Corporations seek out Disabled Athletes for Sponsorships

This is really exciting news!  Apparently a lot of corporations are turning to sponsor athletes with disabilities because a) the visability and impact of these athletes is growing strongly, and b) many world of able-bodied athletics has been fairly scandal ridden recently with lots athletes relying on drugs to push the limits.  Here are some excerpts of an article about this exciting development:

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A Beijing-bound athlete from Maryland is featured on McDonald's beverage cups, but it's not Michael Phelps.

Instead, it's Tatyana McFadden, a wheelchair sprint racer from Howard County who also is featured in a television commercial for Hilton Hotels Corp.

McFadden, 19, a member of the U.S. Paralympics team that will compete in China in September, had limited endorsement opportunities when she competed in Athens four years ago. But since then, she and other disabled athletes have noticed a marked rise in corporate sponsorship opportunities.

McFadden, who will be featured on 100 million 16- and 21-ounce cups in McDonald's establishments across the country, is among a growing number of athletes with disabilities who are being sought out by corporate America for sponsorships.

As unseemly behavior among able-bodied athletes has become more prevalent in recent years, corporate America has increased its efforts to reach out to athletes with disabilities, said Dave Rosenberg, executive vice president of GMR Marketing, a San Francisco firm that matched McFadden with Hilton.

"These athletes truly inspire," said Rosenberg. "They are the ones who are truly engaged in their sports and love of sports, and their support of the team. As a fan, these athletes are striving to support others. They provide that role-modeling."

(link)