WATCH ABOVE: Criticism mounts for the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to exclude swimmer Victoria Arlen just days before the Paralympic World Swimming Championships in Montreal this week. Rachel Lau reports.
MONTREAL – Victoria Arlen is a star swimmer. Nothing could stop the 18-year-old from competing in her favourite sport, not even being diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) around seven years ago.
“It usually involves inflammation and damage to the nerves and tissues in the spinal cord,” explained Montreal neurologist Paul Giacomini.
Arlen spent almost two years in a coma and is currently confined to a wheelchair.
Despite it all, she’s a Paralympic gold medalist in the 100 metres freestyle.
Then on August 10, Arlen was disqualified from the Paralympic Swimming World Championships in Montreal.
“There was insufficient evidence to suggest there was a permanent impairment,” said Craig Spence, a spokesperson for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
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“That’s what’s needed to compete in IPC swimming competitions.”
President of the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association, Kimberly Kotar, is also an athlete living with TM.
She said she was shocked when she first heard the news.
“For someone to say that this is a temporary disability and that she should not be included, I mean obviously, I don’t think they know very much about the disease,” she said.
“Transverse myelitis is very invisible.”
Kotar says having TM feels like your limbs could give way at any moment.
“Every second of every minute of every day, I experience pins and needles in my feet to my waist,” she said.
“It’s an over-stimulation to the damage to the spinal cord.”
In a message on Facebook to her friends and family, Arlen wrote: “I’m so heartbroken with what has happened. I feel numb and completely shocked with the turn of events.”
The International Paralympic Committee sympathizes with Arlen, but insists she simply doesn’t meet their criteria.
“She was one of the great athletes competing at London 2012 last year,” agreed Spence.
“However, we have to abide by the rules, and the rules state that in order to compete in IPC competitions you must have a permanent impairment.”
At least one doctor Global News spoke to believes Arlen’s condition “could” be permanent.
“I don’t know all the details of the case,” said Giacomini.
“That being said, if this young woman was in a wheelchair for a prolonged period of time, I suspect that her deficits are permanent, and so I wouldn’t anticipate a dramatic recovery.”
Spence noted the only way the IPC would reconsider their ruling is if they get another medical report, one that is even more detailed than the one they already have.
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