Can a swimmer with autism compete in the Paralympics?

Those of you who appreciated the blog Jim Williams wrote about Special Olympian Jamie Smith might want to take a look at a story in today’s New York Times. It’s about a swimmer who has cerebral palsy, mental retardation and autism. Kendall Bailey hopes to compete in the Paralympics this year, but team officials had formally requested that he be rendered ineligible for the Beijing Games.

Kendall Bailey is a rare case of a mentally disabled athlete who also has the physical disabilities to qualify him for the Paralympics. But in April, amid confusion about how disabled athletes are classified both before and during the Games, officials who oversee the American team on behalf of the United States Olympic Committee formally asked that Bailey be ruled ineligible.

Bailey’s mother believes it was her son’s autism diagnosis that worried the US Paralympic officials.

“Just because he has other issues, he’s been looked at in a whole different way that hasn’t been fair,” she said. “He’s been singled out and isolated because of his autism, because of his intellectual disability. If Kendall wasn’t autistic, would any of this have happened? Absolutely not.”

What do you think?


 

Comments may not reflect Easterseals' policies or positions.


  1. Sandie Says:

    Of course he should be able to compete! If he understands the competition and rules why should he not be able to? Autism or not we all know these kids are very intelligent about some things!


  2. Beth Finke, blog moderator Says:

    So even people who don’t have disabilities can participate in the paralympics? This is an honest question, I really don’t know what the rules are.


  3. melissa Says:

    YEP any one can compete in the paralympics