If Hong Kong is truly proud of its Paralympic athletes, the city should be more disabled-friendly

Few would describe crowded Hong Kong as disabled-friendly. With its narrow pavements and old buildings, getting from one place to another can be difficult for the able-bodied, let alone those with disabilities

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Hong Kong’s Vivian Lau Wai-yan, Leung Yuk-wing and reserve player Raymond Wong Kwan-hang celebrate on the podium after winning silver in the mixed pairs Boccia BC4 event at the Tokyo Paralympics earlier this month. Photo: HK Paralympic Committee

Bernard Chan

Bernard Chan, born in 1965, is a Hong Kong businessman.

Published: 6:45am, 24 Sep 2021

The recently concluded Tokyo Paralympics and Hong Kong’s stellar performance of two silvers and three bronzes has raised awareness of disability in our society. With a total of 131 medals dating back to 1972, Hong Kong has actually been much more successful in the Paralympics than the Olympics, though our Paralympic athletes have largely been overlooked and not accorded the same attention and glory.

Luckily this year, local free-to-air television highlighted our Paralympians’ journeys and backstories, bringing into focus both their disabilities and incredible abilities.

The Paralympians’ stories are inspirational and motivational. Paralympians have had to achieve a lot more than Olympians, as they not only have to train and qualify to compete on a world stage, but also have to overcome hurdles of health and everyday living that we take for granted.

To me, the Paralympics is the pinnacle of sporting achievement, given these athletes’ starting point of disability. Hong Kong is proud of our disabled athletes’ success, but are we doing enough for the disabled in everyday life?