Like many others, I was captivated by the Paralympics in Paris. I particularly enjoyed discovering new sports (boccia, anyone?), witnessing seemingly impossible feats such as Matt Stutzman’s fourth gold medal and Paralympic record in archery, achieved without arms, or Sarah Storey’s astounding 19th gold medal. The athletes’ personal stories were deeply moving, and I was especially fascinated by the technological adaptations that enable world-class levels of performance. We are undeniably witnessing a tremendous leap forward in our understanding and treatment of disabilities, alongside technological innovations that will not only transform sports but affect us all.
In my lifetime, attitudes towards disability in the UK have transformed remarkably. The Paralympics, bolstered by Channel 4’s superb coverage, has shone a light on the achievements of athletes who demonstrate exceptional skill, creativity and courage. Yet, for all the progress made, systemic barriers still prevent genuine equality and access. Tanni Grey-Thompson’s recent experience illustrates this point all too well. On her way to the Paralympic opening ceremony, she found herself stranded on a train platform, without assistance for her wheelchair. The irony was unmistakable: on her way to celebrate the pinnacle of human adaptability and perseverance, she was failed by the very infrastructure most of us take for granted. If this can happen to a Paralympic legend, how much more difficult must life be for countless others navigating daily challenges with disabilities?
In football, we witness a similarly incomplete journey towards inclusivity. Recently, two individuals I know have been at the forefront of promoting disability awareness in football and beyond. Jason Land, a colleague at the Grimsby Town Foundation, has had a visual impairment from birth but did not have symptoms until he was 13 years old. His focus has been on projects that demonstrate what he describes as “the power of football to engage people”.
Jason is a vital member of the team, working across all age groups and hosting groups of children on matchdays, often from some of the more economically challenged areas of our town. We were delighted when Jason was recognised by the FA last month with the Hope Award, alongside Charlton Award winner Lotte Wubben-Moy of Arsenal and England, for his “outstanding contribution to disability football”. His work exemplifies football’s potential to affect lives far beyond the pitch, using sport as a vehicle for change, inclusion and hope.
Different but equally impressive was the work of Joseph Adams this summer. Joseph, the son of Phil Adams, one of the owners of Altrincham FC and a friend of mine, took on a remarkable challenge. Over five days, Joseph, who has Down’s syndrome, completed 10 runs of 10km in 10 countries to raise awareness about the barriers people with disabilities face when trying to participate in sports. Although Joseph is a keen swimmer, he had never run long distances before. His efforts raised more than £400k for Altrincham FC’s disability sports programme. Dubbed the “No Limits” Challenge, his journey gained nationwide attention, with support coming from Jill Scott and Steven Gerrard. For me, this was a perfect reminder of sport’s ability to inspire and transcend labels and boundaries.
Football, like the Paralympics, offers us a moment to reflect on how we can push the boundaries of human capability. In the next decade, technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and quantum computing will further push those boundaries. We often forget how remarkable it is that the supercomputers we carry in our pockets amplify our intelligence in ways unimaginable 20 years ago. As we integrate these technologies, and with the accelerating power of quantum computing, we will start to transcend physical limitations. Thinkers such as Peter Diamandis and Ray Kurzweil are showing how this is happening. I am an investor in the Be My Eyes app, created in 2015, which connects visually impaired people with sighted volunteers through smartphone cameras. Now, with a partnership with OpenAI, we are glimpsing the future, one where artificial intelligence provides real-time visual assistance without the need for human volunteers.
Elon Musk’s Neuralink technology pushes this concept even further. It promises to overcome the limitations of human-computer communication, potentially revolutionising how we interact with technology by allowing us to “speak” in bits rather than words. It recently announced a project called Blindsight that is working on trying to restore sight using this technology and although this is yet to become reality there are significant indications that the “technology holds considerable promise and could contribute to future treatments for blindness”.
As we move towards a more technology-driven world, the potential to diminish the impact of disabilities or differences that limit participation becomes more tangible. The ethical debate surrounding these emerging technologies, however, is in its infancy, and their implications for the future of the Paralympics, football and daily life remain uncertain. Yet, in its purest form, sport continues to offer a glimpse into the best of human potential. The waves of technological change are inevitable, and they have the power to accelerate the societal shifts that are happening and necessary. The choices we face in this new era are pivotal, and they must be informed by the profound truths embedded in the stories of sport such as the ones above, truths that speak to what it means to be human and how we should harness technology for the greater good.
• Jason Stockwood is the vice-chairman of Grimsby Town
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