Busy week this week, between taking in the Braves-Brewers series and my continuing job interview process with the Bucks. But a quick follow-up regarding the ongoing battle for inclusion waged by Maryland wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden. It came to the finish line, at least for this season, when the 17-year-old with spina bifida won the 400-meter dash ahead of two able-bodied runners on Saturday. McFadden received an individual medal but her victory did not count towards her Atholton High School team’s score. Team results were not available at the time of this posting.

McFadden’s final appeal to also compete in the 100 and 200-meter races was denied because of what meet officials called “confusion in registration.” McFadden said she was unsure what to expect coming in but felt accepted when the crowd stood and cheered her on. A fellow competitor even marveled at her strength and endurance. See the full Washington Post article at the bottom of this page.

As I’ve said in this space before, I think McFadden has been treated fairly for the most part, at least according to the rules as they currently are. But her ongoing fight is a potential illustration of a negative perception some athletes with disabilities must face. They are sometimes characterized as “supercrips,” or athletes with disabilities who sometimes undermine disability rights and advocacy movements or even look down on people with disabilities who don’t play sports. For the record, I don’t think Tatyana McFadden fits the description of a “supercrip,” a term I detest. But I do know people I would classify as such. I’m working on a piece that examines the legitimacy of the supercrip phenomenon using the UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball team as a test case, so I’ll refrain from further comment until that post. Stay tuned.

Matthew Zellmer can be reached at mz80@yahoo.com