As much of the globe tunes into the 2022 Olympic Winter Games held in Beijing over the next couple of weeks, we look ahead to this year’s Paralympic Games held March 4-13 (also in Beijing). Officially titled the XIII Paralympic Winter Games, it’s where para-athletes from all over the globe will come together to compete in 78 events in five different winter sports. This year’s Paralympic sports are alpine skiing, para ice hockey, wheelchair curling, snowboarding, and Nordic skiing which includes both a cross-country skiing competition and biathlon.
Both this year’s Olympic and Paralympic events will look a bit different due to COVID-19 health and safety precautions. Spectators are not allowed and attendance will be limited to protect the athletes’ health and prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Within the context of these pared-down games, what will accessibility look like in Beijing? How accessible will the facilities and spaces be for para-athletes and delegates? With home viewing being the only option, how accessible will the games be for television viewers?
Viewing accessibility
Just like the Olympics, the Paralympics will air stateside on NBC/Universal, and NBCU has announced that it will air portions of this year’s Paralympic Games on NBC during primetime hours for the first time ever. The opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games will air on NBC’s USA Network, but the great news for those who may not have access to network television or cable is that every moment of the Paralympics will be available on NBC’s streaming app, Peacock. This is welcome news for fans across the globe who are unable to attend in person due to Coronavirus. But with all eyes on NBC as the prime source of coverage, how accessible will their broadcasts and streaming services be for viewers with disabilities?
According to a statement from NBCUniversal released on its website, the coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be the most accessible in broadcast history. NBCU is offering closed captioning for all Olympic and Paralympic events airing on NBC broadcast stations and cable networks as well as all content on digital live streams on the Peacock app. Literally, every moment of the Games will be closed captioned.
NBCU is also offering audio description services for the Paralympics with all coverage including simul-streams being accompanied by live audio descriptions featuring professional commentators from NBC Sports narrating the play-by-play of competitions so that people with visual impairments won’t miss a moment of the action. Additionally, much (but not all) of the Olympic Winter Games coverage will also be accompanied by live audio descriptions on the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) channel.
NBC has also sought to make web content on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app more accessible with features like keyboard navigation, color contrast options, and increased support for screen readers.
And because NBC seems to understand that true accessibility can’t exist without accountability and input from real-life users with disabilities, NBC is encouraging users to head to social media to provide feedback on accessibility measures. The hashtags #NBCOlympicsA11y and #NBCParalympicsA11y can be utilized to report any issues with closed captioning or audio descriptions to NBCUniversal.
Facility accessibility
Chinese officials from the Paralympic Department at Beijing 2022 have reported to state-run media outlets that all Olympic and Paralympic venues and facilities have been upgraded to meet accessibility requirements as outlined by the Olympic and Paralympic committees. Upgrades reported by Chinese officials include creating barrier-free movement paths and building an underground corridor that connects all the facilities in Beijing to make accessing all venues simple and seamless for wheelchair users and others with mobility limitations. Officials also report that informational guides have been published in Braille and large print and that press conferences will feature sign language interpreters.
It’s possible that info coming from state-run media might exaggerate the city’s accessibility efforts, but Paralympics.org outlines in detail the many modifications made to enhance accessibility throughout the city of Beijing and other areas hosting events. The CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality have made the following improvements to the city in the lead up to the Games:
- Curb ramps were installed in nearly the whole city.
- 12,700 bus stops, underground stations, and parking lots have been made accessible.
- Entrance ramps and accessible handrails have been installed in over 70,000 public and private buildings.
- “Smart Tech” installed in the Olympic/Paralympic Villages enables accessible route navigation and accessible control of lamps, curtains, and heating/cooling.
- Venue floors have been leveled and external corners of the walls have been plastered to become arced.
Beyond the city of Beijing, in Zhangjiakou—the area that will host the cross-country skiing, biathlon, and snowboarding events—additional accessibility improvements have been made. In Zhangjiakou:
- Curb ramps have been installed in thousands of intersections while miles of tactile guide paths were renovated.
- Hundreds of accessible toilets have been installed throughout the city while accessible toilets and elevators were installed throughout the Paralympic venue sites including several at Taizicheng Railway Station.
Prognosis for accessibility
Based on self-reporting from NBCU and Beijing and Paralympic Committee officials, it sure seems like this year’s Paralympics/Olympics could receive a gold medal in accessibility. Perhaps though it’s best to temper expectations of what the Olympic/Paralympic Committees can deliver after news broke during last year’s delayed Summer Olympics of the less-than-luxury conditions athletes and para-athletes were living in at the Villages.
Another thing to consider is that accessibility measures like these are relatively new to large urban areas in China like Beijing, and while Chinese athletes tend to sweep the Paralympics, they and others in China with disabilities have felt not-so-supported back at home. Likely, news of accessibility improvements on this scale is heartening for Chinese para-athletes to hear, but changes like this are only the beginning in creating a more equitable world for everyone to coexist in.
One of the overarching goals of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is to bring people from different geographies and cultures together to share in comradery and sportsmanship, but also to share ideas and culture. Just as the Games bring so many together every couple of years for this exchange of ideas and culture, may the Paralympic Games also bring higher standards for accessibility with them wherever they go.
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