The Commission told the Youth Sports Trust, which runs the games, that excluding children was discriminatory and unlawful. The Trust has now agreed that these young people can compete in bespoke athletics, swimming and table tennis events at future games.
The move follows a campaign led by Mencap, parents, the UK Sports Association for People with Learning Disability and other agencies to overturn an International Paralympics ban.
This was introduced following an incident at the Sydney Paralympic games in 2000 when a group of adult non-disabled athletes infiltrated the Spanish learning Disability Basketball Team. The IPC responded by banning athletes with learning disabilities from future games and other IPC sanctioned events.
The UK School Games were established in 2006 to foster potential Olympic and Paralympic competitors, and despite Gordon Brown saying they would be open to all children, the YST took a lead from the IPC and excluded young people with learning disabilities. The decision also meant that they could not get UK sport and lottery funding.
Baroness Jane Campbell, chair of the EHRC Disability Committee said: ’This ban was unfair and unlawful so I am delighted that the Youth Sports Trust have realised that the full inclusion of all children, including those with learning disabilities, is good for sport. This move will open the door for talented children to compete as equals in the UK School Games.’
The IPC ban still exists, but Baroness Campbell added: ‘If persuasion fails, the Commission will not hesitate to use its legal powers to challenge unlawful discrimination. We will now be working to overturn the IPC ban and hopefully ensure these same young people can go on to take part in the Paralympics in 2012.’
Wendy Thomas, from Swansea, whose son, aged 12, is a swimmer, said: ‘I am absolutely thrilled the ban has been lifted for the UK School games. I took a little girl to the UK School games last year, but had to leave Jack at home because he wasn’t able to compete. It is a great starting point for getting the IPC one lifted too. It is wonderful for my son Jack and it is lovely for me to know he is going to the Games and is likely to be the only one from the school competing.’
Mrs Thomas added:’ Jack is up at 5:30 four mornings a week to train and goes to school after that. Then he comes home and has a rest and he swims again in the evening. He is very committed. He would like to compete in the Paralympics. That is everybody’s dream’.
