On September 9, London bid a fond farewell to this year's Paralympic Games. A fact which, if you live in Spain, may well have escaped your notice. As fireworks exploded over the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, the closing ceremony of this major international sporting event was not covered by any of Spain's major TV stations. In a departure from previous years the 2012 Games did, however, receive comprehensive coverage on Teledeportes (although Spain's national sports channel, aimed at broadcasting news across the country, changed frequency in June 2011, and I doubt ours is the only household which still does not receive it.) A quick search for Paralympic news in the national and local … [Read more...] about Disability and Spain’s low-key Paralympics
spain London 2012
Spain and Sod’s Law
One of the great enigmas of this summer in Spain, apart from the future of the economy, has been the country’s performance at the Olympics, belying the received wisdom that it is a world power in sport. As I write this, Spain sits 21st in the medal table, having finally won a gold, in the women’s windsurfing, 11 days into the Games, followed by a second in taekwondo. The medal haul so far of two gold, six silver and one bronze is puzzlingly poor. Spain is the reigning football world and European champion, the current Davis Cup champion (its fifth title in the last decade), its cyclists have won the Tour de France three times in the last five years, and its basketball players, many of … [Read more...] about Spain and Sod’s Law