Q & A - Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson Delivers 2012 Inspiration

International Inspiration Ambassador Tanni Grey-Thompson launched the program in Jordan. Empowering youth through sports was one of the themes of London's 2012 bid. (London 2012)(ATR) British Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson’s recent trip to Jordan marked the Middle East launch of the London 2012 International Inspiration Program.

The mission of the London 2012 International Inspiration program is to empower youth through sport. The aim is to reach 12 million children from 20 countries by 2012. International Inspiration currently operates in eight countries including Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bangladesh, India, Mozambique, Palau, Zambia and its newest addition Jordan.

Welsh-born 40 years ago, Grey-Thompson has won 11 gold medals as a wheelchair racer beginning in Barcelona in 1992 and ending in Athens in 2004. Since her retirement she has been a TV presenter for the BBC and an ambassador for the London 2012 International Inspiration program.

ATR spoke with Grey-Thompson after her November trip to Jordan where she visited schools and a Palestinian refugee camp.

Around the Rings: What can be some of the successes of the International Inspiration program?

Tanni Grey-Thompson: I think it gives young people confidence, that is the biggest thing. Sports is about competing against yourself. Everyone who I spoke to said it is about confidence because it is physically enduring but you are learning how to plan and communicate with others.

I visited a debate club, which is a kind of a new style of education in Jordan where you have to stand up in front of your friends, present an argument and answer questions. It is a very positive environment without confrontation. It is all those things that physical activity brings.

Once you have young people that are confident then it gives them more ability to learn and change their lives. It is not going to solve all the problems of the world but if you have young people who question and want to learn and want to be the best they can be, then that is a pretty good start.

ATR: How were you welcomed by the children?

TGT: They were just so warm and welcoming. I think especially for a lot of the girls, they probably do not come in contact with women in wheelchairs because the attitude towards disability and impairment is interesting…in many countries including the U.K. some people see it as negative.

The girls were amazing. A lot of the girls that I spoke to were fluent in English. They were very warm and I talked about my life in the U.K. I drive a car. They think that you have a car and have a daughter and just talking about my experience gets them to think. That is where I think meeting people from other cultures, you learn stuff about other cultures. You can read as much as you want on paper but unless are out there and experience it, then you don’t really know what you are talking about.

ATR: Is there any experience that really stands out from your tripGrey-Thompson visited a Palestinian Refugee Camp. (London 2012) to Jordan?

TGT: At the (Palestinian) refugee camp, I met two young boys in wheelchairs. One boy didn’t use a wheelchair because it was too big and heavy and he couldn’t move it around. So he would come to school in a pram (baby carriage). He then relied on his friends and his class to push him around. When you see a young, disabled child in a pram because that is the easiest way for them to get around, it is quite eye-opening.

ATR: Who is the aim of this program in Jordan? Girls? Boys?

TGT: It is across all ears but the way you have tackle some of those things are different between boys and girls and between different backgrounds. But, it is basically about using the power of sports to empower young people.

ATR: What kind of specific work does the program do in Jordan?

Grey-Thompson believes sports can give children confidence. (London 2012) TGT: There is a huge amount of work going on in terms of training teachers, supporting and training young people.

The girls' program is quite inventive because the history and the culture has not been around of girls being physically active. Their culture and religious background means that it is quite challenging for them to do sports beyond the age of 14 and doing it in public is quite difficult. You also got restricted access to sports facilities.

There is a lot of challenges for them to try to get through but there was a huge amount of local support. We had a lot of support from Prince Ra'ad (Zeid), who works in the education office of disabled people. There was a lot of support Prince Faisal (bin Al-Hussein), chairman of the Jordan Olympic Committee. They have a lot of aspirations of where they would like to be.

ATR: Do you see this program expanding to other countries in the Middle East?

TGT: It would be great to see it expand and grow. Sports changed my life a lot and I want to see the same for young people. It is not so much about elite sport. It is about what being involved in sports can bring you.

ATR: Is there anything you like to add about your experience as an International Inspiration Ambassador?

TGT: It was a great opportunity for me and it is something that will have a good legacy out of the Games. It is quite different having this quite of legacy but young people were at the heart of London’s bid and I think that is one of the things that made our bid quite strong.

Sports is an amazing tool to bring people together. It is amazing what you can do when you let young people think for themselves.

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Written by Sam Steinberg.