International Paralympic Committee @London2012: Review ticketing policy for wheelchair users

International Paralympic Committee @London2012: Review ticketing policy for wheelchair users

Started
13 August 2012
Petition to
Mark Todd (Accessibility Manager London 2012)
Petition Closed
This petition had 38,512 supporters

Why this petition matters

UPDATE:  Since this petition started I have been overwhelmed by the massive response and I appreciate every one of you!  Last Wednesday LOCOG sold me 4 tickets allowing my family and I to sit together at the cycling on 30th August.

Although very grateful and appreciative of this, I did not think it fair that although I could now go with my family others could not (based on the correspondence I received from fellow disabled parents) and so I decided to continue with the campaign.

Since Thursday I have been in contact with the Accessibility Manager at LOCOG who has been trying to find a resolution.  Although we are not in agreement on many matters it is obvious to me he is trying to resolve this as best he can in his position.

Although  I have been promised that this is not a policy issue and it has been admitted to me that this is a result of LOCOGs poor training of their staff, I am still aware that there are those people who have held tickets since September and who are still having issues. 

LOCOG have advised me in a letter today that they are now re-briefing staff about disabled seating.  However I would still appeal to LOCOG to state this publicly so that further confusion is abated.

 

Like millions across the UK, I was inspired by the London 2012 Olympic Games. I decided I wanted to take family to the Paralympics to sample the once in a lifetime showcase of disabled sport in London.

I am a wheelchair user, with a four-year-old autistic son and a nineteen-month-old baby. Naturally we wanted to sit together and, particularly as it’s the Paralympics, I assumed there would be adequate provision for this to happen. I was stunned to hear that there was no way that this could happen as there is a policy that wheelchair users can only be accompanied by one other person.

I cannot believe that this event, designed to inspire a new generation of athletes, has a discriminatory ticketing policy. It’s essential that my husband sits with me as he helps me with things I need to do and clearly my kids can’t sit separately. Quite apart from these practical considerations, I want to share this special occasion with my family, but I’m being prevented from doing so just because I am in a wheelchair.

Please join my campaign to get the organisers of the Paralympics to change this ticketing policy for these and future Games - so every family may share the Paralympics together.

 

Petition Closed

This petition had 38,512 supporters

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Decision-Makers

  • Mark ToddAccessibility Manager London 2012