Editor defends Synon's right to her opinion

The Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, Dr McDaid, has joined in widespread condemnation of views expressed by a Sunday Independent columnist at the weekend.

Describing the article by Mary Ellen Synon, in which she described disabled people taking part in competitive sports as "offensive", the Minister said there was a prejudice against disability "at the heart of [her] views".

The newspaper will offer a right of reply on Sunday to anyone who "may have been offended by the view expressed" by Miss Synon, its editor, Aengus Fanning, said yesterday.

Miss Synon declined to comment on the furore, which led to phone-in radio programmes yesterday being dominated by criticism of her article. "If I am to give any reaction it will be on the pages of the Sunday Independent," she said.

A statement from Mr Fanning yesterday said the views expressed were not necessarily those of the editor.

In her article, Miss Synon compared the Paralympics, which are currently taking place in Sydney, Australia, with the recent Olympic Games.

She said: "One must question the propaganda that says one ought to applaud the physical performance of the lame as we applaud the physical performance of the fit.

"It is part of the propaganda that wants to convince you that all cultures are equal in value, that all lives are equal in value, that all philosophies are equal in value." Reports that the article was withdrawn from later editions were denied by a spokesman, who insisted the piece appeared in every copy of the paper.

Among those who condemned the article were the Olympic Council of Ireland, the Irish Sports Council, the Disability Federation of Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Forum of People With Disabilities.

Mr Pat Hickey, chairman of the OCI, said he and his colleagues were "appalled" by the article. The Paralympic Committee is affiliated to the OCI and will be a full member from next year.

Mr Hickey said he had seen the "tremendous training put in by these athletes", adding that he had seen disabled athletes beat able-bodied athletes.

Mr John Treacy, chief executive of the Irish Sports Council, described Miss Synon's comments as "appalling".

"That such a derogatory commentary would be published by a national newspaper at a time when the Irish Paralympic team is competing with such honour and pride in Sydney is extremely disappointing," he said.

The Disability Federation of Ireland said that while it accepted the importance and value of free speech, it should "be exercised without prejudice to the rights of others or their status in society". The chief executive of the federation, Mr John Dolan, said the article dehumanised and belittled "the humanity of many people".

The Irish Wheelchair Association said Miss Synon's comments brought journalism to "an all-time low". "The real cripples in this society are right-wing dictators who espouse comments like Miss Synon," said the association's chairman, Mr Michael McCabe.

Mr Fanning said it was the policy of the paper to offer "columnists of differing views, back grounds and genders a platform from which to challenge, to provoke and to foster debate.

"The views which any columnist may express from time to time are not necessarily those of the editor of the paper," he said. "However, we believe it is wrong to censor the work of any columnist but, instead, to offer the contrary view if a columnist gives offence or causes outrage."

The Paralympics is the second biggest sporting event in the world, surpassed only by the Olympic Games. At the Sydney Paralympics, some 4,000 athletes, each with a disability, from 125 countries, are competing. Irish Paralympic athletes have taken part since the games began in 1960 and are highly regarded internationally. At the last games in Atlanta in 1996 Ireland took one gold, three silver and six bronze medals.