http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/33499673

why is disabled sport ignored so much?
These guys were amazing athletes that should IMO be celebrated much more.

Indeed.

More than wins – wins again!…. 😀

It’s not as exciting, probably due to the huge difference in the level of competition. What do wheelchair tennis players number in the world? Perhaps 1% of the total? If that. So logically thinking, winning the wheelchair final means much less.

Seen a bit of wheelchair tennis. Gosh is was dull. Fairly incredible being able to play from a chair and all that but in terms of spectator sport once you get past the ‘they are doing it in a chair’ bit (and if it wants to be compared on an equal footing to able bodied spectator sport it has to get past getting a sympathy vote/freak show tag), it’s on a par with watching two able bodied 8 year olds playing. And no one does that unless they have to either.

Watch it on bbc2 now. Its no duller than full bodied.
The point is, nobody cares that these girls won wimbledon. Happy talky scot guy hits a ball and its on every newspaper, tv news bulletin, whatever.

Seen a bit of wheelchair tennis. Gosh is was dull. Fairly incredible being able to play from a chair and all that but in terms of spectator sport once you get past the ‘they are doing it in a chair’ bit (and if it wants to be compared on an equal footing to able bodied spectator sport it has to get past getting a sympathy vote/freak show tag), it’s on a par with watching two able bodied 8 year olds playing

Don’t know about the ladies but I saw some of the mens and I was impressed by the overall quality of the play, in particular the touch and athleticism of the players and the complexity of some of the points. I don’t know where the above poster watches 8 year old tennis, but if I was him I’d be down the bookies straight away as some of the 8 year olds he’s watching are going to be winning majors very soon..

Its no duller than full bodied.

Yes it is. Lots.

The point is, nobody cares that these girls won wimbledon. Happy talky scot guy hits a ball and its on every newspaper, tv news bulletin, whatever.

The point is able bodied (even by monotone scots) professional tennis is a spectator sport enjoyed and followed by millions because they find it exciting to watch. Wheelchair tennis isn’t. No one watches me plod around on a bike and I’m fine with that as middle aged duffer biking isn’t a sport worth watching either. Great to participate in but dull to watch.

If you want to watch it, then watch it. Personally I don’t regard watching sport as some sort of social obligation.

I don’t know where the above poster watches 8 year old tennis, but if I was him I’d be down the bookies straight away as some of the 8 year olds he’s watching are going to be winning majors very soon..

Here is the gold medal match from the 2012 Olympics:-
[video]https://youtu.be/tHSdARC7wxk[/video]

I’m sorry, tell me you can’t differentiate that match in terms of spectator experience with the mens final today. My hotel room last week overlooked a tennis court. As a spectator experience watching the junior tournament at the end of the week was a much, much better.

Declaration….. I’m not anti para sport – in fact I acted as a guide for a blind triathlete and have a european gold medal upstairs for my troubles. I get para sport and I’m glad it exists but appreciate it is not always a spectator sport and so do many of the competitors.

Watched that clip. Zzzzzzzz….

Even woman’s tennis is better.

The point is, nobody cares that these girls won wimbledon.

Some people care, but like the vast majority of sports, not enough care to make it newsworthy.

Isn’t that so sad. If they were able bodied they would be adored. But, as you say, not many care.
Discrimination is so strong in today’s society if you don’t conform to “normal”.

That is so far from the mark that I don’t know where to start. Kudos to them for overcoming disability, but don’t try and guilt me into feeling I have to watch it.

Sport is about the pinacle of physical ability (cricket/darts/snooker excepted) and it is in comparison to disabled poeple, but that doesnt mean it is as enthralling in comparison to able bodied sport and must be watched.

It isn’t discrimination. It is the fact that sport on TV is about entertainment. Wheelchair tennis isn’t as entertaining. It isn’t as fast, it isn’t as athletic, it just isn’t as good. Therefore people aren’t that interested in watching. That is their choice.

Isn’t that so sad. If they were able bodied they would be adored. But, as you say, not many care.
Discrimination is so strong in today’s society if you don’t conform to “normal”.

The para athletes I know would find you a bit patronising tbh. Very happily we are beyond having to pretend that para and able bodied are equal and deserve equal billing. Para sport can stand up for itself (well not always! That’s the other thing I learnt- para athletes often have the most innapropriate humour!) and dosnt need ‘PC’ belittling like that any more. All the para athletes I have spent time with want is an opportunity to participate and have an elite level to progress into if they were good enough. As intelligent human beings they are perfectly capable of appreciating their sport for what it is- minority. Minority both in terms of numbers of participants and spectator appeal. And there is nothing wrong in that; it’ll get minority press coverage and therefore public awareness like every other minority sport.

