Official Paralympics TikTok account draws backlash and praise for edgy, humorous content: 'This account is unhinged'

As the 2024 Olympic Summer Games give way to the Paralympics, one common theme remains: controversy.

The opening ceremony kicked things off on Wednesday, as men and women with physical and intellectual disabilities from around the world gather in Paris to put their sporting skills on display. Before the events begin, however, much talk has been focused on how the official Paralympics TikTok account has chosen to promote these Games with a series of videos that some believe are making fun of disabled athletes.

Others, meanwhile, are praising the account for its funny, light-hearted approach to its content, and for using comedy to promote the Paralympics.

One of the clips drawing a wide range of reactions features a blind triathlete from Team USA, Brad Snyder, trying to grab his bicycle after completing the swim portion of the race.

The official account’s admin laid down some piano music in the background as Snyder searched for his bike with the help of his guide, with the caption reading: "Para Triathlon is swim, bike, and air piano.”

“You didn’t have to do him like that,” one commenter wrote under the video.

"I think this tiktok account is a genius move to make people get interested in paralympics!" said another.

Meanwhile, anther commenter was't sure exactly which side of the fence to fall on:

"It is hard to choose laugh & cry at the same time," they wrote.

Another video on the Paralympics TikTok account features a swimmer with no arms making his way from one end of the pool to the other before he smacks his head on the end wall, with Dory from Disney's Finding Nemo singing her famous tune, “Just keep swimming.”

The caption attached to the clip reads: "It's all in the finish."

"I wish these videos took the athletes more seriously," read one of the comments under the clip, while another user wrote, "these athletes deserve so much more respect and to be recognized for their hard work."

"Y'all are so wrong for these sounds," replied another.

In a seperate post, a video shows a Great Britain wheelchair basketball player accidentally hitting one of her teammates with the ball before the latter goes tumbling off her wheelchair, gets up and laughs it off.

"The social media team deserves a medal," said one user.

Another poster wrote: "I still can't believe this is the official account."

"This has to be the best TikTok page of all time," read one reply.

"I do like this content but are the people okay with it? Don't they like get offended? Do they find it funny as well?" asked another commenter.

Overall, there seems to be more praise then condemnation from followers of the account, but this begs the question: How do the actual athletes feel about being portrayed in such a humorous light?

The official Paralympics TikTok account, according to International Paralympic Committee communications officer Craig Spence, is run by former Paralympian Richard Fox from Great Britain, who competed in seven-a-side football for Great Britain in 2008 in Beijing.

Spence, meanwhile, says the majority of the criticism and backlash toward the IPC and its social media approach come from those outside the community of people with disabilities.

“If you speak to Paralympians, they’ve got a great sense of humor,” Spence said in an interview earlier this year, per WZZM. "They’re not wrapped up in cotton wool and protected from society. They like to laugh about themselves. Like we all do, and that’s why we’ve tried to be really edgy on the Paralympic TikTok account.”

Another Paralympian, American silver medalist Matt Stutzman — AKA the "Armless Archer" — says he's always used humour to make others feel more comfortable and has used comedic relief as an icebreaker ever since his high-school days.

“I realized humor and comedy…broke the ice with people,” said Stutzman, who was born without arms. “The second I say something, and they laugh a little bit, it makes them feel more comfortable around me, and I was able to fit in.”

He was part of a humorous (and educational) YouTube video featuring fellow Paralympian and Wheelchair Rugby Player Chuck Aoki.

Stutzman says these humanizing videos help show the rest of the able-bodied world that these Paralympians are legitimate, world-class athletes — not just people with disabilities.

“It took the Paralympic Games and archery to make the world a believer that people with physical disabilities can literally do what everybody else can do,” Stutzman said.

Whether you agree with the overall content strategy or not, there's no doubt the humorous, edgy approach to these types of videos has served the Paralympics well in getting more eyeballs on their social media channels, which is always the goal.

The official Paralympics TikTok account has grown from three million to more than 4.6-million followers in just the last year, while its YouTube channels boasts a whopping 921,000 subscribers.

The 2024 Games officially get underway on Thursday, Aug. 29.