Beyond the Silver Bullet
Welcome to my blog «Beyond the Silver Bullet». I’m delighted that you have found your way here.
If not now, then when? This is a question that I have often asked myself recently. The time is ripe to set up a blog and share a few thoughts with you, many of which have been on my mind for a very long time. These are thoughts and experiences that relate to me personally, in the world of sport and in my life as a person with a physical disability. I will be exploring them here in a loose sequence of blog posts.
There are moments in which I look back not just at my sporting successes but also at my visions and observations that go beyond medals, trophies and records. How has the world of parasport developed during my career and to what extent has my guiding principle «I wish to be respected as an athlete and a human being, not marvelled at because I‘m disabled» become a reality? Where do we stand in society in terms of the perception of people with disabilities, and what does inclusion mean for me? These and other questions have inspired me to start this blog and share my insights with you.
The decision to begin this blog wasn’t an easy one for me. I have ambivalent feelings with regard to writing about topics like inclusion in particular. For me, sport has always been more than just a passion in which I pursue my goals. It is also a kind of language that enables me to express myself and my values. In this regard, I always try to direct people’s attention towards my sporting achievements. The wheelchair is secondary; it is merely a means of transportation and a piece of sporting equipment. At the same time, I stand by my physical disability, which is a part of my life, along with all the challenges that it brings. As a result, issues of inclusion also affect me to a greater or lesser extent. As a successful sportsman with a certain degree of fame, I also view it as an obligation and an opportunity to make a small contribution myself by sharing my thoughts and experiences with you. For the purpose of this blog, I will be shifting the focus onto my disability and aspects that relate to it for once. Of course I will only be addressing individual topics and experiences, but these are topics and experiences that are relevant and important to me.
My written contributions do not mean that I am seeking to become an ambassador for people with disabilities or an activist for inclusion. I simply do not have the required knowledge for that, and will therefore leave those tasks to the true experts. It is important to me to stress that I do not lay any claim to universal validity. In these blog articles, I am only speaking for myself and describing my personal insights, perspectives and thoughts. They cannot automatically be applied to other people. That said, of course I have also incorporated and taken inspiration from the thoughts and opinions of others.
As a sportsman, I have learned that sport is more than just a physical activity. It has the power to change lives, overcome boundaries and unite communities. I am very happy and grateful that my sponsor Allianz Suisse shares this view and will be supporting me with its editing services.
I hope that many people – regardless of whether or not they are sportsmen and women and whether or not they have disabilities – will resonate with some of the issues I raise or will at least be given food for thought and will be able to understand my opinions.
I am embarking on a journey that is far less familiar to me than the pursuit of sporting goals. It is a journey full of personal experiences and reflections. Above all, writing down some of my thoughts is a rewarding process and one that is sure to boost my personal development. Thank you for being my benevolent companion on this very personal and in some cases intimate journey. See you soon!
