Current:Home > FinanceParalympics TikTok account might seem like cruel joke, except to athletes -Wealth Momentum Network
Paralympics TikTok account might seem like cruel joke, except to athletes
View
Date:2025-04-12 06:11:16
To the uneducated scroller, the official Paralympics TikTok account may seem like a cruel joke.
Footage of para-athletes is played under viral sounds that "mock" the actions on screen.
In one, Australian cyclist Darren Hicks, a right leg amputee, wins time trial gold in Tokyo with the sound of "left, left, left" in the background (4.8 million likes). In another, a pair of wheelchair basketball players maneuver on the court to Jack Harlow's song "What's Poppin." Noises from the kid game "Bop It!" play as blind and vision-impaired swimmers are tapped on the head with foam-tipped poles, which the account explains is how the athletes are notified they're getting close to the wall.
For the able-bodied community, this may seem offensive to individuals with disabilities. But Team USA Paralympians gave the content their stamp of approval.
PARALYMPICS:Athletes see progress in coverage but say there's a long way to go
2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.
“I love it. I love it all. I love any type of coverage that sparks discussion, that maybe we can react to and say, ‘Hey this wasn’t OK,’ or maybe to promote some controversial coverage and say 'No, that’s exactly what I want to say in this moment,’” opening ceremony flag bearer and wheelchair basketball captain Steve Serio said. “We as athletes, Team USA, we want all the smoke both on and off the court.”
Paralympians have a great sense of humor, International Paralympic chief brand and communications officer Craig Spence said.
"They like to laugh about this stuff, like we all do, and that’s why we’ve tried to be really edgy on the Paralympic TikTok account," Spence said.
Those who were offended often aren’t the ones who live with disabilities, Spence said. The person behind the social-media posting, Richard Fox, is a former para-athlete himself.
"I wanted to showcase people with disabilities doing sport, but in a different way to how it's been done previously," he told AdWeek in 2023, adding that he didn't want the account to be used for "inspiration porn." "And so by using the viral sounds and by using the trends, that's how we're doing that."
@Paralympics reached 4.6 million viewers by the time the 2024 opening ceremony started.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
- 'Melt away' your Election Day stress: Puppy-cuddling events at hotels across the US on Nov. 5
- Boeing factory workers vote to accept contract and end more than 7-week strike
- Americans say they're spending less, delaying big purchases until after election
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- Remains of nearly 30 Civil War veterans found in a funeral home’s storage are laid to rest
- How Travis Kelce does with and without Taylor Swift attending Kansas City Chiefs games
- Pottery Barn 1-Day Sale: Snag $1.99 Wine Glasses, $7.99 Towels, $2.99 Ornaments, and More Deals
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Opinion: Women's sports are on the ballot in this election, too
Ranking
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Is fluoride in drinking water safe? What to know after RFK Jr.'s claims
- Penn State, Clemson in College Football Playoff doubt leads Week 10 overreactions
- JonBenét Ramsey Docuseries Investigates Mishandling of Case 28 Years After Her Death
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Ariana Grande Reveals Why She Chose to Use Her Real Name in Wicked Credits
- Penn State, Clemson in College Football Playoff doubt leads Week 10 overreactions
- Taylor Swift plays goodbye mashups during last US Eras Tour concert
Recommendation
FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
How Travis Kelce does with and without Taylor Swift attending Kansas City Chiefs games
A Tribute to Chartthrob Steve Kornacki and His Beloved Khakis
Ag Pollution Is Keeping Des Moines Water Works Busy. Can It Keep Up?
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
32 things we learned in NFL Week 9: Any teams making leap at trade deadline?
After surprising start, Broncos show they're still far from joining AFC's contender class
New Yorkers may change their constitution to ban discrimination over ‘pregnancy outcomes’