Life to Live

The history of people with disabilities in Australia - 100 years

A resource guide prepared by: Disability Services Australia Ltd

Sport


Sport is an important leisure activity for many Australians as either a recreational or competitive activity. Socially, it is a means of entertainment and enjoyment, as well as a way to meet new people and form friendships.

Various local sporting programs have been designed specifically for people with disabilities - the main focus being the health, recreational and social benefits of sport.

In addition, there are many opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sporting competitions and events both nationally and internationally.

Paralympic Games

Australia was fortunate to host the Paralympic Games in 2000. Following closely from the Olympic Games in Sydney, the Paralympic Games provided a unique opportunity for Australians to celebrate the diversity which exists among our sporting population, which includes people with disabilities.

The Paralympic games have their beginnings in England in 1948. Sir Ludwig Guttmann had organised a sporting competition for World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. The "Games for People with Spinal Injuries" had been planned to coincide with the London Olympic Games of that year. In 1952, athletes from Holland joined the competition, and the basis for the Paralympic Games as an international event was established.

The first official Summer Paralympic Games for elite athletes were held in Rome in 1960, with 400 participating wheelchair athletes from 23 countries. Australia was among the nations represented. In 1976, the range of Paralympic sports expanded to include events for blind or partially sighted athletes and amputee athletes. In 1984, athletes with Cerebral Palsy participated in the Games, and in 1996, events for athletes with intellectual disabilities were included for the first time.

In October 2000, Sydney welcomed over 4000 athletes from 123 countries to the Paralympic Games. Competing against elite athletes from all around the world, the Australian Paralympic team won a total of 149 medals - more than any other participating country. Paralympic sports at the Sydney games included archery, athletics, basketball, boccia, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, goalball, judo, powerlifting, rugby, sailing, shooting, swimming, tennis, table tennis, and volleyball.

The Australian Paralympic Committee is responsible for co-ordinating Australia's participation at both the Summer Paralympic Games and the Winter Paralympic Games. Sports for the winter games include alpine skiing, bobsleigh, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, ski jumping, speed skating and snowboarding.


Special Olympics

Unlike the Paralympics, the Special Olympics are not designed for elite athletes with disabilities. The Special Olympics are a year round training program and competition for people with an intellectual disability through which they can enjoy a variety of sporting activities, gain self-confidence and make new friends. The program is about providing opportunity for everyone irrespective of their level of ability.

Around 2000 athletes participate in 39 regions throughout Australia. Once every 4 years National and International Games are held in several sports.

The Special Olympics were founded by Eunice Kennedy-Shriver, sister of former US President John F Kennedy. She organised the first International Special Olympics Games in Chicago in 1968 in order to celebrate the sporting achievements of people with an intellectual disability. Today, more than 1 million people from 150 countries actively participate in Special Olympics.

Australia first became involved in the Special Olympics in 1976 when programs were established in Launceston Tas, Kempsey NSW and Melbourne Vic. Today the program runs in all States plus the ACT.

National Sporting Bodies

Active Australia - Australian Sports Commission
Active Australia, as part of the Australian Sports Commission, promotes the benefits of a physically active lifestyle for all Australians, including people with disabilities. It operates a Disability Education Program to assist teachers and community leaders to run sport and outdoor recreational programs for people with disabilities within schools, clubs and local communities.

Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport offers a coaching program for elite athletes with disabilities. The first scholarship was awarded in 1989. Today, the Institute assists up to 30 world-class athletes and works in association with the Australian Paralympic Committee.

Australian Sport and Recreation Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (AUSRAPID)
AUSRAPID is the national sporting body which promotes equal access to sport and recreational programs for people with intellectual disabilities. Each State operates a Division of AUSRAPID which liaises with the national association and other sporting bodies.

Australian Sports Organisation for the Disabled
Formerly the Amputee Federation of Australia, the Australian Sports Organisation for the Disabled was established in 1981 for elite athletes with amputations. Since then, the organisation has expanded to include elite athletes with other physical disabilities.

Australian Blind Sports Federation
The Australian Blind Sports Federation coordinates competitive sports for people who are blind or who have a vision impairment. In June 2001, it held its 20th National Championships in Adelaide. Sports include athletics, swimming and power lifting.

Australian Deaf Sports Federation
Interstate Deaf sporting carnivals have been held in capital cities since the early 1900s. In 1954, the Australian Deaf Sports Federation was formed to coordinate interstate sporting competitions as well as Australia's participation at an international level.

Wheelchair Sports Australia
Wheelchair Sports Australia is the national representative for various wheelchair sports in Australia including athletics, archery, shooting, basketball, swimming, tennis, rugby, table tennis and powerlifting. Australians have been actively involved in national and international wheelchair sporting competitions and championships since the 1960s.

Disabled Wintersports Australia
With the assistance of Disabled Wintersports Australia and its State-based associations, thousands of people with disabilities are now able to enjoy winter sporting activities. The organisation provides access to these sports through a high level of instruction and the availability of specially adapted sporting equipment. It also provides assistance to enable elite athletes to compete at both a national and international level.

Cerebral Palsy - Australian Sport and Recreation Federation
Founded in 1987, the Federation is represented in every State and Territory of Australia. It provides opportunities for people with Cerebral Palsy to participate in 14 different competitive sports, as well as other recreational activities.

Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia
Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia was established in 1964 and now operates through 135 centres across Australia.

Around 5,000 riders enjoy a range of activities including trail and Western riding, carriage driving and dressage. The benefits include active participation in sport, enjoyment of recreational and social activities, as well as therapy.

