

Wheelchair Basketball was developed by American World War II veterans as part of their rehabilitation programme, but its popularity soon spread around the world. Now played in more than 80 countries, it is one of the most dynamic on the Paralympic programme, and should draw large and enthusiastic crowds to the Basketball Arena and North Greenwich Arena during London 2012.

The Basics
The rules of Wheelchair Basketball are broadly similar to Basketball. The court is the same size, the basket is at the same height, and the scoring is identical: two points for a regular shot from open play, one point for each successful free throw and three points for a shot from distance (6.75m from the basket). Players move the ball around the court by passing or dribbling, and are required to throw or bounce the ball after every two pushes of the wheels on their chairs to avoid being penalised for travelling.

There are 12 players in each team, with no more than five on court. Every player is assigned a point value based on their functional ability, 1.0 to 4.5. During play, the total on-court point value for each team of five players cannot exceed 14.
Both the men’s and women’s tournaments begin with a round-robin – the 12 men’s teams divided into two groups of six teams, the 10 women’s teams divided into groups of five. The top four teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals, from which point the tournaments are played to a knockout format.

Wheelchair Basketball - Past & Present
Wheelchair Basketball featured at the first Games in Rome 1960, and has remained on the Paralympic programme ever since. The women’s competition was added at the Tel Aviv 1968 Games.

At London 2012, the Basketball competition will take place at two venues. The preliminary games will be split between the Basketball Arena, a new purpose-built venue in the Olympic Park, and the state-of-the-art North Greenwich Arena just across the Thames. All quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal games will take place at North Greenwich Arena.

Jargon Buster
Assist: A pass that leads directly to a basket scored by a teammate.
Downtown: The area outside the three-point line.
Shot clock: A timer measuring the length of time since the last shot. If the ball doesn’t touch the rim or pass through the net within 24 seconds, possession passes to the opposition.



Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012- Sitting Volleyball

Where: ExCeL
When: Thursday 30 Aug – Saturday 8 Sept 2012
Medal events: 2
Athletes: 198 (110 men, 88 women; 10 men's teams and 8 women's teams)

Sitting Volleyball emerged in the Netherlands in the 1950s, a combination of Volleyball and a German game called Sitzbal. It really began to increase in popularity during the 1960s, and has since grown into one of the most fast-paced and exciting Paralympic sports. Now played by athletes in more than 50 countries around the world, the sport should draw big crowds at London 2012.

The Basics
Sitting Volleyball is played by two teams of six on a 10m x 6m indoor court divided by a net (1.15m high for men, 1.05m for women). The object of the game is to land the ball in the opposition’s half of the court, with each team allowed three touches of the ball (in addition to a legal block) before it must cross over the net.

Matches are the best of five sets, with the first four sets played as the first to 25points; if a fifth set is necessary, it is won by the first team to reach 15 points. In all sets, a margin of at least two points is required for victory.

At London 2012, both the men’s and women’s events will begin with a round-robin group stage: the 10 men’s teams will be divided into two groups of five teams, with the eight women’s teams divided into groups of four. In the men’s competition, the top four teams in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, from which point the competition will be conducted to a knockout format. For the women’s event, the top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, with the winning semi-finalists then facing off for the gold.

Sitting Volleyball – Past & Present
Sitting Volleyball made its debut as a Paralympic medal sport at the Arnhem 1980 Games. A women’s event was added to the Paralympic programme in 2004.

At London 2012, the Sitting Volleyball competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Paralympic and Olympic sports.

Jargon Buster
Block: Preventing the attacking ball to come over the net by forming a ‘wall’ of hands at the net.
Dig: A defensive passing shot from close to the ground.
Setter: The player who ‘sets’ the ball for the attacker, usually on the second of the team’s three permitted shots.
Wipe: To return the ball off an opposing block so it lands out of bound




Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012- Table Tennis

Where ExCeL
When: Thursday 30 August – Saturday 8 September 2012
Medal Events: 29
Athletes: 276 (174 men, 102 women)

Table Tennis has come a long way from its origins in the late nineteenth century, when it developed as an after-dinner game played by upper-class English families. A permanent part of the Paralympic programme since the first Games in 1960, the sport blends power, speed, skill and subtlety – no wonder it is the biggest participation sport in the world.

