The Paralympics in Paris are attracting thousands of people to the competition venues. The major event, which is still going on until Sunday, offers numerous successful and sporting stories, but also negative stories. Comedian Luke Mockridge provides one of them.
He makes fun of the Paralympics in a podcast. He makes comments like: “There are people without arms and legs, you throw them into a pool – and the last one to drown wins.” Or he talks about the “founding idea” of the Paralympics. “The first person to call another country and say: ‘Hey, you know the Olympic Games, I have a similar idea. You also have disabled people in your country, shall we see who is faster?'” The podcasters can hardly contain their laughter. His statement that it is a great event for inclusion is devalued by the jokes.
Now Mockridge is getting a shitstorm. This is because Kristina Vogel, double Olympic track cycling champion, shared a clip on Instagram. Vogel, who has been paralyzed since a training accident, wrote: “So many insults are boiling in my heart right now.” She added: “I don’t understand how people can be so derogatory! Yes, you can laugh at people with disabilities, but what you’re doing here is just abysmal.”
The podcasters are dragging people through the mud. On her Instagram page, Vogel also writes: “Attention and advance warning for the question of why people talk themselves hoarse, because there are still people who say such inhumane crap and just put down disabled people!”
Luke Mockridge has not yet commented on the allegations. The comedian is considered controversial anyway. Three years ago he hit the headlines due to serious allegations made by his ex-partner. The public prosecutor’s office investigated but dropped the case. However, many fellow comedians distanced themselves from the 35-year-old.
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