Podcast Summary: "The Paralympic Movement Takes Off"

Podcast: LSE: Public Lectures and Events
Date: October 14, 2013
Host: LSE Film and Audio Team
Speaker: Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

Overview

This episode features a dynamic lecture by Sir Philip Craven, President of the IPC, on the explosive growth and transformation of the Paralympic movement—focusing especially on the impact of London 2012. Sir Philip shares personal anecdotes, strategic insights, highlights from the Games, and reflects on legacy, challenges, and future opportunities for the Paralympic community worldwide.

Main Themes

• Transformation of the Paralympic Movement
• The Vision, Values, and Strategic Growth of the Paralympics
• London 2012: Milestones, Legacy, and Lessons
• Corporate Partnerships, Branding, and Media Impact
• Global Developments and Challenges
• The Road Ahead: Inclusion, Participation, and Investment

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The IPC's Vision and Values

[02:52 – 14:00]

• Sir Philip discusses the importance of defining the IPC’s vision early in his presidency:

  “To enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world.” (Sir Philip Craven, 05:04)

  • "Enable" is central—empowering rather than doing for others.
  • Firm rejection of the “D word” (disability) in the vision—focus is on athletes, not disability.
  • Scope: The vision extends from grassroots to elite levels.

• The four IPC values explained:

  • Determination
  • Courage (“Athletes don’t see themselves as courageous, but everybody else does.” – 13:32)
  • Inspiration
  • Equality (“All sport should be sport for all. Sport should be for everybody.” – 13:57)

2. The London 2012 Paralympic Games – A Watershed Year

[14:00 – 44:00]

• Explosive public engagement:

  • 2.78 million tickets sold (one million more than Beijing 2008).
  • Paralympics became the third biggest sporting event globally.

• Partnership with the IOC since 2001 contributing greatly to combined Games.

• Channel 4’s innovative and bold coverage (“Superhumans” branding, winning Cannes Gold Lion).

• A shift in public perception, not just in the UK but globally:

  “It was fun. It was great to be alive in London and the UK last year … but last year was exceptional.” (Sir Philip Craven, 20:51)

• Inspirational performances raised public profiles of athletes like Ellie Simmonds, David Weir, Oscar Pistorius, Lee Pearson, Johnny Peacock, Sarah Storey, and Esther Vergeer.

3. Changing Perceptions & Societal Impact

[22:20 – 32:00]

• Significant shift in attitudes toward people with impairments post-London 2012:

  • 81% perceived public attitudes changed for the better.
  • 50% reported personal attitude shifts.
  • 70% of people with impairments found the Games inspiring.

• Paralympics’ role: not laws, but positive, memorable experiences transform perceptions.

  • Story of a young Welsh girl: seeing the Games ignited her own sporting ambition.

4. Sponsorship, Commercial Growth, and the Paralympic Brand

[32:00 – 44:00]

• Paralympic sponsorships move from "CSR" to “sound commercial practice”. E.g., Sainsbury’s and BP.
• BP’s testimonial:

  “BP brand lived one of its very best associations … Our employees were deeply proud and our business partners were inspired.” (Sir Philip quoting Luc Bardin, 36:35)

• Strategic goal: build unique Paralympic branding and capitalize on rising interest in global markets like Brazil and Japan.

Q&A Highlights

On Classification and Fair Play

[36:21 – 39:53]

• Evolution from medical-based to evidence-based, sport-relevant classification.
• Importance of best practices for both elite fairness and encouraging wider participation.

On Corporate Values and Ethics

[40:00 – 42:44]

• IPC insists sponsorships must align authentically with movement values—not mere “widget selling.”

  “We don't sell our souls for money, basically.” (Craven, 42:40)

On Equipment Inequality and Support for Developing Nations

[50:12 – 53:19]

• Acknowledgement of resource gaps; new initiatives for affordable, quality sporting equipment.
• Possibility of leveraging IOC’s Olympic Solidarity funds in the future.

On Post-Games Participation and African Teams

[54:46 – 56:53]

• Local legacy matters: grassroots participation is the authentic impact.
• Need for strategic partnerships with governments; recycling equipment for African nations.

On Social Justice, Benefits & Disability Policy

[57:00 – 59:45]

• Acknowledges the irony and difficulty: inspiring events happen alongside benefit cuts.
• IPC is aware but cannot advocate directly due to its apolitical status.

On International Partnerships and Development

[59:45 – 61:35]

• IPC works with organizations like UK Sport and others globally for Paralympic development.

On Inclusion: Conflict Survivors, the Deaf Community, and More

[61:46 – 71:15]

• Support through National Paralympic Committees for those acquiring impairments through conflict.
• Addressing prosthetics and equipment (Otto Bock as partner).
• Discussions ongoing with Deaflympics about possible future inclusion in Paralympics.

On Building Public Awareness Between Games

[66:03 – 67:46]

• Challenge exists in raising the profile of athletes/events outside the four-year Olympic/Paralympic cycle.
• IPC recognizes the need for more, better-quality international and regional competitions.

Memorable Quotes

• On Vision:

  “Paralympians don’t have the time to worry about what doesn’t work, they just maximize what does.” (Donna Ritchie paraphrased by Sir Philip, 11:36)

• On Partnership:

  “What made London 2012 were the athletic performances, were the athletes … it wasn’t just British athletes the crowd was supporting, but athletes from all over the world.” (Sir Philip Craven, 28:30)

• On Changing Perceptions:

  "It's not laws that change perceptions ... it's positive experiences that stay forever in your mind and your perceptions get transformed." (Sir Philip Craven, 26:55)

• On Corporate Sponsorship:

  “We don't sell our souls for money, basically.” (Sir Philip Craven, 42:40)

Closing Reflections & Legacy

• Key Takeaways for Future Host Cities:

  “You’ve got to organize both Games together … you need to catch the bug, be inspired. Once you get inspiration, anything can happen.” (Sir Philip Craven, 76:35)

• His Hope for Legacy:

  “I don’t want to be remembered for a legacy such as ‘he did this or that.’ What I want is to leave an organization that’s vibrant, moving forward, excited about itself … If it’s fresh and vibrant when I leave it, then I can be confident it’ll go on for the long term.” (Sir Philip Craven, 85:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:52] – Sir Philip opens with personal anecdotes and the IPC's vision
• [14:00] – Analysis of the London 2012 Paralympics and ticketing success
• [22:20] – Societal impact and changing perceptions
• [32:00] – Commercial partnerships and sponsorship
• [36:21] – Audience Q&A: Classification, sponsorship ethics, Sochi Games
• [50:12] – Discussion on global equipment inequality
• [54:46] – African teams and local legacy stories
• [57:00] – Policy, social justice, and disability allowances
• [61:46] – Landmines, prosthetics, and inclusion for conflict-affected athletes
• [66:03] – The challenge of visibility between Games
• [69:21] – The role and potential inclusion of the Deaf community
• [71:38] – Audience reflections on London’s success and US TV coverage
• [75:51] – Summing up legacy and vision for the future

Closing

Sir Philip’s address, interwoven with stories, strategic vision, and candid Q&A, delivered an engaging and motivational portrait of a movement not just growing in size but evolving in ambition and impact. His call to focus on empowerment, partnership, and inspiration sets a clear tone for the ongoing journey of the Paralympic movement.