Sydney Martinez, Campus Carrier opinions editor

This past summer was filled with oodles of excitement as the most talented athletes in the world competed against one another to see who could win the title of best of the best. For those of us who sadly did not make it to the games despite our clear talents, we tuned in from home, jokingly saying “I could do that” and judging each feat as if we knew anything about what it takes to be an Olympic athlete. 

Minus a few stray jokes about Stephen Nedoroscik, most of the excitement surrounding the Olympics ended with the closing ceremony on Aug. 11. We shouldn’t be stowing our patriotism for our country’s athlete’s away just yet, though. The Paralympics are happening right now, and they are just as exhilarating and important as the Olympics. 

The Paralympics are a second amazing chance for you to watch amazing athletes compete for the title of best in the world. If you aren’t already jumping out of your seat to turn on the TV, the question is, what are you waiting for? 

Well, for one, there’s a decent chance that you didn’t know they were going on. The Paralympics have certainly gained more visibility in recent years, but they still do not receive nearly as much advertising as the Olympics do. Peacock, for example, made a huge deal about being the best platform to watch the Olympics on, but when it comes to the Paralympics, it’s been a lot quieter. 

You can watch the Paralympic games on Peacock, but the advertising has been less aggressive than it was for the Olympics. It’s not the first thing that pops up when you open the streaming service, so you have to find your own way to the tab. While that’s not a particularly difficult task, the fact that the Paralympics aren’t getting the same kind of pushy advertising as the Olympics did is pretty sad. 

While it may not be entirely intentional, this lack of advertising subtly implies that Paralympic athletes are not as important as Olympic athletes and therefore do not deserve as much advertising. That, quite simply, is ridiculous. The Paralympics have been taking place since 1960, so it’s not like it’s a new thing that just needs time to catch on with major audiences. If corporate advertisers would put more effort into advertising the Paralympics, more people would know they were happening and tune in. 

Lack of advertising then turns into lack of recognition. Paralympic athletes train just as hard and achieve just as much as any able-bodied Olympian does, but they get almost none of the recognition. Be honest with yourself here: if you were asked to name three Paralympian athletes right now, could you do it? For most people, the answer is probably a no. 

What’s really upsetting in this case is that any visibility or recognition a Paralympian does get often has an undertone of pity that makes the competitor seem like a charity case more than an accomplished athlete. They’re described as “inspirational” or “amazing” in a way that comments more on their disability than the fact that they are an Olympic athlete. Why can’t we focus more on their athletic skills rather than their skills in association with their disability? That turns into a larger discussion on how we view disability as a society, but you get the point. 

You have the opportunity to change this perception though, and on a small campus like Berry, a few people talking about the Paralympics with all their friends can make a sizable difference. If you and your friends loved watching track and field during the Olympics, invite them to watch those same events in the Paralympics with you. 

Even just saying “I’m excited to watch the Paralympics this week” can make a difference. Maybe the people around you would be interested in watching and just didn’t know the games were happening right now. Maybe they’ll go back to their dorm tonight and watch whatever’s on just because you mentioned it in passing. We can all easily make a difference here, so let’s get excited about the Paralympics.