With the 2016
Summer Olympics approaching, Golf has returned to the Olympic games (Rio, 2016).
Although, my client will not have the opportunity to participate because, Golf
has never appeared in the Paralympics (Rio, 2016). I am representing my client
James Gribble who has been an avid golfer throughout his lifetime, until he
faced a life altering injury, which left him to be a quadriplegic. My client’s
injury however does not stop him from doing what he loves. Mr. Gribble’s
passion for sport has grown tremendously by having this impairment, which has
led him to become an advocate for socially just representation of athletes with
disabilities. However, what frustrates my client the most is the
misrepresentation and narratives around impaired athletes in commercials and
the media.
There is a
perpetuated belief that the mass media publicizes people with impairments as
passive, depend recipients on charity and care, reinforcing their status as a
minority group (Thomas & Smith, 2003). If one were to watch the Paralympic
Games they would be surprised how athletic and competitive these athletes are. However
the media and different media outlets reinforce this habitus and social
perception that a person’s identity is shaped by their able-bodiedness (Purdue
& Howe, 2012). The media reinforces these social perceptions through
commentary and sports reporting by describing the heart-breaking tragedies and
feel-good stories about the athletes overcoming their disability, which makes their
high athletic performances subordinate to their impairment (Hinds, 2000,
p.80). Many elite athletes have been
interviewed about participating in the Paralympics and that as athletes they
wish to be recognized as athletes. These athletes should have the right to
depict how they want to be recognized. However the media holds the power over
how athletes and sport are portrayed in the media.
In the ways that the media publicizes the stories
of the impaired athletes we tend to see more often the athletes who have
physicality impairment such as amputees in commercials and media coverage. One
reason why we see more athletes with physicality impairments in advertisements
and commercials is because they have the closest resemblance to the ‘normal’
able-body athlete due to prosthetics.
The sport ethic continues to reinforce what real athletes should be and
look like (Hughes & Coakley, 1991). Where
as, we tend to see fewer athletes who have cerebral palsy and or vision impairments
on televised commercials. Because the
sport ethic reinforces the characteristic of what a real athlete should look
like we tend to see the media use impaired athletes that closely resemble the
elite able-bodied. Studies have researched how people in society view impaired
athletes participating in sport and many have stated that it makes them feel
awkward and have a sense of discomfort while watching (Hughes, 1999). These feelings are more likely to emerge to
due the social perceptions the media has created for impaired individuals which
reinforces these thoughts that people with disabilities are depend on
caregivers and their bodies are delicate and fragile. But in reality those who have impairment are
just as able-bodied as those without an impairment like my client Mr. Gribble
for example. These social perceptions
and beliefs need a larger advocate than the Puffin Magic Foundation to be able
to spread worldwide the awareness of how these athletes wish to be portrayed.
To provide a more socially just representation of my client
Mr. Gribble and other impaired athletes I have a few recommendations for
Titelist. Mr. Gribble has had the opportunity to be issued in the Golf
Australia Magazine, which is an amazing achievement and inspiration to many.
However, I think it is important to share his story more frequently, such as
having his personal golf achievements and personal growth mentioned. There are many people who are probably
dealing with a similar impairment like Mr. Gribble and by reaching out to other
magazine companies and Golf brands would allow to many to still aspire to play
golf. And Titelist can be the first Golf
Brand to sponsor Mr. Gribble and help spread awareness of an athlete like Mr.
Gribble. For example during the PGA Tour and other high profile golf
tournaments there could be a special on providing awareness of Mr. Gribble
story and how impaired athletes would like to be received in society and
through the media. At this point the only time impaired athletes are advertised
in commercials for sport is during the Paralympics. And by providing these
specials on impaired athletes would create more avenues for spreading awareness
that these athletes are more than their impairment but they too real athletes.
And
on behalf of the Puffin Magic Foundation and James Gribble himself we hope that
your company will accept this marketing plan and would like to spread the
awareness of creating a more socially just sports environment for all impaired
athletes.
If
only more of this could be seen around the world:
Click on link below-
References:
Hinds, R. (2000). Sense and Sensilbility:
Delicate Balance of Reporting the Paralympics. Sydney Morning Herald.
Hughes, A. (1999). The Paralympics. In: R. Cashman and A.
Hughes, eds. Staging the Olympics: the event and its impact. Sydney: UNSW
Press, 170–180.
Hughes, R. & Coakley, J. (1991).
Positive Deviance among Athletes: the implications of over-conformity to the
sport ethic. Sociology of Sport Journal,
(8), 307-325.
Purdue, D. & Howe, P. (2012). See the Sport, Not the Disability: exploring
the Paralympic Paradox. Qualitative Research
in Sport, Exercise and Health.
Rio (2016).
Golf: The Olympic Games Retrieved from:
Thomas, N. and Smith, A.
(2003). Preoccupied with Able-Bodiedness? An Analysis of the British Media
Coverage of the Paralympic Games. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly,
20, 166-181
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