For 11 days, the Paralympic Games will be everywhere. Yet it is quite possible that you have already seen flashes of the event. On social media, the official account is notorious and famous for videos that are on/over the edge. Priceless advertising for G-sports or inappropriate? Opinions will undoubtedly be divided in the future.
A G-cyclist without a right leg has a well-known musical tune with the text ‘Left! Left! Left!’ mounted over him.
A blind triathlete looking for his bike is accompanied by a piano.
And an unfortunate incident involving an armless archer who nevertheless receives an outstretched hand during the medal ceremony is highlighted even further.
Watch the selection of edited videos below about the Paralympic Games and many will be somewhat reluctant to laugh out loud. The videos in question flirt with an uncomfortable boundary of what is acceptable.
Black humor, mixed reactions
What makes it all the more striking is that all of the examples come from the official social media accounts of the Paralympic Games.
Anyone unfamiliar with the content of @paralympics will look surprised. Has the profile been hacked? Or will a content creator soon be able to collect his C4?
Not at all.
After all, it is a deliberate strategy of the Paralympic Games to feature the athletes in videos with a (black) humorous twist, linked to the digital trends of the moment, in addition to ‘serious’ informative and heroic videos.
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An approach that does not miss its effect. On the contrary. The Paralympics TikTok account has 4.5 million followers – quite impressive for a niche in the sports world. Some viral videos easily reach tens of millions of views and surpass their Olympic counterparts.
However, a look at the reactions to the videos shows that the content evokes mixed feelings among the target audience.
A (majority) portion describes the account as “rude”, “disrespectful” and “bullying”. Others find it “groundbreaking”, “hilarious” and “taboo-breaking”.
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This division also exists among the athletes who appear in the videos.
Australian G-cyclist Darren Hicks, protagonist in the ‘Left! Left! Left!’ video, previously said he has no problem with it.
“I don’t feel like they’re making fun of me,” he told NBC News. “They’re using a song with the word ‘left,’ and I happen to be kicking with my left leg.”
British table tennis player Jack Hunter-Spivey also welcomes the approach: “Because it’s a great way to create attention around the Paralympic Games. It also shows that we can handle humour. If I fell out of my wheelchair at friends’ house, we would laugh about that too.”
Six-time Paralympic champion Brad Snyder, the blind triathlete from the piano video, even shared his viral video on his own social media: “I’m glad the IPC is doing something that’s innovative and reaching a broad audience of young people,” he said on CNN.
“Although I realize that it is sometimes a difficult balancing act between showing respect and using humor.”
I’m glad the format is getting a lot of views and introducing people to our sports, but at what price?
South African G-rower
Other athletes have more critical comments.
Last year, English G-footballer Sean Jackson complained to the BBC that the account rarely focuses on positive performances.
“They choose to make fun of the athletes and use their sport to entertain people in a humorous way,” Jackson began his argument.
“When I look at the account, I’ve seen maybe one or two videos of athletes doing something successful. The others are being mocked for falling or the way they walk.”
A South African G-rower also admitted that she regularly has her doubts.
“Some videos are fun, but others make my stomach turn. I’m glad the format gets a lot of views and introduces people to our sports, but at what price?”
A look at the timeline of the Paralympic TikTok account.
TikTok Tony
The controversy will undoubtedly peak in the coming period as the Paralympic Games get underway – and provide another goldmine of footage.
The Paralympic Committee, for one, has no plans to change its profitable approach to social media. Craig Spence, the IPC’s head of brand and communications, defends the path it has taken.
“We realised that our content had to be very bold to generate engagement,” he previously told the media.
“Now you have a lot of people who don’t know whether to laugh at it. And if they do, they’re afraid they’re going to hell. Well, our posts may be on the edge, but I think we’ve got the balance right.”
We are the Paralympic Games. Isn’t it normal that we have the most popular sports account in the world right now?
Craig Spence, IPC’s Head of Brand and Communications
What strengthens Spence in his belief is the fact that the ideas do not come from a evil genius who doesn’t know what it’s like to fight prejudice. Behind the posts is a group of four people: three of them have a disability, two of them were once Paralympians.
The mastermind is reportedly TikTok Tony, a “genius” who practiced G-sports himself at a young age and knows the Paralympic archive of 13,000 hours of material back to front.
According to Spence, a mix of three factors are causing the videos to go viral so quickly.
“The videos are about top-level sport, they include unique elements of the Paralympic Games and they show the reality of the experience. I always emphasize that we have to stick to those ingredients. Because if we move away from that, we are going to get ourselves into trouble.”
But now the inventors are especially proud of the revolution they are causing.
“We are the Paralympic Games. It is not normal that we have the most popular sports account in the world right now,” said Spence.
“At first, we were looked down on a bit – just like people with disabilities – but we are tearing up the rules and attracting a new audience. We have done our job when some of those 4 million followers watch the Paralympic Games for the first time.”
You too, right?
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