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THE NEWS Paralympics New Zealand is calling on those involved in sport to make their codes more inclusive to people living with a disability. Eighty-four percent of New Zealander’s believe we should have a society that is truly inclusive of disabled people. Yet research released by Paralympics New Zealand at the end of last year reveals only half believe we are achieving this desired level of inclusion. The NZ Paralympic Team continues to have a strong impact on Kiwis, and with the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on the horizon, there is a clear call for more representation of disabled Kiwis on our screens. Paralympics New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Greg Warnecke is excited about what the research reveals. “The results indicate that Para sport and the Paralympics are a pathway to better representation and inclusion of disabled people in New Zealand. “PNZ’s goal is to change attitudes towards disability through showcasing the success of New Zealand’s Paralympians and Para athletes. Celebrating Paralympic sport key to driving NZ’s inclusion of disabled people their achievements can shift the narrative around disability.” Making sport more inclusive can start with small steps such as publishing information about the opportunities available for disabled people or the accessibility features of venues. It could mean providing staff with disability awareness training, or thinking about coaching approaches which include everyone. (Paralympics New Zealand offers LevelUp, high quality training modules on coaching disabled athletes for sports coaches of all levels.) Paralympian #164, multiple Paralympic Gold medallist and world champion, and world record holder Cameron Leslie is also Swimming New Zealand’s Disability and Para Swimming Participation Manager. He believes reflection is crucial – and change isn’t as hard or as costly as people think. “Taking the time to consider howwe need to evolve our sport or club helps to create more opportunities and choice for disabled people. It provides greater options for participation and progression through the sporting pathway. “Evolving your sport or club isn’t as hard as people think and it often doesn’t have a cost associated like many think,” Cameron says. The research findings are important for Aotearoa New Zealand, says Greg. “Kiwis want to see better representation of disabled people in the media. They want to see more Paralympic sport on TV. One in 4 Kiwis is disabled – that’s 6 | THE REVIEW JAN–APR 2024