- Wheelchair athlete competes in seventh Paralympic Games
- It has revealed frustrating conditions for athletes
- He wants athletes to have more participation in the run-up to the Brisbane Games
Australian wheelchair racer Angie Ballard has warned competition organisers ahead of Brisbane hosting the 2032 Paralympic Games.
The veteran Australian is leading the Paralympic team in Paris after making her Paralympic debut in Sydney in 2000 and becoming world champion at the Athens Games in 2004.
Ballard, who has collected eight medals from seven Games, finished sixth in her 400m T53 race.
But Ballard was left frustrated by Paris 2024 bosses for failing to consider the needs of para-athletes.
“There is no need to add anything afterwards, there is no need to make exceptions,” he said in an impassioned interview at the Stade de France.
‘I don’t have to make 57 right turns around here, which is not good for me.
‘I don’t have to drive on rough surfaces with my expensive tires that could blow out at any moment.
‘There are all these things that, if you’re designed for that in mind from the beginning, then everyone is welcome, everyone is included and everyone can perform at their best, and that’s how it should be.
“We are here to act, not to show you how we can survive that challenge.”
Australian wheelchair racer Angie Ballard is at her seventh Paralympic Games and has described the frustrations felt by athletes.
Ballard wants athletes to have a greater say in organising future Paralympic Games
The Australian team co-captain revealed that during preparation for Thursday’s 400-metre race, wheelchair athletes were only given three lanes to warm up.
“I just want to point out that a lot of decisions are made around international Paralympics and athletics at home by people who don’t really take into account the performance of what we’re doing,” he said.
‘I think you need more people with first-hand experience in having and being part of those conversations, former athletes, former coaches.
“Anyone with lived experience is the best, but you can’t get a one-size-fits-all answer about disability or sport.”
Wheelchair athletes have also noted throughout the Games that the stadium layout at several venues (particularly the narrow corridors of the Stade de France) is a challenge to navigate.
Ballard insisted his frustrations were not a result of his own T53 classification.
“I would love to see the day when all different classes are supported to perform at their best,” she said.
“This means different things for different categories. Some of our quadriplegic athletes cannot sweat, so putting them on in the heat of the day can compromise their performance.
‘The same goes for if you have to take a long walk for some of our 30-year-olds (athletes classified in that range) who have coordination problems, that’s going to affect performance.’