In an agreement hailed as a victory for disabled individuals´ rights, a capital gym that barred entry to a paraplegic patron announced it will sponsor the membership and training of 15 disabled athletes and retrofit all of its installations for handicapped access within 90 days.In a news conference in the offices of the National Council for the Prevention of Discrimination (Conapred) on Tuesday, Sports World representative Carmen Gómez said the gym will waive the membership fee of 15,000 pesos (US$1,360) for 15 more disabled athletes, and its staff will take an anti-discrimination sensitivity course.
The 30 disabled athletes will train for the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008, and the 15 full sponsorships will run until Sept. 1, 2008.
"Sports World is a responsible company that knows how to rectify a situation when it is necessary," Gómez said. "I think we are opening the door so our clubs are visited by everyone."
The measures were reached as part of an agreement with Joaquín Alva, the 31-year-old disabled government worker who sued the gym after being prohibited from entering last summer.
Alva is paralyzed from the chest down as the result of a car accident 14 years ago, but maintains an intensive workout regimen to keep healthy. He was a member of the club and had swum twice at different affiliates before he was barred entry and offered a partial refund. The company argued it did not have handicapped facilities or staff to work with disabled individuals.
In response to Sports World´s announcement, Alva agreed to drop his lawsuit, which could have resulted in fines or even jail time for members of the staff.
City and federal laws prohibit discrimination against any individual for commercial establishments, and city regulations mandate public buildings be handicapped-accessible - a requirement few buildings comply with.
Members of Conapred, which has backed Alva in his crusade for rights for the disabled, said the agreement represented a step forward for the nation.
Amalia Gamio Ríos, who coordinates programs for Conapred, said it was "a triumph in the fight against discrimination."
Gamio will oversee Sports World´s efforts to make their gyms handicapped-accessible.
After the news conference, Alva said Mexico still lags in disabled rights and, while the agreement was a positive step, much remains to be done - from improving treatment and public policies to obtaining accurate data on Mexico´s disabled population.
He added that for poor families, having a disabled son or daughter represents an enormous strain on the family finances.
He praised Sports Worlds actions, but when asked if he would seek to rejoin the club himself, he said, "I don´t think so."