Isn’t that so sad. If they were able bodied they would be adored. But, as you say, not many care.
Discrimination is so strong in today’s society if you don’t conform to “normal”.

Nonsense…

people don’t care as its not very exciting, just like people wouldn’t want to watch you and your chums mince down a trail centre on a sunday afternoon.

Its got nothing to do with ‘discrimination’. Theres plenty of able bodied sports that no one cares about either, and as such they get very few column inches.

edit…this

The para athletes I know would find you a bit patronising tbh. Very happily we are beyond having to pretend that para and able bodied are equal and deserve equal billing. Para sport can stand up for itself (well not always! That’s the other thing I learnt para athletes have the most innapropriate humour!) and dosnt need ‘PC’ belittling like that any more. All the para athletes I have spent time with want is an opportunity to participate and have an elite level to progress into if they were good enough. As intelligent human beings they are perfectly capable of appreciating their sport for what it is- minority. Minority both in terms of numbers of participants and spectator appeal. And there is nothing wrong in that; it’ll get minority press coverage and therefore public awareness like every other minority sport.

My cousin

http://www.adamkellerman.com/adam.html

This is Wimbledon. One of the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.
They won.
And hardly anyone gives a damn.
I find that strange but what do I know?

iolo – Member
Watch it on bbc2 now. Its no duller than full bodied.

So it’s obviously getting mainstream media coverage of some sort – it’s also very easy to find on the BBC website. (2nd news item down in the tennis section. )

Did the general population raise a collective hurrah when Rachel Atherton won at Fort Bill last month, surely a race that for MTBers means as much as Wimbledon to UK tennis players?

Probably because he’s not a Migrant escaping torture in a worn torn Country and wanting to be British.
Wouldn’t mind it looks more harder than playing on Two feet,

One of the most prestigious tournaments in the world for a sport which doesn’t even get any coverage at all at any of the other tournaments, it’s that mainstream. I’m very pleased for them, but find it hard to get excited about every single sport somebody British does well in.

I follow wheelchair tennis with the same avid enthusiasm as I do visually-impaired hockey, or Formula 2.

Well done the wheelchair tennis-ists. But if you’re denouncing me for not caring, I’m going to shrug vaguely. Sorry.

🙂

2 brits became Word Champions (one a multiple world champ) in Norway last summer, Brits dominating Downhill gets about 1/4 page on BBC sport.
Most of the road cyclists who have won stuff could walk down any high street and not be spotted or recognised.

If it’s not main stream it’s not going to get the coverage.

These guys were amazing athletes that should IMO be celebrated much more.

Celebrated because? It’s a very strange thing telling people how they should react, if they played it out on centre court and filled the stadium with people to celebrate them would it be good or patronising?

This is Wimbledon. One of the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.
They won.
And hardly anyone gives a damn.
I find that strange but what do I know?

If it helps, I couldn’t tell you who won any of the tennis at Wimbledon this year.

This is Wimbledon. One of the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.
They won

Can you name Jamie Murrays partner when he won Wimbledon? Who was the recent British winner at the juniors? Both were on the tele. In fact without clicking the link can you name the wheelchair athletes? Quite a few people cared but its not the same as the headline acts.

I’m kind of with with Paulosoxo on this.

I find the whole sport, in all its forms as dull as dishwater*.

No offence to the tastes of those that like it, it’s horses for courses and all that.

Actually, does anybody remember that browser plug in that blocked all mention of the Royal baby.

Is there an equivalent for tennis/golf/football/rugby/and cricket?

I’d rather just see blank spaces tbh. If I’m going to waste my life gorming mindlessly at a screen. I could at least tone the the dross a little.

I’d rather just see blank spaces tbh. If I’m going to waste my life gorming mindlessly at a screen. I could at least tone the the dross a little.

But yet they click…

“I just came here to tell you how much I don’t care about the subject you are discussing LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME”

visually impaired Formula 2

NOW I’m interested.

Happy talky scot guy hits a ball and its on every newspaper, tv news bulletin, whatever.

The wheelchair athletes may be fantastic but that doesn’t reduce Murray’s achievements (or anyone else in top level sport!). Make your point, but there’s no need to be a miserable git about everything else!

I just came here to tell you how much I don’t care about the subject you are discussing LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME

Not at all. I just clicked the link to find out which Brit had won in the tennis.

Strangely, I still don’t know because the link above took me to a generic tennis page and I got bored of looking. If it had been a ‘tennis today – Caution Spoilers’ type thread. I wouldn’t have bothered clicking in the first place.

Meh. Lots of competitions get overlooked by the media. I’ll leave this here since England won the cup and I bet very very few of you will know (unless you picked up on the minister who flew to Budapest instead of Bucharest): http://www.dwc-uk.com