'The aim is for a better world for disabled people'

Two-time Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock was part of the Every Body Moves launch

New British Paralympic Association chief executive Dave Clarke wants sport to have an increased impact on the general lives of disabled people.

"I've seen Paralympic sport go from sympathy to empathy to acceptance to enjoyment, and now to the public consuming it as sport.

"What we now need to see is that same level of equity that we have managed to achieve in many parts of the elite sports arena into wider life," Clarke told BBC Sport.

"As an association, we have two main aims - one is to continue to put the best prepared team into the Summer and Winter Games.

"But the other is around creating a better world for disabled people and that it is not just on the field that we're representing disabled people - we are also representing them in wider society and ensuring that equity is provided in all walks of life.

"That spans all sorts of areas from working with partners in sport to also working with wider partners to look at things like employment, transport, health outcomes and the environment."

Figures from the BPA released on Monday as part of the launch of their Every Body Moves initiative, which aims to empower all disabled people to become active in a way that is right for them, reveal that disabled people's physical activity levels have been disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living challenges.

They show that disabled people are almost twice as likely as non-disabled people to say they are unable to find accessible and inclusive activities near them, and also more likely to feel lonelier and more isolated now than before the pandemic and cost of living challenges.

Wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft won double Paralympic gold in Tokyo

Clarke represented Great Britain in goalball at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta before becoming a star of blind football, playing for England 144 times, scoring a record 128 goals in the process and competing at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Games.

Britain has finished second behind China in the medal table at the last two summer Games, coming away from the rescheduled Tokyo edition with 124 medals including 41 golds.

But Clarke knows that maintaining their position is getting tougher, with other nations putting increased funding into chasing Paralympic medals.

"We are very aware that we need to keep improving because Paralympic sport improves at an incredible rate," he said.

"At the elite level it is being pushed forward in all sorts of ways and therefore we have the responsibility to continue to produce that best prepared team.

"That means having fantastic relationships with the national governing bodies of all sports to make sure that we're bringing the athletes through who can represent Britain at a Paralympic Games and get the medals we need.

"As the organisation responsible for selecting, entering and financing the team for the Games, I have been incredibly impressed, but not surprised, by the level of detailed planning that is going on to ensure that we put our athletes in the strongest position to come home with the best medal haul they possibly can, and also enjoy the experience."

Tandem pairs James Ball and Lewis Stewart, and Matt Rotherham and Neil Fachie celebrate their Tokyo medals

The Paris Games come after the rescheduled Tokyo Games which had no spectators, and the Rio Games in 2016 which suffered late budget cuts threatening the event itself. However, Clarke is confident that Paris can build on the legacy of 2012.

"All my dealings with the guys in Paris have been ones of excitement and them wanting to put on a great show and wanting to make the athletes feel included," he said.

"I think it's brilliant that that's the attitude they are taking and they are really positive about it, and we are really positive about the engagement we are getting and I think it is going to be an absolutely fantastic Games.

"There is pressure when you provide any form of live sporting event and let's face it, the Paralympics is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, but I think with pressure comes excitement and opportunity."