Malone reinstated to Paralympic team

FOLLOWING his dismissal from the Beijing Paralympic Games having been deemed “not disabled enough” to play on the Irish soccer team by the Cerebral Palsy International Sport and Recreation Association (CPISRA), Clare’s Derek Malone, was this week reinstated. The reversal of the decision was taken by a review panel of CPISRA, led by new head of classification, Carol Mushett-Johnson.
The Whitegate soccer player, in welcoming the decision, said he had “mixed emotions”.
“They have let me back in but they have refused to apologise. It’s been a battle and it has taken 13 months. There was a mistake made in Beijing but they have refused to hold their hands up and say sorry. I should have been allowed to compete in Beijing. While I am happy with the decision, I would have liked an apology,” he said.
Now studying for a masters in strength conditioning at Edinburgh, while working part-time in Ireland, Derek hasn’t decided yet whether or not he will return to the sport.
“I moved on with my life outside of sport. I haven’t done a whole pile of training. It’s too early to say what I will do. London would be a nice way to draw a line under Beijing.”
Following the Beijing Games, Malone, along with the Paralympic Council of Ireland (PCI) and Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland (CPSI) conducted a lengthy campaign with CPISRA, the international governing body for cerebral palsy football, to ensure they provided the “independent review” promised by CPISRA president, Alan Dickson.
Confirming the decision of the review panel, Ms Mushett-Johnson has also designated Malone’s Paralympic status as “confirmed” under CPISRA rules. Effectively, she alone as “chief classifier” can alter Malone’s status. The ruling, in effect, deems Malone’s status as permanent and incontestable by other nations.
Since the Beijing Games, a working committee was set up within CPISRA to look at all aspects of classification for football seven-a-side. Within this process, Ms Mushett-Johnson was appointed and began working to ensure the classification problems encountered in Beijing were dealt with and confidence in the classification process for the sport would return within the playing nations.
In responding to Malone’s reinstatement, Mr Dickson stated that he does not believe an apology is owed to Malone.
“I do not believe that any is owed. This does not mean that I do not regret what Derek went through, nor does it mean that I am not happy that a new panel has declared him eligible. I regret it when any athlete is found ineligible, particularly a Paralympic medallist.”