Paris 2024 Olympics commentary review by Jonny Marshall

I'm passionate about making sports more accessible and I enjoy listening to a range of commentaries. In particular, I listen to a lot of football on the radio as these commentaries tend to be the most accessible. For major sporting events such as the World Cup or the Olympics I would watch with family and friends, so a good commentary is essential for creating a good shared experience. Below are some of my thoughts on the Commentaries at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games was a spectacular sporting event. For blind and partially sighted people, accessible TV commentaries is crucial to ensure an inclusive experience. This year the commentaries were mixed with the action easier to follow on some sports compared to others.

For instance, the commentary on the 100m was reasonably good, with descriptions of where athletes were in relation to one another provided, before giving descriptions on the action in the last seconds. The atmosphere and excitement came through in the commentary, which helped to bring the event to life. The discussion afterwards helped to fill in some of the information regarding the other athletes missed out on during the replay.

However, some of the commentaries were harder to follow. One example of this was during some of the gymnastics, where the commentator did not describe what was happening. A brief description of what happened only came in after the routine had finished. Sports events for blind and partially sighted people are easier to follow if the commentary focuses on what is happening, rather than explaining what has happened.

Interestingly during the volleyball, There was quite a lot of statistical and tactical information about play provided, which helped to paint a picture of the action. However, the descriptions during play would have benefited from extra details to help follow the action more clearly. There were some moments when the commentators provided details, but it was not consistent enough.

To ensure that commentaries are more accessible, Commentators should provide more detailed and vivid descriptions of the events, focusing on the atmosphere, the athletes' movements, and describing the action in real time. This approach benefits blind and partially sighted viewers but also enriches the experience for all by offering a more comprehensive commentary.

It would be great to hear your thoughts on the Olympic Games commentaries this year. Your feedback will help to improve the experience for future sporting events. Please email your feedback to [email protected].