'I felt I wasn't worthy': Para athletes on barriers in elite sport
Paralympic gold medallist Nikki Ayers walked away from rowing, feeling devalued in the sport. She's not alone; disabled athletes have told ABC Sport they face discrimination and burnout due to a lack of funding and support.
Nikki Ayers and Danni Di Toro, both veteran Paralympians, have opened up about the barriers they faced in elite sports. Ayers, a partial leg amputee, won Australia's first gold medal in Para rowing at her debut Games in Paris. However, she decided to retire due to a difficult relationship with a member of her support team, feeling that they made her feel less valuable and unworthy.
Di Toro, a queer athlete, has won 10 Australian Opens and competed in eight Paralympic Games, but she acknowledged that her strength came from dealing with the male-dominated environment in sports. The survey conducted by the ABC found that half of the respondents with disabilities have experienced discrimination due to their impairment, highlighting systemic issues that hinder disabled athletes' full participation.
These issues include inequity in prize money, athletes having to fund their sports careers, and disparities in funding for Paralympians compared to Olympians. Additionally, the high cost of specialized equipment and lack of media coverage contribute to the challenges faced by disabled athletes. Both Ayers and Di Toro emphasized the need for greater financial support and recognition for disabled athletes to create a more inclusive and equitable sporting environment.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
