Shame!: Priests and officials on the podium, the president of the Paralympic Committee alone

A photograph taken at the inauguration of a sports facility in Crete sparked a storm of controversy. It shows government officials, other elected representatives, and priests on the podium, while the president of the Paralympic Committee, who can be seen standing alone in a corner, was unable to fit on the platform.

In a country where people with disabilities experience exclusion from a wide range of everyday activities, one would expect the message at the “highest level” to be different. Unfortunately, however, in a country of occupied ramps, damaged sidewalks (which are a minefield for pedestrians), and the violation of every concept of equal treatment, this recent incident of social exclusion is no exception.

Social media has been flooded in recent hours with a photograph showing officials standing on a specially designed platform for the inauguration of a sports facility, which lacks a ramp for people with disabilities. The result is that the president of the Paralympic Committee, George Kapellakis, appears “neglected” under the platform in the same snapshot, as the authorities had not provided for the installation of a ramp that would give him access to it.

The post on the “cool_crips” page emphasizes:

«This is not just a picture of a stadium inauguration ceremony in Crete;

This is not simply an image of government officials and clergy standing on a raised platform while a Paralympian (and president of the Greek Paralympic Committee) stands below, off the platform, in his wheelchair.

This is not just another image of exclusion.

This picture here is our everyday life. And it's not very cool...”.

And below:

“Image description: photograph taken in an open space, a platform set up on a sandy field. A walkway leads to the platform, and there are two steps to climb up to it. On the platform are several middle-aged men, some of whom are government officials in suits and others are elected officials, while there are also five clergymen who appear to be performing a blessing ceremony with an icon of a saint. Below the platform, where the steps begin, there is a middle-aged man sitting in his wheelchair, also dressed formally.There are photographers and spectators in the stands, while in the background there are flags on tall poles and the sun can be seen setting on the horizon.».

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce1AbOeqZmX/

Apologies from Avgenaki

Regarding the incident, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis, wrote:

«It was a mistake, and I promise it won't happen again!

Such an image, such as the lack of access for the President of the Hellenic Paralympic Committee, George Kapellakis, to the makeshift platform for the blessing of the Karteros Beach Sports Center facilities, such an omission will not happen again.

The culture of inclusion has been our philosophy since day one at the Deputy Ministry of Sports, but it is also a key policy focus of our government.

Athletes with disabilities know this well. And they acknowledge it.

This was stated immediately afterwards, as you can see in the video, by Giorgos Kapellakis himself, whom I would like to thank warmly.

«With your behavior, you treat us as equals. This has been our major complaint all these years. We were not treated equally, and we found it with you, Lefteris Avgenakis. And this is very important, not only for athletes with disabilities, but for society as a whole.».