In addition to improved health through exercise, riders acquire self-confidence through learning to ride and by interacting with others in a variety of situations. Special relationships develop between riders and horses as they learn to communicate with each other, and as the rider develops an interest in the care of the animal.

Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia is affiliated with similar organisations in other countries and works closely with the International Paralympic Equestrian Committee, the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International and the Pony Club movement.

To learn more, visit their website at www.rda.org.au

A History of Athletes

Frank Ponta - Wheelchair Sports
* Together with Bill Mather-Brown, won gold in fencing at the 1957 Stoke Mandeville Games
* Part of the Australian team at the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960 winning two silver medals for field events.
* Competed in three Paralympic Games winning a total of 4 medals - one gold, two silver and one bronze medal.
* One of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Ross Sutton - Archery
* Part of the Australian team at the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960.
* Was the first Australian to win a Paralympic gold medal (archery).

Daphne Ceeney- Archery, Swimming and Field Events
* Part of the Australian team at the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960; the sole female member of the team and the most successful Australian competitor, winning two gold, three silver and one bronze medal.

Elizabeth Edmondson - Swimmer
* Australian team member at the 1964 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, at the age of 14; won three gold medals in one night, breaking three world records.

Roy Fowler - Swimming, Field Events, Table Tennis and Archery
* Competed in seven paralympic games winning eight gold and two silver medals.
* First Paralympic participation was at Tokyo in 1964.
* Went on to win nine Australian wheelchair singles titles in lawn bowls.
* Has won a total of 96 medals in wheelchair sport at a national and international level.

Tracey Freeman - Wheelchair Sprint, Field Events, Slalom
* Was the most successful athlete at the Heidelberg Paralympic Games in 1972. Won gold medals for discus, javelin and shotput and silver medals for the 60m sprint and slalom.

Vic Renalson - Powerlifting, Discus and Javelin
* At the Heidelberg Paralympic Games in 1972, he won a gold medal for a lift of 195kg, a silver medal in discus, and a bronze in javelin.
* Represented Australia in four Paralympic Games, winning a total of five gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Libby Kosmala - Swimming and Shooting
* Represented Australia in eight Paralympic Games - 1972 (bronze medal in swimming), 1976 (gold medal in shooting), 1980 (one gold and two silver medals), 1984 (four gold medals), 1988 (three gold medals and one silver medal), 1992, 1996 and 2000 Paralympic Games.


Ron Finneran - Skiing
* Current president of Disabled Wintersport Australia
* Was instrumental in Australia's involvement in Paralympic winter sports.
* Participated the winter Paralympic Games in 1976 in Sweden where he was Australia's only representative.
* Was team manager at the 1980 winter Paralympic Games in Norway.

Eric Russell - Field Events
* Australian Paralympic team member at Toronto (Canada) in 1976 and Arnheim (Holland) in 1980.
* During a 20 year athletic career, he won 26 international gold medals and set 14 records in shotput, discus and javelin.

Michael Milton - Alpine Skiing
* Competed in the 1998 winter Paralympic Games in Austria.
* The first Australian to win a gold medal at a winter Olympics or Paralympics - at the Albertville Winter Paralympic Games in 1992. He went on to win silver in the super giant slalom.
* Won the slalom in the 1992 Austrian championships.
* Won the slalom and super giant slalom at the 1993 Columbia Crest Cup.

Joseph Walker - Swimming
* Competed in 9 swimming events at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Madrid (Spain), winning nine gold medals and setting two world records.

Louise Sauvage - Wheelchair Track and Road Events
* Triple gold medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics for 100m, 200m and 400m wheelchair track events; won silver in the 800m; finished sixth in the marathon.
* Won a gold medal in the 800m at the World Track and Field Championships.
* Won an astounding 37 races in 1997.
* Won five gold medals at the IPC World Athletics Championships in 1998.
* Won two gold medals and one silver medal at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney.
* Was named Paralympian of the Year in 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1998

Lisa Llorens - Athletics
* Won silver medals in the long jump and 200m at the 1994 IPC World Athletics Championships.
* Won 3 gold medals at the 1998 world championships in England for 100m, long jump and high jump.
* Won 3 gold medals and one silver medal at the 2000 Paralympic Games.

Kingsley Bugarin - Swimming
* Participated in the 2000 Paralympic Games winning two gold medals in swimming.

Neil Fuller - Athletics
* An amputee sprinter who won four gold medals at 2000 Paralympic Games.

Greg Smith - Athletics
* Participated in wheelchair athletics events at the 2000 Paralympic Games, winning three gold medals.

Siobhan Paton - Swimming
* Won six gold medals in swimming at the 2000 Paralympic Games.
* Was named 2000 Paralympian of the Year.

Priya Cooper - Swimming
* Won five gold medals at the 1994 World Swimming Championships for the Disabled.
* At the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta she won four individual gold medals and one team gold medal, as well as one silver and one bronze medal.
* Won one gold and one bonze medal at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney.


Discussion and Further Reading

Questions to Explore in Class
1. What are the physical and social benefits of sport?

2. How did the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games help to increase awareness about people with disabilities?


Creative Ideas

* Find out about Special Olympics programs in your region.

* Learn about Riding for the Disabled in your local area.

* Write a story about one of the Australian Paralympic team members.



Further Reading

Special Olympics: The First 25 Years - by Ana Bueno

Paralympics: Where Heroes Come - by Robert D. Steadward and Cynthia J. Peterson