Paralympic fencer Piers Gilliver was denied his booked hotel room for using a wheelchair.
British wheelchair fencer Piers Gilliver found himself in an unexpected and frustrating situation when he was refused access to a hotel room he had booked and paid for.
The incident, which took place at the Ibis Rotherham East, has sparked a debate on accessibility and discrimination against disabled individuals in public accommodations.
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Gilliver, who hails from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, was traveling with his partner, who is also a wheelchair user, when they were told they could not stay on the upper floors of the hotel due to safety concerns.
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Despite explaining that they did not require an accessible room and could independently use the lift and evacuation chair, the staff insisted on denying them access.
“I’m not asking anything of you, I want to get to the room I paid for,” Gilliver recalled telling the hotel’s staff as per BBC.
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However, his plea was met with refusal. The hotel cited issues related to insurance and fire safety as the reason for their decision.
A barrier beyond sports
As a professional athlete who frequently travels for competitions, Piers Gilliver is no stranger to multi-storey hotels.
The Paralympic fencer argued that the assumption that wheelchair users require special arrangements in all situations is not only outdated but also exclusionary.
The Ibis spokesperson has since apologized, acknowledging the hotel’s mishandling of the situation.
“We sincerely apologise for the experience this guest had at our hotel, which is in no way reflective of our core values and expectations,” the spokesperson stated.
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They also confirmed that immediate corrective actions were being taken, including retraining staff to ensure proper handling of such situations in the future.
Disability barriers in daily life
Although this hotel incident was an unusual occurrence for Piers Gilliver, he pointed out that wheelchair users frequently face everyday obstacles that able-bodied individuals rarely consider.
“For example, a couple of weeks ago, three taxis pulled up, saw me in a wheelchair, and drove off,” he said, illustrating the broader issue of discrimination and accessibility challenges.
Despite the progress made in improving inclusivity for disabled individuals, Gilliver believes there is still a long way to go.
He expressed frustration over the repeated experiences of being treated differently due to his disability.
“To be honest, you get tired of feeling like a second-class citizen where your basic needs really aren’t being catered for,” he stated.
The incident at Ibis Rotherham East highlights the persistent barriers that many disabled sportsmen and women face even in seemingly progressive societies.
Despite the accessibility laws that exist, enforcing them consistently and ensuring proper awareness among businesses remains a challenge.
