They don't treat para athletes on par with the able-bodied: Ekta Bhyan calls for equality

New Delhi: Ekta Bhyan stood on the podium for the third straight time at the World Para Athletics Championships, this time with a silver medal in women’s F51 club throw.

For the 40-year-old athlete, it wasn’t just another medal; it was a statement of resilience.

"I'm feeling relaxed now. I had extra pressure being a defending champion and others' expectations, but I overcame that and did well," she told TheBridge after her throw at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Her success came during India’s most memorable campaign at the event, where the hosts amassed a record 22 medals across track, field, and throwing disciplines, signaling their rising stature in para athletics.

Yet, for Bhyan, the podium finish was also a platform to voice concerns that extend beyond the track. A long-time advocate for visibility and equality, she was blunt in her assessment of the challenges facing para athletes.

Lack of visibility in Para Sports

Beyond the medals, Bhyan has consistently spoken about the need to elevate para sports to the mainstream.

"I will say this with full authority that we have to take the Para Sports to mainstream, it will increase the visibility of people with disabilities, and they will be curious to know our stories and struggles," she emphasized.

The Championships saw important steps in accessibility, including 20 new para-friendly washrooms, eight lifts, an extended long jump pit, and a revamped throwing platform.

Bhyan acknowledged these efforts: "It's a very proud moment that our fellow para athletes are talking about this, that here at these championships, there is accessible transport or hotels, good lifts and ramps, and I will say Para Sport is a change maker."

Yet, despite infrastructural improvements, the event struggled to draw crowds. Attendance was limited mostly to volunteers, family members, and organizers.

"There are two types of challenges, one is the infrastructural challenge, which is getting addressed, but the other one is the mindset of people, as they don't treat us disabled people on par," Bhyan said.

Her coach Amit Saroha echoed the sentiment: "We are the host, but still, the way we expected the crowd is not in that many numbers. What is the reason behind it, that fans can only tell, but we want more awareness of the sport to spread."

Looking ahead to LA 2028

For Bhyan, the road ahead is clear after her event was officially added to the Los Angeles Paralympics schedule. "I'm very happy to hear that. Now I have some goals to chase, as without the Paralympics, it felt weird because it's the biggest tournament. It was a dream to return and compete there again, especially after my Tokyo Paralympics wasn't good," she said.

The disappointment of her event’s exclusion from Paris had earlier pushed her to explore table tennis as a “Plan B.” "When I heard that my event was not in Paris Paralympics, so I took table Tennis as a Plan B, and I improved my ranking internationally, which also helped me in club throw, as it improved my speed work," Bhyan explained.

Now, with three world medals behind her and the Paralympics back on her horizon, Bhyan embodies both the grit of an elite athlete and the voice of a movement striving for equality in para sports.