There are plenty of good reasons to fight off Olympic fatigue and tune in to watch the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games that got started on Tuesday, Aug. 24, says a Brock University professor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatch it because it\u2019s fun, it\u2019s exciting and it\u2019s one of the rare chances to cheer for your country,\u201d says Assistant Professor of Sport Management Taylor McKee, who has researched and teaches Olympic history and the intersection of sport and society. \u201cSometimes the way the Paralympic Games are covered is with a patronizing tone of \u2018good for you for being there.\u2019 We don\u2019t focus on the athletes\u2019 competitiveness and their desire to win medals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like many, McKee spent many late August nights watching the compelling and unique sports broadcasts on offer during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He says fans should watch the Paralympics for those same storylines \u2014 watching international athletes trying to achieve their absolute best.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pure athleticism,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s just a wonderful festival of athletics and the intrusion of corporate sponsorship is so much harder to find in the Paralympics. It\u2019s fantastic to view because it\u2019s more pure. When you watch, you\u2019re going to get hooked.\u201d<\/p>\n
McKee acknowledges that it can be a challenge to maintain interest levels after two weeks of wall-to-wall Olympic coverage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s Olympic fatigue, especially with the time change,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s tough to keep the spirit going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brock Professor of Physical Education and Kinesiology Maureen Connolly says the Paralympics represents a \u201cgolden opportunity\u201d to discuss and address a wide range of disability issues such as the need for inclusiveness, access to infrastructure and opportunities, and barriers faced by people with disabilities.<\/p>\n