Paralympics TikTok: Appears Cruel, but Entertains Athletes

To the casual observer, the official Paralympics TikTok account might appear to be in poor taste. Footage of para-athletes is set to viral sounds that could be perceived as mocking their actions.

In one viral video, Australian cyclist Darren Hicks, who is a right leg amputee, triumphs in a time trial gold medal with the sound of “left, left, left” playing in the background, garnering 4.8 million likes. In another clip, wheelchair basketball players maneuver on the court to Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin.” Sounds from the children’s game “Bop It!” accompany shots of blind and vision-impaired swimmers being tapped on the head with foam-tipped poles—an account explanation noting this is how athletes are informed they are nearing the wall.

To able-bodied individuals, this content might seem offensive to people with disabilities. However, Paralympians from Team USA have given this content their endorsement.

“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,’” said Steve Serio, opening ceremony flag bearer and wheelchair basketball captain. “We as athletes, Team USA, we want all the smoke both on and off the court.”

Craig Spence, the International Paralympic Committee’s chief brand and communications officer, stated that Paralympians possess a great sense of humor. “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 remarked.

Spence emphasized that those who typically take offense are not the ones living with disabilities. Richard Fox, the social media manager behind the posts, is a former para-athlete himself.

“I wanted to showcase people with disabilities engaging in sports, but in a way that hasn’t been done before,” Fox told AdWeek in 2023. He added that he aimed to avoid creating content that falls into the category of “inspiration porn.” “And so by using viral sounds and trends, that’s how we’re doing that.”

@Paralympics had reached 4.6 million viewers by the time the 2024 opening ceremony began.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paralympics TikTok account might seem like cruel joke, except to athletes

Source: USA TODAY, AdWeek