Perception of disabled ‘changed for ever’

Lord Coe praised the “extraordinary summer of sport”, which has made household names of home-grown Paralympians such as swimmer Ellie Simmonds, wheelchair racer David Weir and sprinter Jonnie Peacock.

And he said the Paralympics coverage had helped to raise awareness of disability in sport, providing a lasting legacy.

“We set a goal to create awareness, I really think we have done that in helping converting some of those extraordinary talents into household names,” he said.

“I really genuinely think we have had a seismic effect in shifting public attitudes. I don’t think people will ever see sport the same way again, I don’t think they will ever see disability in the same way again. One of the most powerful observations was made to me, by one of our volunteers, who talked about having lifted some of the clouds of limitation.”

Lord Coe’s comments come as new research shows eight in 10 British adults say that Paralympics 2012 has had a positive impact on the way disabled people are viewed by the public.

According to the survey, three in four Britons say the Paralympics have had a positive effect on the mood of the British public.

It follows a ComRes and ITV news poll which showed 85 per cent of people said the athletes were inspirational role models, while four in five said they thought the Games would help make those with disabilities more visible in the media.

Lord Coe added: “The real challenge is to maintain sustainable and meaningful change. I would like to think that by extending the excitement from the Olympic Games into the Paralympic Games and that exhilaration has led to a greater education. I think people will leave understanding a great deal more about the world they are living in.”

Sir Philip Craven, former wheelchair basketball athlete and president of the International Paralympics Committee, said he was “above the landscape, floating on cloud nine or sometimes 10 and 11” following the success of this year’s Paralympics.