Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead says many athletes with disabilities are known for their time on reality TV rather than their sporting exploits.
Whitehead, a two-time gold medalist and world record holder, is one of several Paralympic athletes who have appeared on the celebrity show due to their success in their sport.
He appeared on Celebrity Hunted while Ellie Simmonds was on Strictly Come Dancing and Kadeena Cox was on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.
But Whitehead says his achievements are being overlooked and has called for a change in exposure for successful disabled athletes.
The 46-year-old is chairing the recently launched Disability Sports Alliance – a digital platform designed to raise awareness of disabled sport – after some alarming surveys showed 67% of adults in the UK are unable to nominate a competing or disabled athlete. retired و.
“It’s amazing that people associate athletes with other media opportunities and not with their own experiences,” he told the PA news agency.
So like Ellie and Strictly Come Dancing, I’m obviously doing what I did and the other athletes too.
“You want to be remembered as an athlete, you want to represent professionalism, you want to represent more than just sports, but you also want to be recognized for the successes you’ve had and then transcend into other areas as well.
“It is about celebrating these achievements and understanding that Paralympic athletes have so many hurdles and hurdles to overcome, as we step onto the field and then we succeed.
“Having all these roadblocks and hurdles after achieving success is really frustrating.”
While there is exposure to the most notable athletes in the entertainment genre, Whitehead has drawn attention to how little disability sports are shown on television and the personal stories that are lost because of it.
He added, “When you look at the amount of hours you spend on TV, you see a lack of Paralympic sports.”
“Channels are just being swallowed up by these major sports, be it cricket or football, and disabled sports are taking a backseat.
“Storytelling is really part of it. I think when you look at the Olympic athletes that you associate with success, there is always a great story.
“People like Jess Ennis, Mo (Farah), have great stories and we want to start giving these elite Paralympic athletes, elite Paralympic athletes, opportunities to get the story out there.
“I’m sure it fits with a lot of the general hurdles and challenges that they have to overcome.
“My message is that we deserve this opportunity for the success that we have had. So many things have been lost in success, but now is the time for social change.
Now is the time to hold people accountable. When organizations and the media say they have a comprehensive strategy around parasports, it’s time to hold people accountable for it.”
Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead says many athletes with disabilities are known for their time on reality TV rather than their sporting exploits.
Whitehead, a two-time gold medalist and world record holder, is one of several Paralympic athletes who have appeared on the celebrity show due to their success in their sport.
He appeared on Celebrity Hunted while Ellie Simmonds was on Strictly Come Dancing and Kadeena Cox was on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.
But Whitehead says his achievements are being overlooked and has called for a change in exposure for successful disabled athletes.
The 46-year-old is chairing the recently launched Disability Sports Alliance – a digital platform designed to raise awareness of disabled sport – after some alarming surveys showed 67% of adults in the UK are unable to nominate a competing or disabled athlete. retired و.
“It’s amazing that people associate athletes with other media opportunities and not with their own experiences,” he told the PA news agency.
So like Ellie and Strictly Come Dancing, I’m obviously doing what I did and the other athletes too.
“You want to be remembered as an athlete, you want to represent professionalism, you want to represent more than just sports, but you also want to be recognized for the successes you’ve had and then transcend into other areas as well.
“It is about celebrating these achievements and understanding that Paralympic athletes have so many hurdles and hurdles to overcome, as we step onto the field and then we succeed.
“Having all these roadblocks and hurdles after achieving success is really frustrating.”
While there is exposure to the most notable athletes in the entertainment genre, Whitehead has drawn attention to how little disability sports are shown on television and the personal stories that are lost because of it.
He added, “When you look at the amount of hours you spend on TV, you see a lack of Paralympic sports.”
“Channels are just being swallowed up by these major sports, be it cricket or football, and disabled sports are taking a backseat.
“Storytelling is really part of it. I think when you look at the Olympic athletes that you associate with success, there is always a great story.
“People like Jess Ennis, Mo (Farah), have great stories and we want to start giving these elite Paralympic athletes, elite Paralympic athletes, opportunities to get the story out there.
“I’m sure it fits with a lot of the general hurdles and challenges that they have to overcome.
“My message is that we deserve this opportunity for the success that we have had. So many things have been lost in success, but now is the time for social change.
Now is the time to hold people accountable. When organizations and the media say they have a comprehensive strategy around parasports, it’s time to hold people accountable for it.”
Amelia Kensington is a contributor to Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, presenting complex topics in an accessible and engaging way while maintaining a strong commitment to accuracy and relevance.