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The Documentary Podcast

The Fake Paralympians: 5. Court

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.32.7K Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2021

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A criminal case is brought against the so-called fake Paralympians and the team’s organisers. The prosecutor gives the inside take on the legal process and an outcome that left many frustrated. And Dan hears about the man accused of being the mastermind behind the scam and his surprising back story. Will he explain himself and apologise to the victims?

Transcript

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0:00.0

I'm Lise DuSet from the BBC World Service. I've been reporting from Afghanistan for more than 30 years.

0:07.0

The Americans are now out, the Taliban in. How did we get here? What happens next?

0:13.0

Our podcast, A Wish for Afghanistan, may be able to help.

0:17.0

Search for A Wish for Afghanistan, wherever you get your podcasts.

0:24.0

I'm Dan Pepper. I'm an ex-pile and pick swimmer from the north west of England.

0:32.0

At the prime of my swimming career, as a world champion in multiple events.

0:37.0

But this coincided with the total bat on my category at the Paralympics.

0:43.0

I have an intellectual disability. Athletes like me were excluded from Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

0:52.0

After a massive cheating scandal at Sydney 2000. So I missed out on my best chance to win a Paralympic medal.

1:01.0

It's fair to say that the scandal ruined my swimming career.

1:08.0

Even at the Tokyo Games, there weren't as many medals in my category as there were 21 years ago.

1:17.0

In the fake Paralympians, I'm finding out exactly what happened and why it left sort of devastating legacy for learning disability sports.

1:30.0

Previously.

1:31.0

I did talk to Fernando Martín Vicente, who was the president of the Spanish Federation in Brazil.

1:40.0

And I said, well, there are people who don't have any disability.

1:45.0

On the 26th December 2000 Spain filed a criminal complaint against different individuals that were involved with this irregular process.

1:58.0

From the BBC World Service, this is the fake Paralympians.

2:05.0

Episode 5. Court.

2:10.0

Rose, if I could ask you about the man that has been accused of being the mastermind behind this all, Fernando Martín?

2:22.0

I don't have anything nice to say though, I'm afraid, Dad.

2:26.0

I'm back in Spain, chatting with Rose Torres again. Her brother Ray was the captain of the Spanish Basketball team, who was stripped of their gold medals from the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.

2:38.0

Ray was one of only two generally disabled players on the team. The other 10 were fakes.

...

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