Navigating Unseen Hurdles: A Paralympic Athletes' Journey to Sporting Achievements

Author: Natalie Bello, PhD

May 5, 2026

Athlete in a Wheelchair Race on City Street [Image credit: C. AG TRAPHAUS via Pexels]

Every two years, the world tunes in for either the Summer or Winter Olympics, admiring the athletic successes of primarily non-disabled competitors. Following the Olympics, Paralympic athletes start their competitions. The Paralympics is meant to be parallel to the Olympics, “illustrating how the two movements exist side-by-side,” (International Paralympic Committee). Unfortunately, Paralympic athletes are met with reduced media attention, fewer sponsorships, and less financial support compared to their Olympic counterparts, despite achieving equally impressive feats.   

The idea for the Paralympics originated in 1948, after World War II, when Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, a German-British neurologist and neurosurgeon, organized an international sporting event for disabled soldiers at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England (International Paralympic Committee). The Stoke Mandeville Games became an international competition by 1952, which led to the first official Paralympic Games in Rome, Italy, in 1960. This was followed by the first Winter Paralympic Games held in Sweden in 1976. The Paralympics have helped raise awareness of the need for accessibility in sports and public spaces, shifting public perspective on disabilities (History Rise, 2016). 

Despite the increased awareness of athletes with disabilities and the triumphs they can achieve in their chosen sport, there are still significant barriers to reaching these victories. Similar to Olympic athletes, a significant amount of investment, preparation, and resources is needed for Paralympic athletes to reach their goals. Athletes experience financial hardships and a lack of compensation, forcing them to rely on government grants, sponsorships, and personal savings to fund their training programs. The high cost associated with training, purchasing equipment, and traveling for competition can place a financial burden on athletes with disabilities. In addition, Paralympic athletes often face significant challenges securing sponsorship opportunities compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Sponsors are often attracted to the marketability of an athlete. The prevalent misconceptions around Paralympic athletes leads sponsors to believe there is less return on investment “due to a smaller audience reach and less media coverage” (Constantinou, 2024). 

Due to the financial strain of competing at such a high level, Paralympic athletes can lack the resources, such as access to sufficient training programs, equipment, coaching, accessible facilities, and medical support (refer to Kazazi, 2024 and Halpin). Notably, the financial strain on athletes with disabilities from low or middle-income countries such as South Africa and India is even greater, resulting in fewer participants (Bantjes and Swartz, 2017). The inequality in funding across different countries worsen the challenges these athletes face. UK wheelchair basketball player, “Sophie Carrigill highlighted the stark differences in funding and support between countries”, noting how she receives institutional support while other athletes struggle for basic amenities (Constantinou, 2024). 

Paralympic athletes are also at greater risk of injury or illness  (Sjöholm, 2026). For example, wheelchair sports increase weight barring on the arms and shoulders risking injury in this area of the body. A common illness amongst athletes with disabilities is respiratory illnesses, especially during Winter Games when cold temperatures and close contact can spread viruses more rapidly. Injuries and illnesses can have long-term consequences for athletes with disabilities, impacting not only their sports performance but their personal lives, independence, and day-to-day well-being (Hardach, 2024). Importantly, these persistent challenges can negatively impact the mental health of athletes as well. Paralympic athletes are especially vulnerable as they experience specific disability-related stressors in addition to regular stressors of high-performance sports that “place significant psychological demands on athletes” (International Paralympic Committee). 

Alongside these barriers, Paralympic athletes also encounter discrimination and stigma. This can manifest as inadequate or harmful media coverage that fails to give proper recognition to the athletes, either describing a “pity-based narrative” focused on “personal suffering” or falsely portraying them as “superhuman for overcoming their disability” (University of Bologna, 2026; Hamilton, 2026). This mentality, placing the disability before the athlete, can patronize their achievements. Professor Sakis Pappous from the University of Bologna noted that “A representation that focuses more on the sporting dimension can help recognise the work of athletes and promote a more aware, fair and inclusive sporting culture, capable of communicating Paralympic sport for what it is: high-level sport” (University of Bologna, 2026). 

Legal Measures for Diversity and Inclusion 

The Paralympics are vital for showcasing that individuals with disabilities can participate in and achieve incredible success across a variety of sports. Increased acknowledgment of the sporting achievements of athletes with disabilities encourages greater tolerance and discourages discrimination and prejudice at all levels of sport. Internationally, there are laws and frameworks that promote the participation of athletes with disabilities in sports, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It is an international human rights treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2006 (United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs) and aims to “promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity” (United Nations, 2006). 

