Brisbane 2032 Olympics QSAC plan ‘not the right call’ for Paralympics: Aussie Paralympian

Brisbane’s 2032 Olympics plan has the chance to create a legacy for athletes with a disability, but the current proposal risks any chance at creating that legacy unless more money is put into infrastructure.

The 2032 Paralympic Games have the power to change the lives of Australians living with disabilities but Paraympian Michael Dobbie-Bridges has warned there won’t be much of a legacy if organiser’s aren’t willing to foot the bill for more infrastructure.

Dobbie-Bridges represented Australia in wheelchair tennis at the Beijing Games, six World Team Cups and is now the chair of the board for Sporting Wheelies.

A Brisbane resident, Dobbie-Bridges was disappointed to hear plans for the Gabba redevelopment had been scrapped in favour of giving QSAC a facelift.

“I still have serious doubts about the decisions that have occurred,” Dobbie-Bridges said.

“Hopefully that is just a starting point and not the final place where they’ve landed.

“QSAC is not the right call for a bunch of reasons in terms of location, access for people with a disability, the impact it will have on athletes being displaced from their training venue for a period of time while the renovations are happening with no real understanding of where they’re going to go and how they can have world class facilities to hopefully win medals in 2032.”

Dobbie-Bridges said he was aware of the challenges posed by upgrading The Gabba - but said as it stood it was near impossible for people with a disability to access.

As an AFL fan it is a venue Dobbie-Bridges likes to visit - but finds it almost impossible to take his four-year-old son along with him.

“There’s no drop off points, my what has to drive me there and there are no safe drop off points for someone in a wheelchair to get out of the car,” he said.

“Then if you’re on the wrong side of the ground there’s hills to get up to get to where you need to get to - it’s just poorly designed.

“It isn’t about how many seats it is about the experience in getting there, how you get there, what happens when you’re inside - and that’s impacted more greatly for people with a disability.”

Dobbie-Bridges said it wasn’t just the stadiums the organising committee needed to consider though in order for the Brisbane 2032 Paralympics to create a legacy.

Michael Dobbie-Bridges speaking at how to make Brisbane 2032 the most accessible Games yet, Brisbane Convention Centre. Picture: Liam Kidston

As it stands there are huge roadblocks preventing many people from taking up or trying a parasport.

“It is a real challenge to find suitable venues where people can go and try sports or access their weekly competitions,” Dobbie-Bridges said.

“We need more venues around and hopefully 2032 is going to provide us with that legacy of having access to more facilities for people with disabilities to play sports and live a healthier life.”

Tokyo Paralympian Will Martin, who won three golds and one silver in the pool, said accessibility was a massive issue.

“I know that some coaches just don’t take on disabled swimmers because it’s obviously a lot different to their usual programming,” Martin said.

“The new coaches coming through are taught ways to coach Paralympic athletes and hopefully they can have a really big uptake in the future.

“I’m hoping that 2023 can get a lot of people, especially disabled people, involved in sport and make them realise that there is a pathway for them.”

Lack of funding means there is often a hefty cost associated with taking up a parasport - particularly those that require a wheelchair.

Dobbie-Bridges said it cost him $17,000 for his new tennis chair and $16,000 for his AFL chair.

“It’s a lot of money,” Dobbie-Bridges said.

“It’s harder for people now because of the funding changes and there are less sports around. It’s so expensive you can’t just turn up and have a go.”

Dobbie-Bridges said there were statistics to prove how much of a legacy the London Paralympics left for people in the UK with a disability.

“Four years post the London Games an extra million people with a disability found a job because of the spotlight that was shown on it and also the employment programs that were built into the pre-Games and then during and post-Games,” he said.

“There was a whole buzz around the Paralympics, it was incredible.

“If we don’t do this right we’re going to miss out on all those opportunities.”