Disabled Racer Nathalie McGloin Fights for ‘Accessible Podiums’ скачать в хорошем качестве

Disabled Racer Nathalie McGloin Fights for ‘Accessible Podiums’

President of the international FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission, Nathalie McGloin, has called for fundamental, widespread changes to be made within the world of motor racing, to make the sport more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities. Nathalie McGloin is currently the only female tetraplegic racing driver in the world to be competing at professional level, and would like to see significant advancements made within the sport to increase opportunities for disabled drivers to participate through more accessible competition licence application processes, as well as improving the attendance experience for spectators, officials, volunteers and drivers at race circuits globally. As part of her ambitious plans, McGloin has outlined an ‘Accessible Podiums’ campaign, which asks venues to invest in infrastructure and services to allow competitors, spectators and support staff who have physical impairments or mobility limitations to attend events and navigate venues safely, without facing hazards or accessibility issues. In addition, she is demanding considerable enhancements in seating and parking facilities, as well as online information resources. The aim would be to make all Formula 1, GP and Formula E circuits certified with FIA Disabled Access Status by the end of 2019. Also detailed in McGloin’s proposals are new provisions for awarding competition licenses for drivers with disabilities, including facilitating application procedures and making the process more inclusive. McGloin, who recently became the first sportsperson with a disability to present a podium prize at the British Grand Prix, commented, “Working with the FIA, I am passionate about making motorsports for everyone. With these campaigns, I’m recommending step-changes in the way venues accommodate and cater for disabled people, whether they are drivers, members of the audience or personnel at the race tracks. I look forward to seeing significant progress in accessibility over the coming months, and thank the entire FIA organisation for its support in helping to shape the future of motorsport.” Dedicated to helping others with disabilities, in 2016, Nathalie and her partner, Andrew Bayliss, founded Spinal Track, a charity that gives people the opportunity to take part in track driving experiences in specially modified cars. Nathalie hopes to expand the activities offered by Spinal Track to include rally car driving over the next 12 months.