Don’t Miss Out on the Hilarious Paralympics TikTok Account!

Just recently, while casually scrolling through TikTok, I stumbled upon a video featuring an athlete elegantly swimming along to Dory’s “Just Keep Swimming” from Finding Nemo. It seemed ordinary until he suddenly slammed his head against the pool wall, accompanied by a cartoon-like sound effect. Then, I noticed he had no arms, and it hit me—it was posted by the official Paralympics TikTok account.

The initial shock was palpable; the content felt almost inappropriate. However, as I delved deeper into the Paralympics profile, it became evident how light-hearted most of its content is—and how much it resonates with viewers. A quick scroll reveals that it’s normal for Para swimmers with limb differences to bump their heads on the wall to clock their time and finish their races. Another video features an athlete with only his right leg competing in a long jump event to an edited version of the hip hop song “Right Foot Creep.” One user commented, “This is uncalled for, but made my day.” Another TikTok shows an athlete with dwarfism throwing a heavy metal ball while screaming, paired with the “Squirrels in My Pants” song. “This account is so out of pocket,” someone wrote, “and I love it.”

You might think that some highly experienced social media expert is the genius behind this account. In reality, it’s run by a small team of four 20- to 30-year-olds. Three of them have disabilities, including two former Paralympians, who are passionate about providing the exposure to Parasport that they lacked as kids. Craig Spence, chief brand and communications officer of the International Paralympic Committee, also plays a significant role in shaping the account’s content strategy.

Curious about their approach, I tracked down the team and asked the pressing question: How do they push these boundaries so effectively, and why is it working?

“We realized that our content had to be really edgy to get the engagement,” Spence told SELF with a chuckle. “Now, you have a lot of people saying, ‘I don’t know whether I should laugh at this, and if I do laugh, do I go to hell?’ Our content is edgy, it’s borderline, but we’ve got the balance right, I believe.”

The account’s success lies in its unfiltered portrayal of the realities of being a disabled athlete—the highs, the lows, and the humorous moments. “Just because people have a disability doesn’t mean they don’t have a sense of humor, you know what I mean?” Spence said. The key is to laugh with the athletes rather than at them, which eliminates the guilt often associated with finding humor in such content.

In one TikTok, US Paralympic triathlon athlete Brad Snyder, who is blind, is seen reaching out to find his bike until his guide redirects him. The content team added classical music by Beethoven to the video “because it actually does look like he’s playing the piano,” Spence explained, adding that Snyder even shared the video himself. This kind of content not only engages but also educates viewers about the everyday challenges faced by Paralympic athletes.

Though unconventional, the Paralympics TikTok account has struck a chord with many by offering a fresh perspective on Parasport. The combination of humor, authenticity, and respect ensures that the account resonates deeply, making it a valuable tool in raising awareness about the experiences of disabled athletes.

Source: SELF