In the United States, several federal laws protect the rights of individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a “federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against disabled individuals in all areas of public life open to the general public” (ADA National Network). The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, is another law prohibiting “the discrimination against disabled individuals in any program or activity that receives federal funding assistance, including in public schools or universities”, ensuring that “disabled students have access to educational and extracurricular opportunities” (U.S Department of Education). Lastly, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that ensures that “children with disabilities are guaranteed services that are tailored to their needs from birth until the age of 21 by the Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)” (U.S Department of Education). 

Although the United States has federal laws designed to protect the rights and freedoms of people with disabilities, if these policies are not known or enforced then they end up creating barriers (Knott, 2023). “People with disabilities face systems that were not designed to accommodate all people”(Pappas, 2020). This lack of universal design contributes to significant challenges, such as in the healthcare system where discriminatory or ableist attitudes pervading the healthcare delivery system perpetuate ongoing health disparities, according to Iezzoni, McKee, Meade, Morris, and Pendo (2022). The Affordable Care Act, Section 5307, ensures that federal funding is authorized for healthcare professionals to understand disability competent care and requires an assessment to calculate how many employees of healthcare organizations have received this training. Yet, researchers have argued that no such assessments are being conducted (Iezzoni, McKee, Meade, Morris, and Pendo, 2022). Individuals with disabilities who rely on daily assistance through home and community-based services face significant limitations as a result of funding priorities. The lack of funding can result in long waiting times, ranging from less than one year to fourteen years, depending on the state.  

Regarding employment, the ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability in the US. However, people with disabilities are significantly less likely to be employed than those without disabilities. For instance, in 2019, the unemployment rate for people without a disability was 3.5%, but for people with a disability, it was 7.3% according to the Office of Disability Employment Policy (Pappas, 2020). These employment disparities often originate earlier in the educational system, as Professor Ivory Toldson of Howard University notes that “the education system is not set up for equity or diverse learning styles” (Pappas, 2020). Furthermore, the limitations of the ADA's approach to equality are highlighted by Arlene Kanter, a lawyer and professor at Syracuse University College of Law. Kanter stated in 2015, that the “ADA is a civil rights law that views equality for people with disabilities through a limited antidiscrimination lens, the [UN convention] is a human rights law that, based on a social model of disability, moves beyond traditional notions of equality towards a society that accepts people with disabilities as full and equal members” (Iezzoni, McKee, Meade, Morris, and Pendo, 2022). This insight, offered over a decade ago, suggests that the United States continues to face significant challenges in achieving true equity for people with disabilities. 

The Persistence of Paralympic Athletes to Overcome Barriers

Despite these significant barriers, many athletes with disabilities have achieved remarkable success in their chosen sports. For example, para athlete Trischa Zorn, a swimmer with vision impairment, has won 55 medals for Team USA throughout her career. Swiss para athlete Heinz Frei won 35 medals across the Summer and Winter Paralympics, while Great Britain's Sarah Storey has secured 31 medals in swimming, track cycling, and road cycling (Jenkins, 2026). Not only have Paralympic athletes shown their immense sporting capabilities, but many have also led the way as advocates for athletes with disabilities. 

Tatyana McFadden is a United States Para Track and Field athlete and one of the most decorated American track and field Paralympians (Goulding, 2024). McFadden, originally born in Russia, was left paralyzed from the waist down from spina bifida at birth. She spent the first six years of her life in a Russian care home for children and without access to a wheelchair (Goulding, 2024). Following her adoption and move to the United States, McFadden immersed herself in the world of sports and has since transformed the landscape for athletes with disabilities. She has won 22 medals at the Paralympic Games and 24 major marathons, including five victories in the New York City Marathon wheelchair division (Goulding, 2024). In 2005, McFadden and her mother filed a lawsuit against McFadden’s high school because she was denied the right to compete alongside her able-bodied peers. The lawsuit and her work campaigning for the Fitness and Athletic Equity for Students with Disabilities Act (2008) in Maryland resulted in Maryland public schools providing equal physical education and athletic opportunities for students with disabilities, as well as participation in “team tryouts or review alternative programs” (Wrights Law, 2009). She continues to advocate for athletes with disabilities through her foundation, which supports youth with disabilities by providing resources like racing chairs and promoting inclusivity in sports. 

Dylan Alcott is an Australian wheelchair tennis player and former wheelchair basketballer. He won a gold medal in wheelchair basketball at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games before transitioning to tennis, where he has since secured three more Paralympic gold medals. Alcott became paralyzed in the lower half of his body after receiving surgery to remove the tumor that had surrounded his spinal cord at birth (Britannica). Over the course of his career, Alcott has won “four gold medals and two silver medals” at the Paralympic Games, along with “23 quad wheelchair Grand Slam titles and a Newcombe Medal” (National Museum of Australia, 2022). Alcott has credited sports for “saving his life” due to the bullying he experienced as a child because of his disability (International Paralympic Committee, 2024). As an adult, Alcott co-founded an organization called Get Skilled Access, which promotes inclusion for people with disabilities. In addition, he established the Dylan Alcott Foundation, which offers “grants to help children and young adults with disabilities reach their full sporting and educational potential” (Britannica). 

