Dyspraxia is no longer a Paralympics Swimming Category

8 Jul 2014: In the world of Paralympics swimming, Dyspraxia (lack of co-ordination, spatial awareness, learning disability), commonly found in people with Aspergers is no longer seen as a swimming disability category.

Once upon a time, Britain had a category – S17 that accepted people with dyspraxia to swim under this category. Now due to wanting to be in line with international categories, they have dropped S17 as Dyspraxia is not internationally recognised as a disability.

The S17 category makes up 10-15% of swimmers with a disability and when these people race with non-disabled people they are teased and bullied because they are different.

One such athlete, Adam Blackburn, has had his hopes dashed of ever competing in the Paralympics due to his S17 category being abolished.

It is very sad to think that instead of educating more of the world about different disabilities, things are going backwards and disabilities are being wiped.

To read more of this article go to: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/may/13/swimmers-dyspraxia-fall-foul-paralympics-bureaucracy