ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES

al handling guidelines, however it is not always possible to strictly adhere to them. Individuals must be able to protect themselves by taking sensible decisions prior to travel and during the trip.

Airlines carry a large number of people with disabilities every year, however they are less experienced when dealing with very independent wheelchair users. It is essential to give clear instruc- tions to both athletes and airline staff in relation to the move- ment of chairs. Generally competition chairs are dismantled, pack- aged and labelled prior to travel and loaded onto the plane with the luggage. Everyday chairs are taken to the door of the plane and then are left assembled and placed into the hold at the last minute, they must be clearly labelled. It is extremely important that everyday chairs are taken straight back up to the door of the plane at the destination, so that you are not left with athletes sit- ting in airport chairs with such small wheels that they can’t be propelled by the user. This loss of independence is degrading and embarrassing for the athletes and can mean a missed flight con- nection or a mislaid chair. It is also sensible to ensure that as many aisle chairs as possible are available for boarding and unloading to hasten the process and that there is a nominated member of management to co-ordinate it.

Accommodation should be well checked out prior to booking, there may be lifts, but are they big enough and fast enough to deliver a team of twelve wheelchair users to a team meeting or breakfast when there may be high demand. Door widths will have to be measured, particularly for access to bathrooms, and appro- priate ramps put in place if necessary. Hotels are usually happy to help, but they need clear guidelines and plenty of notice. It is useful if you can arrange a laundry deal or find a convenient laun- derette as access can again be a problem and hygiene levels must be kept high in order to prevent skin deterioration.

As with able-bodied teams, specific environmental knowledge should be obtained to avoid problems. It could be difficult for a visually impaired athlete to check their training shoes for funnel web spiders or see a snake while out running, so guides will have to take on this responsibility.

TABLE 1: DISABILITY GROUPS AT PARALYMPIC GAMES

■ Spinal cord lesions ■ Cerebral palsy ■ ‘Les Autres’ ■ Visually impaired ■ Amputees ■ Learning difficulties

The list of potential difficulties is endless, so selecting a balanced team management that includes a number of highly experienced members is essential to minimise complications. The following sections deal with specific considerations in relation to each disability group.

Spinal cord lesions People with spinal cord injuries or spina bifida face the daily chal- lenge of avoiding pressure sores or urinary tract complications. Long haul travel increases the risk of both of these conditions. Travelling to the Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano in 1998, involved a 13-hour flight from the UK to Japan, which was then immediately followed by a seven-hour coach journey. The flight time alone to Sydney for the Paralympics in 2000 was 24 hours, with no opportunity for athletes to get off the plane midway, due to access difficulties and timing. When you consider the addi- tional time needed for athletes to travel to their UK airport, check in time, meeting up with the rest of the team, extended boarding and travel to the holding camp in Brisbane at the other end, the total journey time becomes much, much longer.

Air travel is uncomfortable and especially so if you are not able to move around. In some situations airlines will assist by allocating any spare seats around the group, so that athletes can lie down, it is certainly worth liaising with them in case the flight is partially empty. If this is not the case, as an able bodied member of team management you should be prepared to spend a large proportion of the travel time away from your seat so that an athlete can lie across your seat to relieve pressure. It is extremely important to prevent pressure areas developing during the flight or the athlete may not be able to compete. Athletes will not ask you to move from your seat, so you have to be proactive in arranging this.

Dehydration commonly occurs during long haul travel because of the dry air at cabin pressure and the reduced availability of fluids. All athletes are encouraged to take additional fluids on flights but it is not uncommon for those prone to urinary tract infections to develop acute flare-ups following flights. The need to drink may be inhibited by the awareness of the difficulty of access to toilet facilities in the aircraft. The toilets are small, it is difficult to transfer and the aisle chairs can not be propelled by the individ- ual athlete. All this may inhibit the athlete from drinking appro- priate amounts of fluid. Again members of team management must be sympathetic to the problem and discreetly offer to assist. It is essential that the athletes feel comfortable asking you for help, so make sure you have offered. You should also ensure that they

www.sportex.net

7