Alina Kabaeva. Meeting with the Paralympians

// TV Show on Channel 5

15.04.2010 11:28

Meeting with the Paralympians

Let me begin with a huge thank-you to the paralympians for once again giving us all the opportunity to be proud of our country. During the first few days of the Paralympics in Vancouver, Russia’s handicapped athletes managed to take first place in the medals count, with a total of 10 victories! This is an amazing result, and not just for sport.
When we travel abroad we see quite a lot of handicapped people. We see many more than in our country, not because there aren’t so many in Russia, but because here they often don’t have the opportunity to feel normal amongst ordinary people. They are embarrassed about their disabilities and embarrassed that they don’t have the opportunity to live an ordinary life – to work, go to the shops, visit museums and theatres.
The paralympians have demonstrated and reminded us all once again that handicapped people are just like everyone else. They may have problems, but so what? They live with them, they have their own world and their own concerns, and are entitled to live just like everyone else. But for this we need to create the right conditions; we need to make provisions in the home, in shopping centres, public places, transport – facilities that are trivial to us, but are a huge help to people with disabilities.
I had the paralympian gold medalists on the show – Irek Zaripov, Kirill Mikhaylov, Anna Burmistrova and Sergey Shilov. We’re so proud of our paralympian team! They’re so enthusiastic, with such fire in their eyes! They believe they have the strength for new victories, because they value life and the opportunities it gives them!
Watch “Steps towards Success” at 1100 on Sunday 18th April. The programme will be repeated on Monday 19th April at 0015 in the evening.