Written by After a year of delay, the 2020 Olympics Games have wrapped up and have shown us great examples of true athleticism, courage, and bravery. If you’re still in the Olympic spirit and want to watch more high-caliber athletes from around the world compete on the largest stage, then you’re in luck. The 2020 Paralympic Games also occur in Tokyo and begin on Wednesday, August 25th and continue until Sunday, September 6th. Since 1960, the Paralympic Games have given athletes with impairments the opportunity to compete at the highest level against other skilled athletes from different countries worldwide, much like the Olympics. But it hasn’t been until this year’s Olympic cycle that we’ve seen some sort of equality amongst the Olympic and the Paralympic Games.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be the first time U.S. Paralympic medalists will earn as much as U.S. Olympians for each medal earned. In 2018 the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) board of directors moved to give Paralympic athletes equal payouts for medals. Consequently, since the 2018 Winter Paralympic games had just passed a few months before this decision was made, the medaled Paralympic athletes were paid a total of $1.2 million retroactively for their performances. Starting this year, the Paralympic athlete medal payout will be $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze, the same as the Olympic athletes. Previously, Paralympic athletes’ medal payouts were $7,500 for gold, $5,250 for silver, and $3,750 for bronze. This approximates a 400% increase in the amount of money these hard-working athletes are now being paid for medaling.
However, money isn’t the only thing that’s increasing for Paralympic athletes this Olympic cycle. The Paralympic Games will see a massive rise in broadcasting hours of their events. NBCUniversal will show 1,200 hours of Paralympic programming this year. This will also include the network’s first-ever primetime broadcasts of Paralympic events. There will be more than 200 hours of TV coverage among NBC, NBCSN, and the Olympic Channel. This is a considerable rise from the 70 hours of coverage the Paralympic Games received in Rio 2016 and the 5.5 total hours of coverage from London 2012.
These changes are long overdue and begin to give Paralympians and the para-athlete community the respect it deserves. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) stated in a press release that the Paralympics is the third-largest sporting event in the world and remains the world’s biggest event for driving social inclusion. Being that the Paralympics is such a huge event worldwide, it only makes sense that the athletes are paid equal to their Olympic counterparts when it comes to medals. Paralympic athletes train just as hard, if not harder, than Olympians and represent our country in the same way. The 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team has 240 members, including six guides for visually impaired athletes. Of the 240 Paralympians, 21 athletes self-identify as military, 3 of which are active duty. These athletes have stories to tell and journeys that can inspire us all, just as the Olympic athletes. Their stories, now being shown through the increase in broadcasting hours during this year’s games, will offer world viewers a chance to witness all of the Paralympians’ hard work and dedication to their sport. They’ve trained for years, just like Olympians, to reach this stage, and their efforts should be rewarded and shown off to the world.
While it may feel like these changes should have occurred long before the 2020 Olympic Games, it is still significant progress and a step in the right direction for making Paralympic athlete’s experiences equivalent to their counterparts. Tatyana McFadden, who is now 32 years old, made her Paralympic debut at the age of 15. She is a wheelchair racer that has won 17 medals, seven of which are gold. In an interview with The Lily, McFadden stated the increase in medal payout made her feel valued. After years of feeling like the Paralympics were an afterthought, this recent change makes her feel like they [Paralympians] are just like any other athlete, or to quote McFadden, “just like any Olympian.” McFadden’s sentiments are exactly why these changes in medal payout and broadcasting hours are so significant. Our differences are what make us all unique and special, and Paralympians should not be treated or awarded any differently. With the increased broadcasting hours, the world has the ability to watch and see how talented para-athletes are, and their efforts can inspire both para-athletes and non-para-athletes. Watching these athletes achieve their dreams, no matter what obstacles they may face, can genuinely motivate us all. There is still a ways to go, but showing value and giving Paralympians more exposure this year through the recent changes at the Paralympic Games is forward progress for the sports world to become all-around more inclusive.