The ComRes poll commissioned by Scope stated that less than a third of disabled people in Britain and around 18 per cent of the nation as a whole were planning on watching all or most Paralympic events.

The survey also suggested that a significant proportion of disabled people in Britain believe that the Paralympics is condescending to disabled people; while only one in five think that it is inclusive.

There were also suggestions from Scope that the Paralympics should be scrapped and combined with the Olympics to create a fully integrated event, but Hollingsworth feels such an idea is flawed and fails to take into account the benefits of the Paralympic Games.

"No one disputes that the Paralympic Games has a crucial role to play in changing perceptions of disability," said the BPA chief executive.

"However for Scope to suggest that it would be appropriate to scrap the competition now and combine it with the Olympics fails to appreciate its unique purpose, scale and power.

"The Paralympics is already the second largest sporting event in the world, and London will see it take another huge leap forward in terms of awareness and understanding.

"We are working hard, along with Channel 4, the BBC and the London 2012 Organising Committee, to raise the profile of the Games, our sports and athletes."

Hollingsworth also pointed out that huge tickets sales for the London 2012 Paralympics suggest that there is undoubtedly huge interest in the event.



"The brilliant success of ticket sales and the increase in media coverage indicates to me that, contrary to the survey's sample, there is a big public appetite for Paralympic sport," he said.

"While there is an agenda in terms of attitudes and perceptions of disability, the BPA wants as many people as possible, both disabled and non-disabled, to watch the Paralympics next year because first and foremost it is a world class sporting event in its own right."

The survey itself claimed that a total of 22 per cent believe the Paralympics is patronising and 20 per cent think it makes disabled people appear second class.

It says that just 23 per cent see it as empowering, while nine per cent think that the whole thing is a waste of money compared to five per cent of the nation as a whole.

Scope also found that two thirds of disabled people polled have experienced aggression, hostility or name calling - up from 41 per cent in May this year - while 46 per cent said that they experience discrimination on at least a weekly basis, compared to 50 per cent in May.

"Changing attitudes is about visibility and increased familiarity in everyday life," said Scope chair Alice Maynard.

"But if the only disabled people that get any profile out of the Games are Paralympians - and their feats of sporting success - then it is unlikely that the Games will do much to change people's perceptions of ordinary disabled people.

"The challenge for London 2012 is to make sure disabled people are involved not just on track and field but throughout the Games and the celebrations before and afterwards."

Maynard also expressed concerns about provisions for the influx of disabled people into the capital during the Games.

"It's just not clear how London will cope with having so many people and so many disabled people in the same place at the same time."

Hollingsworth has been supported in his strong defence of the London 2012 Paralympic by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) who said the Games were a showcase of elite sport which highlights what can be achieved by people with an impairment.

"We benefit from having surveyed hundreds of thousands of people over decades in various countries, as opposed to just a few hundred people, and our data indicates that perceptions of people with an impairment change for the better following a Games and make for a far more inclusive society," said IPC media and communications senior manager Craig Spence.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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