Parkinson's sufferer banned from table tennis
PARKINSON'S sufferer Lynne Tombs has accused a table tennis club of discriminating against her.
She has been asked not to attend the Thursday session staged by the Tewkesbury University of the Third Age, which provides educational and physical opportunities for the over-50s.
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UPSET: Lynne Tombs says she feels 'like a leper' after being asked not to attend the Thursday doubles table tennis session
Some members are worried that Lynne, whose condition means her body sometimes shakes, may accidentally hit them while she is playing.
Though they don't mind playing singles against her, they are reluctant to play alongside her in doubles matches.
Officials have told her that she is still welcome to attend the less busy Monday or Tuesday sessions but they would rather she did not go on a Thursday.
Lynne has been playing table tennis with the U3A at the Wheatpieces Community Centre for two years and is upset at its request.
She said: "I feel a bit like a leper. I haven't been able to sleep.
"I don't know whether to jack it all in. I'm doing this for survival, to keep fit. This is my life I'm talking about."
The 56-year-old, of Webber House, Tewkesbury, feels there is now an atmosphere at the sessions because players are talking about her.
She feels that is unfair as she says she plays the game as well as anyone else, despite her disability.
She said: "I'm really annoyed about it. I think it is discrimination and it's horrible. There are others with health issues such as stroke, epilepsy and diabetes. There's no issue with anyone else, just me, and yet I'm not putting anybody in danger.
"There may have been occasions where I've been a bit unbalanced but I've never fallen over and never hurt anyone.
"If I feel I'm not capable, I stop playing. I don't know what the problem is. I don't know what I've done wrong."
Lynne is known in Tewkesbury for not allowing her condition to stop her continuing with her life.
She has written poetry and has just agreed to take part in a project aimed at increasing awareness of Parkinson's disease.
Although there are times her condition makes it hard to control her movements, she can feel her condition worsening and medicate against more severe episodes.
She added: "I make such an effort to get to the table tennis so this is upsetting. Though I can't sometimes walk down the street, I make sure I'm okay when I go to table tennis."
Pam Pearce, Tewkesbury U3A chairman, denied the club was discriminating against Lynne and said it was a question of protecting the health and safety of the players.
She said: "They're very worried about partnering her. We've told her she's very welcome to play singles."
She added that the U3A also wanted to avoid Lynne going on Thursdays and finding herself sitting alone, without anyone to play with.
She said: "It's not a matter of discrimination, it's a matter of common sense. Some of the players are in their 80s and most are 65 plus. It's for her own sake as well."
Anjuli Veall, social policy and campaigns manager at the Parkinson's Disease Society, said: "Parkinson's is a complex and fluctuating condition with symptoms specific to the individual – it is commonly misunderstood.
"Anti-discrimination legislation states it is against the law for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably than others for a reason related to their disability."
27 Comments
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by lynne tombs, Cheltenham
Wednesday, November 11 2009, 12:44PM
“I am now enjoying Tuesday evenings very much indeed at the Cheltenham Table Tennis Club. At first I was nervous but everyone there has gone out of their way to welcome me and have come up and said hello now I feel like one of the family it is very nice and I FEEL confident enough now to pull a few legs
I would like also to thank Peter Barry dave and a few others who have given me table tennis instruction it makes me free that they really care and a big thankyou to a couple of men who i have played against who obviously would like a better player to play with but have give ntheir time up to me very patiently obviously i want to win all games but the winning is not important it is the pleasure of playing the game
there are more males there than ladies so come on ladies it is a great game where are you from a boy aged about 5 to a man aged about 70 a complete mixture but all have one thing in common the love of table tennis I feel I am in the right place”
by lynne, tewkesbury
Friday, September 25 2009, 1:17PM
“thank you dave , barry and chris and all the lovely people in t he street who have come up to me and wishe d me all the best
i enjoyed tuesday ver y much
cor dave i didnt know you were that posh. I will have to giveyou a thrashing
god willing will see you tuesday thanks lynne”
by Chris Rayner, Ormesby Table Tennis Club, Middlesbrough
Tuesday, September 22 2009, 8:30PM
“Lynne
Good on you for fighting for your rights and for using table tennis as a motivation and physical tool to improve your health. I am the Head Coach for the Disability Section for Ormesby Table Tennis Club in Middlesbrough and we have players from every possible medical and mental health / Learning Disability and age group including Parkinsons.
Sport is a major way to encourage and motivate someone with a long term health condition and there is absolutely no reason, no matter what your disability, why you can not play table tennis to some level. That is crucial and having been seriously ill myself I fully understand how powerfull and enjoyable it is to play sport at any level.
This clearly shows peoples ignorance and selfish attitude along with a complete disregard for the actual law and requirements of the DDA.
One way that we try to get understanding and buy in from our players is to try and get them to consider how they would play and adapt if they have something restricting them, for instance, playing from a chair or with an eye closed.
It took time for our club to fully adapt and accept our players but now we are a fully intergrated part of the club.
Good luck to you Lynne and don't give up.
Cheers
Chris Rayner
Ormesby Table Tennis Club”
by Barry Turner, Cirencester
Tuesday, September 22 2009, 3:36PM
“Hi Lynne
It will be good to see you tonight at the Cheltenham Table Tennis Club, Thirlestaine Road, Cheltenham. 7pm to 9.30pm. You will be very welcome there and will have the full support of all our members. Barry Turner Club Secretary.”
by Dave Harvey, Cheltenham
Tuesday, September 22 2009, 12:26PM
“Lynn,
Keep playing TT. I am a coach of Table Tennis and if you have a venue would be pleased to be able to assist and give you some hints.
I have a current CRB check and have won 10 National titles and am the current British Open singles over 50's winner (last week) and county champion (open singles).
I have coached all abilities from national competetitors, complete beginners , cadets, juniors & seniors including disaabled competetitors and am still an active tournament player & coach around the country/Gloucestershire & have also coached for the ETTA.
I am well known in the County and on the National scene. I play in the Premier county fpr the seniors & vets still.
If you would like some pointers to your game, pls advise and I will be glad to help you out.
Peter Cruwys is our Cheltenham Coaching Administrator (who is 82 and has coached for over 60 yrs) and can vouch that I have coached & played for over 40 years at all levels.
Keep playing as our sport can ill afford to loose any players at all and if I can help you let me know and I can fix up sopme appropriate times with you.
Dave”