[Closed] Paralympic medals table. Surely USA should be romping it?

why would a country with a woeful record of healthcare provision offer

the best opportunities for its disabled athletes to do well

is the obvious question.

they're not interested in the Paralympics.Michael Johnson article in the Times today said that there was no major tv coverage,NBC are going to show a highlights.

Green machine is fifteenth

I'll admit to being disappointed on opening this thread only to find that the punchline in my head was conspicuous by its absence.....

Opportunity to slate the US = lost forever.

There seems to be a lot of adulation for physical strength and might in the US. Disabled people aren't as mighty as able bodied people, so who the hell would want to watch a load of people running more slowly or throwing less far.

Am not critiseing the USA, I don't think they get it, they do winners only (collectively). Having said that you'd think that anyone who succeeds in the way many have done this Paralympics it would be an easy sell for tv. Supose that the bunch of rich, old white tv exec think it will not sell advertising. Bet there will be more support for it come Brasil (just), given that their Olympic coverage is woeful the
The other thing about the US is that many sports are supported by the college system and some sports would not exist without that system (unlike UK). This could be making it difficult for para sport.

They have a funny attitude towards sport. If say an NFL team are doing poorly the fans stop going. NFL teams can up sticks and move to a different city. The very idea is anathema to most British football fans I reckon. The fact that your team is YOUR team is the point, regardless of how crap they are.

I was going to start a similar thread. Initially I thought it was symptomatic of attitudes to social care. But that doesn't explain why China is so far ahead (perhaps propaganda funding) or why Russia is doing so well.
I've just come back from the US and Russia, didn't see the Paralympics any US channels (and there was lots), did see it in Russia. 2 channels of the US open tennis in both countries.

I had been wondering the same myself too.

molgrips - Member
They have a funny attitude towards sport. If say an NFL team are doing poorly the fans stop going.

Got any evidence to back up that generality you've cited there? Almost every soccer team which gets relegated sees attendances fall in England.

No, just anecdotal. I've seen stands empty during the course of a game though simply because one side was losing fairly badly.

Why do people continue to support say, Hereford United?

1481 supported them at their last home game.

Yet teams like Leeds get better attendances than many Premiership teams...

Well having seen first hand how the US generally treat anyone who doesn't conform to their idealistic view of the world I'm not surprised if the paralympics haven't got the level of support we would expect. However I think the other thing to understand is that the US government doesn't directly fund any Olympic athlete, (in either the olympics or paralympics). They get money from the TV rights which is then passed on, but there is no "tax" money issued to athletes. Corporate sponsors and private donors are a big part of the funding over there. BUT that is a catch 22 - inevitably publicity helps raise funds but without funds gaining profile is very hard.

I am surprised though, that given the number of amputee servicemen in recent years, and the strong US support for its armed forces, that there hasn't been more opportunity there. The US is generally ahead of the UK in terms of prosthetics for injured servicemen and of course they are generally very fit etc.

why would a country with a woeful record of healthcare provision offer

the best opportunities for its disabled athletes to do well
is the obvious question.