Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic
Committee, visited Beijing late last month to attend the Fifth
World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture, as well as the seventh
plenary meeting of IOC Coordination Commission for the Beijing 2008
Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Craven shared his thoughts on the 2008 Paralympic Games during
an interview with China Daily reporter Li Jing. The
following are edited excerpts:
How do you evaluate the current preparations that BOCOG (the
Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad)
has done for the 13th Paralympic Games? What aspects still have
room for improvement?
I think what I can say is that of all the organizing committees
of Paralympic Games, BOCOG is the best that I know. I would not say
"improvements" could be made because that means it is not as good
as it could be. I think it is really "developments" that can be
made because we are now nearly two years away from the opening
ceremony of the Paralympics and therefore many operational aspects
remain to be discussed, as well as the legacy and the promotion of
the Paralympic Games. BOCOG will get into far more detail from now
on.
I have very personal contacts with all levels of BOCOG, and I am
very happy with Liu Qi, president of BOCOG, and Zhang Qiuping,
director of the Paralympics. They are doing a great job.
In November last year I was honored to meet your Premier Wen Jiabao. He told me that the Chinese
Government and Chinese people will give equal emphasis to both
Games. He has a lot of spirit and I believe in him. And I saw that
for example, the launch of the mascot Lele on the Great Wall in
September and the fact that the Great Wall is now accessible to
people with all mobility capabilities are examples of the fact that
equal emphasis has been given to both the Games.
Beijing is the first time that the organizing committee for both
Games is under the new partnership agreement between the IOC and
IPC. That is the interesting thing. For example, Beijing will be
the first time Paralympians benefit from travel grants as Olympians
do. Beijing is the first to really give a strong financial return
to the Paralympic Movement from the value of its marketing
program.
In your opinion, what is the role that sports play in the life
of people with disabilities?
I would rather use the words of "a person with a perceived
disability." That is a very important thing because it's a
perception. I use wheels and you use legs. However, if someone with
a perceived disability practices sports, what sports can give them
is very good self-confidence, a confidence in themselves. If they
can be good at sport, they can be good at doing other things as
well. People need to feel that they can do something well. Be able
to say: "Hi, I'm here. I'm good. I can do this. I can shoot a
basketball." That is what sports can give to them.
Immediately after I met Premier Wen Jiabao, I told him I was
going to play wheel basketball with the Beijing team. So I met
Beijing citizens playing wheelchair basketball and they are no
different to British players playing wheelchair basketball. If
someone does not have a wheelchair and needs one, or lives in a
house with stairs, then they cannot have a life because of the
disabled house. It is not the person who is disabled but the house.
This is where we need changes to open up life for people.
As far as I know, some Chinese disabled persons go to gymnastic
schools only because it is a shelter where they can escape social
discrimination and make a living. What do you think of this
situation?
It depends whether you look at it negatively or positively. My
first reaction is that they have somewhere to go. It is always good
to do something. Human beings are normally positive. They can go
somewhere where they can be positive. I don't think it is a
negative thing. Sports give them more opportunities so that they
can go to other places as well. Actually China is not unique in
this area. When I first got into the wheelchair I was not good with
it. So I did not go out around my house for six months in my
wheelchair. But later on I went to a sport club where I felt good.
So my experience is the same as the Chinese people that you
describe.
What do you think of the emblem and the mascot of the Paralympic
Games?
I think the emblem has a great connection to the land and to the
people. I like it because we come from the land. And my favorite
color is blue, like the temple of Heaven. I am glad to see the blue
in the emblem.
On Lele, I think you have a very friendly mascot. Lele looks
incredibly friendly and happy. It is both good for children and for
adults. But I'm still not sure if it is a girl or a boy. I think it
is great that nobody knows.
You must be quite familiar with International Olympic Committee
President Jacques Rogge. Would you tell us some stories about your
relationship with him?
Rogge is a very honest man and a very open man. He knows he
needs to be part of the team. He is not just a leader that tells
everybody else what to do. He listens very well and he is a good
co-coordinator. I get on with him very well.
He always keeps his word. If he promises to do something, he
does it, whether he has promised to support the Paralympic
Movement, come to the Paralympic Games or come to my birthday
party.
The host city of the 2012 Games is London and you are from
London. Is there any experience BOCOG can offer to London?
Sure. The word "harmony" that you use often. And I hope the
Games in London will be a harmonious games. It's very important
today. Sport is about spirits more than anything. Sport is not
about money. Why did London win? I think it is because London
showed it would protect and project the spirit of sport.
The Paralympic Movement was founded in Great Britain. As Athens
is the home of Olympics, Great Britain is the home of Paralympics
and that makes me feel very proud to be British.
Do you think through hosting the Paralympic Games, China can
improve the social status of disabled people? If yes, to what
extent?
Only China can decide to what extent. I cannot predict this.
However, you cannot change people's and civilizations' perceptions
by commanding them to do something. The way you change perceptions
is by allowing people to have those experiences, positive
experiences which may change any negative thoughts.
We have a vision for Paralympic Sports and it finishes with
Paralympians inspiring and exciting the world. This is what will
happen when Chinese people come to watch Paralympians from all over
the world competing in Beijing in 2008. Perceptions will change
like that. And that leaves the government and the people to make
the most of that change. This is the great legacy that the
Paralympics leaves to any country, not only China. The Chinese
Government realizes that this is a great opportunity to
dramatically change the way this group of people is perceived.
As the president of IPC, how do you evaluate the development of
the Paralympics over that past half a century?
I became the president of IPC because I was not happy with the
way athletes were perceived in the 1970s.
I was one of the best basketball players in the world. But I had
one of the worst coaches in the world. I told the event leader of
our movement that the coach was not good. But I was banned from
playing for a year in 1977 because I opened my mouth. From then
Great Britain, which was the European champion in 1975, dropped to
No 8 in 1977. I was not happy and I decided that we needed to have
a revolution. I think the revolution has lasted at least 25 years
to maybe the year 2001. I think now we are in an evolutionary
period rather than a revolutionary period. I'm talking about the
psychological changes in the Paralympic Games, not the size of the
Games, which of course is growing as well. You can find out the
details from reading varied information.
I'm a fighter even though I'm getting older now. If someone
needs someone to fight, I'll go out to fight if I agree with the
fight.
What is the most urgent job that BOCOG should do in terms of the
preparations for the Paralympic Games?
I would be very excited to know about the opening ceremony for
the Paralympic Games because on many occasions, the opening
ceremony of the Paralympics is equal to that of the Olympics, if
not more important.
The opening ceremony should emphasize the philosophy and spirit
of sport. And so I'm waiting to have discussions with related
people about the opening ceremony. I'm confident that the
organization will go very well and that is the next thing that will
excite and inspire me.
(China Daily November 10, 2006)