The Finnish Athletics Federation SUL has asked disabled athletes competing in the ongoing World Para Athletics European Championships in Berlin to contribute 900 euros a head towards competition expenses. However according to the directive, athletes who win a medal will not be required to pay the fee.
SUL head coach Jorma Kemppainen said that the expenses for disabled athletes taking part in international competitions are significantly higher than for their able-bodied peers. He cited this as the reason for the contribution required of the paralympians, a practice that has become widespread since the 2011 World Para Athletics Championship.
Tiina Kivisaari, head of the athletics division of the ministry of sports and culture, said that equality laws also form part of the justification for the payments required of disabled athletes. The ministry said that it requires all sporting organisations that receive funding from it to lay out a gender neutrality and equality plan. The same is also true of the Finnish Athletics Federation.
“The federation has a very good and laudable equal opportunity plan. They have themselves written that their goal is to promote equality, prevent discrimination and improve access to legal protection among marginalised groups involved in sports,” Kivisaari told Yle.
“Maybe there is something that sporting associations should revisit here. It’s good to have a fine plan, but it must also be workable on an everyday basis and in practice. Personally, I would say that perhaps the payment may be warranted, but the same rules should apply to all,” she continued.
Sporting bodies hit with hefty competition fees
Current head of the Finnish Paralympic Committee Tero Kuorikoski said that the International Paralympic Committee has increased participation fees for major competitions involving disabled athletes.
“Track and field sports for disabled athletes are more expensive than for regular athletes because assistants are required for the games and because the IPC collects hefty fees for major competitions. You might ask if it is reasonable for the IPC to rely on fees from upcoming competitions for such a big part of its budget,” Kuorikoski said in a statement.
The committee chief denounced the IPC’s approach and said that the Finnish organisation will actively raise the issue at international meetings.
“At the same time we will try to campaign at an international level through so-called sports federations such as the SUL and deepen cooperation to ensure that the athlete contribution is no longer needed,” he added.
The paralympic committee’s other sponsors have indicated that they will step forward to cover the cost of the fees for athletes participating in the Berlin games.
Paralympians are not the only ones who face a personal "deductible" for prominent international games . Since the year 2000, athletes participating in major international tournaments have also had to pay out of pocket to take to the world stage.
According to SUL, young athletes competing in the 2006 World Junior Athletics Championships in Beijing also had to contribute 1,000 euros of their own money to represent Finland.