The Basics
Table Tennis is based on the same basic principles as Tennis, but it has a very different scoring system. At the Paralympic Games, matches are played over the best of five games, with the first player to 11 points (by a margin of two clear points) winning each game. The programme includes individual and team events for both standing players and wheelchair athletes.

At London 2012, all individual events will begin with a group qualification stage followed by a knockout competition, with athletes progressing through the draw until the finals. The team events will be conducted according to a direct knockout format.

A total of 11 different classifications are used in Table Tennis at the Paralympic Games. Classes 1-5 cover wheelchair athletes, classes 6-10 cover standing athletes, and class 11 covers athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Paralympic Table Tennis – Past & Present
Table Tennis has been part of the Paralympic programme since the first Games at Rome in 1960 (28 years before the sport made its Olympic debut). Events for standing players were first included at the Toronto 1976 Games, while athletes with cerebral palsy took part for the first time at Moscow in 1980.

At London 2012, the Table Tennis competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Paralympic and Olympic sports.

Jargon Buster
Blade: The flat, rigid part of the racket used for striking the ball.
Loop: An attacking shot, often played with plenty of topspin.
Penhold: A type of grip where the racket is held as if it was a pen.
Let: As well as service lets (similar to Tennis), a let may be called if play is interrupted – for example, by a ball from another table entering the playing area. If this happens, the rally is replayed.
Time-out: Each player may claim a time-out of up to one minute during an individual match.



Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com

Paralympic Games 2012- Swimming

Where: Olympic Park - Aquatics Centre

When: Thursday 30th Aug – Saturday 8th Sept 2012

Medal Events: 148
Athletes: 600 (350 men, 250 women)

Evidence of people swimming for sport dates back all the way back to Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Greek times, and it is now a hugely popular activity all over the world. With 600 swimmers competing in nearly 150 medal events across 10 days in the beautiful new Aquatics Centre, the Swimming competition at the Paralympic Games promises plenty of excitement.

The Basics
Four strokes are used in Paralympic competition: Freestyle (essentially front crawl), Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. All four strokes feature in the Medley Relay and 200m Individual Medley events; in addition, all of them except Butterfly feature in the 150m Individual Medley events for certain classifications. Races take place in a 50m pool, and may be started in a number of ways: from a standing start; using a dive start from a sitting position on the starting platform; and from within the water.

Swimmers are classified according to how their impairment affects their ability to perform each stroke. Classification numbers 1-10 cover athletes with physical impairments, with class 1 swimmers’ impairment having the greatest impact on their ability to perform strokes, through to class 10 swimmers’ impairment having the least impact. Athletes with a visual impairment compete in classes 11-13, with class 11 having little or no sight, through to class 13 having limited sight. Athletes with an intellectual impairment compete in class 14.

Breaststroke uses greater leg propulsion than any other stroke, therefore athletes with a physical impairment often have a different class for this event compared to Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly. This is also taken into account when athletes compete in the Individual Medley. This is shown by the prefix:

• S before the class represents Freestyle, Backstroke and Butterfly • SB before the class represents Breaststroke
• SM before the class represents Individual Medley

Paralympic Swimming - Past & Present
Swimming is one of the few sports to have featured at every Paralympic Games since 1960, and remains one of the most popular on the Paralympic programme. At London 2012, the Swimming events will be held at the dazzling new Aquatics Centre, built especially for the Games in the Olympic Park.

Jargon Buster
Medley: A combination event in which a swimmer or team swims separate legs of backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.

Classification: Provides a structure for competition, whereby athletes with disabilities are grouped in classes defined by the degree of function presented by the disability.

Tapper: A ‘tapper’ may be required by a swimmer with a visual impairment to indicate that that they are approaching the end of the pool.





Courtesy of http://www.london2012.com