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Games for the Disabled. Washington rebounded with a renewed faith in God, and an increased rededication to weightlifting. He won a gold medal in 1993 at the International Wheelchair Games in Stoke-Mandeville, England. However, the ups and downs in Washington's life continued in 1992 as he prepared for the Barcelona Paralympics when he was disqualified from competing. An official for the Paralympics ruled that weightlifters would have to "lock out" their lifts with no more then a 20 degree angle in their elbows when their arms were fully extended. Due his disability, Washington's right arm bends no more than 29 degrees, although his left arm can bend to 20 degrees. The rule was changed because some athletes felt this gave people like Washington an unfair advantage, but Washington explains, "Originally, the Paralympics were more of an exhibition, a loser type of competition that was primarily designed in the name of rehabilitating people. There are many disabled people like myself who trained and worked hard all their life toward a goal and then non-disabled people step in and take away our dreams. I don't think they cared much about our feelings. They didn't even try to make another category for people like my- self." Washington feels that since the Paralympics began to grow and attract corporate money, the committee has been narrowing the qualifications to the point where more and more disabled people are excluded from competing. His feeling of being pushed aside ignited a drive to protect his career and those of others like him. Washington turned to the U.S. District Court to seek a reversal of the ruling along with a $20.5 million lawsuit. His battle have been costly but not |