In this episode

Ada Stamatatou describes how sport became a shared space with her non-speaking son Giannis, and why accurate terminology and equal access matter more than charitable rhetoric.

The discussion moves from volunteering at Ironman and majors to an Olympic-distance race in Malaysia, the Greek-language children’s book “What’s Going On with Giannis?” and Race for Autism GR.

Detailed show notes

Sharing a space with Giannis

She took up sport to be close to her son. Giannis is 27, non-speaking, autistic and has an intellectual disability; he was diagnosed shortly before turning two. He has swum since he was six months old. The pool allowed them to share a space and an activity in a way that a board game could not.

She says sport is one of the few settings where you do not remain an outsider: there is a coach and a club that welcomes you. She sees Giannis every weekend; after years of bureaucracy, he now lives in a residential care home. They swim together in the Vouliagmeni crossing.

Language and access

She asks for direct terminology: a person with a disability, not “special needs”. Autism is an invisible disability. She credits Marina Koutareli with opening races to wheelchairs, tandems and guides. She helped include autistic adults with sporting abilities.

At the Athens Marathon, she calls for equal participation for independently propelled handcycles, rather than only wheelchairs pushed by someone else. She has run Athens twice and says she will not race individually again until this changes. She closes by inviting people to volunteer alongside wheelchair participants.

Volunteering and the majors

Her husband raced marathons and triathlons; she began volunteering instead of spending hours waiting in a support role. At the 2019 70.3 World Championship in Nice, she learnt that the athlete comes first. Her majors journey began in Berlin, before she had run Athens. Boston is her favourite; she describes Tokyo as the worst because timing starts with the gun and the cut-off is tight.

With Sydney, she has seven stars. The six-star medal remains tied to the six original majors. In open water, she has completed the five-kilometre Half Oceanman in Limeni, not the ten-kilometre event.

Triathlon, a book and Race for Autism GR

Her Greek triathlons have mainly been sprints, plus an Olympic-distance race in Malaysia where she won her age group while managing heat and fuelling. Her Greek-language children’s book “What’s Going On with Giannis?” (Metaichmio) is aimed at primary-school children and tells real stories about Giannis.

Race for Autism GR—not the American organisation—is in its fifth year: a sold-out five-kilometre event in Kavouri with approximately 1,600 participants, plus a short swim in Kallithea. It is a civil non-profit organisation funded through entries. She asks for receipts for donations.

Key takeaways

  • Sport can provide a shared space when games or conversation are not enough.
  • Terminology is more than politeness; accurate terms are needed to claim rights.
  • The demand is equal race access, not free entry and podium photographs.
  • Volunteering teaches racing from the inside; the majors are a city experience as well as a performance.