Participation in sports can promote “social cohesion and build stronger communities” (International Business School Barcelona, 2023), which brings people together from different backgrounds and abilities. Athletes like Tatyana McFadden and Dylan Alcott have brought awareness and representation through their remarkable achievements, demonstrating that Para athletes are much more than their disabilities. With the right support and care, athletes with disabilities can accomplish extraordinary feats. The exclusion of disabled individuals from sports does more than just violate United States federal and international laws; it also deprives sporting communities of the chance to connect and celebrate shared passions and interests that make events like the Olympics and Paralympics so exciting to watch across the globe. 

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Glossary

• Able-bodied - A person who is able-bodied does not have a physical disability or is not in poor health.

• Ableist - An ableist is someone who holds prejudiced beliefs or engages in discriminatory actions against individuals with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities. Ableists consider people without disabilities as "normal" or superior, while people with disabilities are viewed as inferior.

• Affordable Care Act (ACA) - The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is a 2010 United States health reform law that aimed to increase insurance coverage for Americans while lowering costs and improving protections for patients. The ACA created a health insurance marketplace, expanded Medicaid, and ensured that patients could not be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions.

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law, enacted in 1990. It prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all aspects of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and all public and private places. The ADA ensures equal access to opportunities and services, and mandates reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

•  Free Appropriate Public Education - Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) guarantees children with disabilities have access to free public education that meets their needs. FAPE is a legal right in the United States for children with disabilities, established under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

• Fitness and Athletic Equity for Students with Disabilities Act (2008) - The Fitness and Athletic Equity for Students with Disabilities Act is a state law in Maryland that requires public schools to provide equal opportunities for disabled students to participate in tryouts, extracurricular activities, physical education, and mainstream athletic programs. 

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a federal law that guarantees children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) tailored to their needs, from birth until the age of 21. This includes providing special education, early intervention services, and funding to support these programs nationwide. Originally enacted in 1975 as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), IDEA emerged as a response to discriminatory educational practices that excluded many children with disabilities from public schooling.

• Olympics - The Olympic Games, often referred to as the Olympics, are premier international multi-sport competitions held every four years. The Olympics feature summer and winter sports, which alternate every two years. Originating in Ancient Greece in 776 BC, the modern Olympics were revived in 1896, bringing athletes from around the world to compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals.

• Paralympics - The Paralympic Games, often referred to as the Paralympics, are premier international multi-sport competitions held every four years for elite athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual disabilities. The Paralympic Games immediately follows the Olympic Games. Sir Ludwig Guttmann is credited as the founder of the Paralympics due to organizing a sporting event for World War II veterans. The event officially became known as the Paralympics in 1960. It is one of the world's largest sporting events, promoting inclusion and focusing on the athletes' capabilities rather than their disabilities. 

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in programs, activities, or services receiving federal financial assistance. It aims to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to and appropriate modifications within educational institutions and workplaces.

• Spina bifida - Spina bifida is a birth defect of the neural tube. During the first month of pregnancy, the fetal spine and spinal cord do not close properly, resulting in an opening in the spine, often described as a "split spine." This opening can lead to paralysis, mobility issues, and bladder or bowel problems, ranging in severity from mild to severe. While there is no cure for spina bifida, treatment typically involves surgically closing the opening, either before or immediately after birth. Managing the condition requires ongoing care to address challenges with mobility, bowel and bladder function, and potential cognitive development.

• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) - The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is a legally binding international human rights treaty that protects the dignity, equality, and fundamental freedoms of individuals with disabilities.  Adopted in 2006, the treaty shifts the view of disabilities as an interaction between long-term impairments and environmental barriers, rather than solely a medical issue.

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Citations

1. ADA National Network (n.d) What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?. Available at: https://adata.org/learn-about-ada

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17. National Museum Australia (2022) Dylan Alcott: 2022 Australian of the Year. Available at: https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/2022-australian-of-the-year/dylan-alcott

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22. U.S Department of Education (n.d) Section 504: Section 504 helps ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities. Available at: https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/individuals-disabilities/section-504

23. U.S Department of Education (n.d) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Available at: https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/individuals-disabilities/idea

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26. Wrightslaw Way (2009) Athlete Sues for Right to Compete; State Passes Athletics Equity Law. Available at: https://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/athlete-sues-for-right-to-compete-state-passes-athletics-equity-law/