Language and the Paralympics

It feels like another sports movement is having a moment this year.

The hype for the Paris Paralympics is everywhere – at least on my social media feed. While competition has just begun, there are already lessons to be learned and reinforced for communicators of all stripes who are working to build a more inclusive and diverse sports world.

Language Matters. Athletes and organizations are flooding social media with engaging content to provide both education and entertainment. The campaign “I am not participating in the Paralympics” highlights that athletes are competing – not participating. There is a space to celebrate participation and growing athletic opportunities for athletes with disabilities, but this, my friends, is the Paralympics. These are elite athletes competing for Olympic medals – and sponsorship dollars.

While we’re at it, let’s talk about the term “Paralympics” and what the “para” stands for. A popular conception, and one that I admit to having, is that it’s related to the word “paralyzed” and ties back to physical abilities. Not so much. It derives from the Greek word “para” which means “beside or alongside” as these Games run parallel to the Olympics and that two movements exist side by side.

Investment Matters. Part of the hype comes from the meta media stories about the media coverage of the Paralympics. NBC will broadcast 140 hours of Paris Paralympic coverage while its 1,500 hours of live coverage on Peacock represents the most streaming hours ever for a Paralympics. The network also reported a record number of advertisers for the Paris Paralympics and a 60 percent increase in sales from Tokyo.

Quantity of coverage is great, but what about quality? Again, the network appears to be investing here with a record 25 Paralympic commentators with three of those former Paralympic athletes making their NBC debut. (For a great overview of NBC at the Paralympics, see this piece in The Athletic by Richard Deitsch.)

Media coverage is often a circular argument. Outlets will cover sports that people want to watch and read about (eyeballs after all drive revenue streams), but it’s nearly impossible for fans to discover your sport if it’s not regularly broadcast or part of your daily sports media diet.

Social media and streaming platforms have provided ways for "non-mainstream" sports to reach and develop their fan base, which in turns piques the interest of traditional media conglomerates. More coverage means more conversations with athletes, sponsors, and brands who are looking for genuine ways to connect with their audience and communicate their core messages.

Engaging Matters. Follow. Like. Share. The advice may be old, but it’s still a tangible way to amplify the amazing stories and performances of Paralympic athletes.

Want to show your support of the Paralympic athletes, but you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing? Two-time American Paralympian Dani Aravich has some advice, posting on Threads:

?My biggest worry about the internet not latching onto the Paralympics is the potential fear of saying something ‘wrong’ or ‘offensive’ when it comes to disability… well I as a 2x Paralympian am here to dismantle that fear!!! POST ABOUT IT, ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, DONT WORRY ABOUT SAYING THE WRONG THING!! Make memes about the funny moments, the sad moments, the moments of triumph- just as you did for the Olympics.

Let sincerity and curiosity be your guides. If we’ve learned anything from watching both Olympians and Paralympians, it’s that we become our best selves when see our fears, and chose to engage anyways.