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Overcoming barriers together

2021-12-03T05:48:49.198Z


Obstacles are part of climbing. They are characteristic of mountain sports. Overcoming barriers is often difficult, especially for people with disabilities. The German Alpine Association wants to support them in this - and show that mountain sports are possible with a disability.


Obstacles are part of climbing.

They are characteristic of mountain sports.

Overcoming barriers is often difficult, especially for people with disabilities.

The German Alpine Association wants to support them in this - and show that mountain sports are possible with a disability.

Munich -

"We don't want to remove barriers, we want to overcome them together," says Stefan Winter.

He is head of sport development at the German Alpine Club (DAV).

That is why there have long been inclusive groups there that dispel the prejudice that mountain sports are not for people with disabilities.

Winter points this out at every opportunity - especially on Friday, International Day of People with Disabilities.

Barriers in the head should be overcome

"People with disabilities should show those without disabilities that their own weakness does not matter," says Winter.

In his opinion, climbing is particularly suitable for this because the challenge is to overcome obstacles.

Be it on the climbing wall or in the mountains.

That helps to develop self-confidence.

At the same time, the participants should also overcome their own barriers in their heads and recognize what they can achieve together.

Winter is particularly fond of one visually impaired woman who had great doubts before crossing the Alps.

“Of course, the lady was afraid, because such a project is also dangerous,” says Winter.

"She kept improving in the Alpine Club's training camps and mastered the crossing of the Alps."

With special help, mountain sports are also possible for people with disabilities

There is special assistance for people with disabilities.

"In order to enable them to do mountain sports, there is an extra trainer training program," explains Winter.

“In addition, the climbing halls have routes with different levels of difficulty or larger holds that are easier to grip.

And if someone has a forearm amputation, for example, there is an artificial arm as special equipment with which climbing is still possible. "

"The aim should be to learn from each other"

In order for inclusion to succeed in the long term, people have to be invited to it again and again, says Winter.

“We are on the right track, but we mustn't fall back into old patterns.” By this he means, for example, non-inclusive groups in which disabled sports are practiced in isolation from people without disabilities.

“That is partly right,” he says.

“But there shouldn't be any more special treatment.

The goal should be to learn from each other. "

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-12-03

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