Channel 4 in the UK has unveiled a television commercial for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which challenges people to view Paralympians as elite, world-class athletes, not as competitors “overcoming” their disabilities.
The advertisement, titled “Considering What?”, marks a significant shift in how Paralympic sports are portrayed and perceived. The film will debut on Channel 4 at 9 PM on July 12th, and will also be broadcast simultaneously across all the broadcaster’s channels.
Instead of focusing on the outdated narrative of athletes “overcoming their disabilities,” the film illustrates Paralympians as they tackle and triumph over challenges such as gravity, friction, and time—impartial forces that impact every athlete, regardless of disability.
“Gravity, friction, time. The unchangeable forces of our world dictate what it means to be the best on the pitch, in the pool, on the court, on the track. They offer no head starts, no free passes, no patronising pat on the head and another go around. Excellence is excellent, no caveats. How strange that as audiences we watch one of the world’s most elite sporting events with our heads tilted and our amazement seemingly tempered.
“As we moved on from Superhumans, we wanted to turn the lens on the audience, done with a film stuffed full of Channel 4 irreverence and spirit. We owe a huge debt to Paralympians and our partners throughout the disabled community who have worked with us to bring this project to life. My personal thanks to them for backing a sports film that features a fat man with a pint and a lad with a mullet doing donuts in Brent Cross. Bring it on, Paris!” said Lynsey Atkin, Executive Creative Director of 4creative.
Created through a collaboration between Channel 4’s in-house team and the disability consultancy Purple Goat, the commercial sets a new standard for Paralympic coverage.
