Can we dare to believe it ... According to a report in the Daily Mirror on-line, outraged athletes have lined up to slam PM David Cameron and his beleaguered Chancellor George Osborne in a storm that threatens to taint tonight’s ­ Paralympic closing ceremony. It claims that Team GB’s Paralympic athletes have launched a furious attack on the Government over ­savage plans to slash vital disability payments. Last week George Osborne was booed as he appeared in front of an...

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I received an update on the ATOS Games this morning from Mark Baggley of Choices and Rights (additional updates from DPAC are also at the end of this blog). The ATOS Games for those of you who haven't been paying attention are a series of organised protests against ATOS, the principle sponsor of the 2012 Paralympics. Principle organisers of the protests are Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and Choices and Rights Disability Coalition. ATOS is the French based company who have been...

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I've had several messages concerning limited access  to the forthcoming Paralympics. For the most part it's been about poor information provision but other issues are now coming to light, one of which seems to involve a strange interpretation of PA support. A disabled mum of two, along with her husband decided that they would like to go to the Paralympics. Well, here's her story ... "The London 2012 Olympic Games were brilliant. My family - particularly my two children -...

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I found this article in the Guardian archives which may have some relevance to the forthcoming Paralympics and the proposed ATOS protests. Back in 2008 the British Olympic Association (BOA) said it would review its athletes' contract for the Beijing Games after criticism of a clause which had prevented competitors from making political statements in China. The clause, which appeared to go beyond the requirements of the Olympic charter, will be softened although athletes who engage in overt...

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So, let's  take the suggestion a little further shall we? We've already decided if disabled athletes AND disabled artists work together then we have a real chance of putting a spanner in the works of this divisive government, even if it's a small one. Because let's face it, some of those disabled athletes out there are only a hair's breadth away from falling into the benefits trap that many of us currently find ourselves in. Disabled athletes are currently the flavour...

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Why is it that the companies that Cameron and his cronies pay to handle such diverse matters as the Direct Payments Scheme (A4E) and now the stewarding of the Olympic Games (G4S), when they foul up, they get let off with little more than a slapped wrist? Nothing about Breach of Contract, Penalty Clauses, or being made to give back the millions that they've been paid! No, the British tax payer coughs up yet again and we bail out yet another balls-up! But what about all of the pieces that...

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Last week at the Shape media conference I had the pleasure of meeting Kristina Veasey. She has taken part in two Paralympics and talked about her own experiences competing as a disabled athlete. For most of us non-athletic Crips, and in particular those of us involved in disability arts, the world of the Paralympian seems remote to say the least. We see them as single minded Super Crips with no interest or involvement in disability politics and protest. What we do hear about are those sporty...

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It's funny where your mind goes when you let it wander ...

Take the Paralympics for example. I wonder if they'll be looking at existing skills in order to incorporate them into the events schedule?

I'm waiting for the 'abuse non-disabled disability professionals' event myself!

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And whilst we're on the subject of disabled Olympic torch bearers ...

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We all have our own take on the Olympics, especially the Paralympics where super crips compete to appear normal and we're all expected to forget about the billions being spent on this event whilst many of us have our benefits pared down to the bone ... or am I being too cynical?! This article caught my eye the other day about a young disabled guy, a wheelchair user, who felt the need to carry the Olympic torch for a few yards. No doubt he was doing this to be ironic (let's give him the...

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Wow ... from Tuesday 24th August you'll be able to order your very own 'mini-Mandeville', the soft toy manufactured in China to represent the crip part of the 2012 Olympics. It's only 25 pounds plus 4.95 delivery (guaranteed delivery within 2 days, or if you can't wait that long you can pay extra for next day delivery!). Sorry to report that the boxed sets are already sold out, but you can always make your own box I would have thought?! The only thing that worries me is that it says in the...

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I've created so many cartoons over the years regarding the bottomless pit called the 2012 Olympics. Bottomless insofar as any and all available funding is being systematically sucked into its gaping maw, with nothing of any long-term substance being generated for Disabled people within the UK. OK, it's great if you're one of those who enjoy participating within the spectacle know as the Para-Olympics with all of its associated terminology about achievement and overcoming adversity etc. But if,...

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Ok, I take the point from Richard Downes (last blog comments) that by only blaming the 2012 Olympics for the current lack of funding is being a bit simplistic, but I still hold to the belief that this huge white elephant is doing more damage in this area than all of the effects of the current recession combined. So here’s another cartoon along the same theme (sorry Richard!). As part of Richard’s response however, he’s come up with an interesting idea. How about setting up our own...

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